and the heavy seas
which roll, between that island and St. Thomas, especially in the
channel between the former and St. Domingo, and indeed in all the West
Indies: having the boiler immediately adjoining the cabin and sleeping
berths, and without any place to stow the luggage belonging to the
passengers,--and with the numerous mail bags crammed into the small
sleeping berths, or under the table,--and the public will have a faint
idea of a Government steam-boat; wherein, under a tropical sun and a
tropical rain, the passengers and crews are, with the hatches closed,
reduced to the choice, while choked with coal-dust, of being broiled
or suffocated. No human constitution can long stand this. Without
meaning any offence, truth must declare, that such a state of things
is a disgrace to England.

The most urgent haste and necessity can alone bring individuals to
travel by such conveyances, and none will do so whose time will allow
them to look for other modes of conveyance and transport. Female
passengers, in particular, without female attendants, or room for
them, will never willingly undertake, certainly never repeat, a voyage
under such circumstances. It would seem that, in this respect, the
vessels belonging to the most powerful, enlightened, and civilized
Government in the world, are to be placed far below the level of (p. 011)
vessels belonging to their own subjects, and those of other nations;
although such vessels are expressly appointed to convey passengers.

With these preliminary observations, it is proposed to consider the
details of a plan for the more extended conveyance of mails by
steam-boats, first to the WESTERN WORLD, under the separate heads into
which such a plan, necessarily and properly divides itself. In doing
this, it will satisfactorily appear that the more the plan is
extended, the less in proportion will the expenses attending the same
be, and the greater the returns be therefrom.

I. (p. 012)

_Falmouth and Madeira, or one of the Western Islands, Department._

Either of the islands just named may be made central points of the
greatest importance for connecting the mail communications between
Great Britain and all the Western World. The Western Islands, however,
become a central point, more direct and convenient than Madeira, for
all the outward and homeward West Indian packets, and still more so
for all those which may be bo