British
ships."

"Important national considerations, aside from the design to
engross for British bottoms and British capital the trade and
intercourse of the commercial world, and especially with the
American continent and islands, entered into the Government plan.
It was ascertained to be a far less expensive mode of maintaining
a naval steam force adapted to the purposes of Government, and to
any emergency that might require these ships for other than mail
purposes, than to build, equip, and keep in service national
steamships of war. The experiment has proved its adequacy to the
intended object; and it continues not only to receive the approval
of the Admiralty and Government of England, but to be continually
undergoing enlargement and expansion."

"The West-India mail steam line was proposed to the British
Government in April, 1839, by sundry merchants of London. A
charter was granted to the contractors in that year, under the
title of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. It embraced the
following routes:

"1. _Outward Atlantic Route._--From Southampton to Madeira,
Barbados and Grenada--steamer, every 15 days.

"2. _Trinidad Route._--From Grenada to Trinidad and
Barbados--steamer, every 15 days.

"3. _Demarara Route._--From Grenada to Courland Bay,
(Tobago)--steamer, every 15 days.

"4. _Northern Islands Route._--From Grenada to St. Vincent, St.
Lucia, Martinique, Dominique, Guadalupe, Antigua, Montserrat,
Nevis, St. Kitt's, Tortola, St. Thomas, and St. John's, (Porto
Rico)--steamer, every 15 days.

"5. _Jamaica and Mexican Route._--From Grenada to Jacmel, (Hayti,)
Kingston, Havana, Vera Cruz, and Tampico--steamer, every 30 days.

"6. _Jamaica and St. Iago de Cuba Route._--From Grenada to Jacmel,
Kingston, St. Iago de Cuba, St. Juan's, (Porto Rico,) and St.
Thomas--steamer, every 30 days.

"7. _Bermuda, Havana, and Jamaica Route._--From St. Thomas to
Bermuda, Nassau, Havana, Kingston, Jacmel, St. Juan's, and St.
Thomas--steamer, every 30 days.

"8. _Homeward Fayal Route._--From St. Thomas to
Southampton--steamer, every 30 days.

"9. _Laguayra Route._--From Grenada to Laguayra, Porto Cabello,
and St. Thomas--steamer, every 30 days.

"10. _Panama and St. Iago de Cuba Route._--From Kingston (Jamaica)
to Santa Martha, Carthagena, Chagres