The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-12-03 00:00:00

CONTEMPORARY PRESS.

THE NEW POSTAGE REGULATIONS.-
(From the Morning Herald.)
cfigititothrcereVasortia- Arritaerefitgrerefieth
at the Post-office. A more incongruous—a less intel-
ligible scheme—never (and that is a bold phrase) ema-
nated from the brains of " liberal philosophers."
The immediate diminution of the revenue will be
irnmen'se; the increase of toil and trouble to all con-
cerned iu the administration of Post-office duties will
prove incalculable. The number of clerks and letter-
carriers must be trebled, or quadrupled; and let the
number of these functionaries be multiplied as it may,
we question whether the cleverest amongst them will
ever thoroughly comprehend their multifarious and
contradictory duties.
This simple and uniform plan will be found to. exhi-
bit, in operation, all sorts of irregularities and anoma-
lags. Inland letters, letters for the continent, letters for
the colonies, letters tor America, will all be treated on
a different system. The most absurd distinctions
about the weight of letters present themselves, in fact,
• to every reader of the new Post-office manifesto.
Let the following profound regulations be carefully
Considered by the advocates of " cheap" postage :
" On letters not exceeding half an ounce, there will be.
taken one rate of postage.
" On .letters above half an ounce, and not exceeding one
ounce, two rates of postage.
" On letters above one ounce, and not exceeding two
ounces, four rates of postage.
" On letters above two ounces, and not exceeding three
three ounces,'six rates othpostage. •
On lelters above three *Dances, and not exceeding four
ounces, eight rates of postage.
" And so in proportion.
• " Postmasters should bear in mind, however, that after the
first ounce in the annexed scale, no distinction is made be-
. tween the ounce and a fraction of an ounce. A letter, for
instance, which turns the ounce weight, is liable to four rates
of postage ; and a letter weighing a fraction above two ounces,
....is liable to six rates of postage, and so cm."
This proposed double postage will, obviously, be
evaded by the simple expedient of dividing each of the
"heavy" letters specified into two of half the weight;
but then, what the authors of this scheme may lose in
the shape, of revenue, they hope to gain in the appa-
relEincrease of correspondence !
Vie following regulation iuvolves a very unfair in-
terference with that freedom of choice which ought to
be conceaecl to all "letter-writers."
Al,, letters etceediwg the weight of an ounce (with the
exception of letters addressed to France) most have the post-
age paid in advance. Should the postage not be paid in ad-
vance, the letters must be charged with double the rates to
which they would otherwi.e be liable."
"Why should people be compelled to pay in advarice
the postage on any letter And why, if postage be-
forehand ought to be paid, should it be paid on letters
above an ounce, more than on letters of half the
weight ? Is the object of the framers of the act to
swell by this device also, the apparent amount of corre-
spondence ?
In this, as in all their other schemes, the whigs are
likely to the established order of things, with-
out introducindL the faintest shadow of real " reform."
Under the nevaost-office arrangements all will be con-
fusion; uncertainty, and delay. Existing habits of bu-
siness will be interfered with. The Post-office itself
will become a chap/. An important branch of the re-
venue wit! be placed in jeopardy. New taxes will be
tendered necessary j and after the derangement, to a
.scarcely calculable extent, of the machinery of corre-
spondence that now exists in England, we shall be
compelled, iu all probability, to grope our.way back,
tkongla corresponding difficulties, to the old system,
or to something like it.
The worst feature in the case, as far as the whigs are
concerned, is their utter dishonesty in consenting to
introduce Mr. Rowland Hill's plan. Ministers, and all
their independent placemen, are aware that the whole
affair is a delusion. They are no converts to the
soundness of -the principles on which that scheme pro-
fesses to rest. They struggled against the penny-pos-
tme project as long as they dared, but they never dared
to assert the claims of truth at the cost of a few radi-
cal or Popish votes. Mr. Warburton and his party
fairly bullied the late Chancellor of the Exchequer into
acquiescence in this notable scheme of the liberal"
party. Mr. Spring Rice consented to adopt the plan.
He and him colleagues thought that they might earn a
little popularity amongst the 'liberals" by timely com-
pliance; and they calculated on being relieved by the
successful opposition of the conservative party, at once
from the odium of resisting Mr. Hill's scheme, and
from the serious dangers attendant on its adoption. In
this hope they were disappointed. The conservatives
have left to "liberals" the responsibility of asserting
" liberal" principles in matters of revenue. On " li-
beral" heads must the whole blame of failure rest 1

THE GLASGOW PROTESTANT ASSOCIATION.

(From the Scottish Guardian.)
Last week we announced it as probable that the
citizems of Glasgow would, ere long,.have an opportu-
nity of listening to the stirring eloquence of that noble
champion of Protestantism, the Rev. Hugh M'Neile,
of Liverpool. We are delighted to have it now in our
power to speak with confidence on this subject. The
meeting of the Glasgow Protestant Association is fixed
for the evening of Wednesday next, and Mr. M‘Neile
will move the principal resolution. We have no doubt
the friends of Protestant truth, and of our Protestant
constitution., will eagerly avail themselves of the op,
portunity of hearing these momentous subjects discussed
t)37 one of the ablest men and most accomplished orators
itTe prom; day, Thv inflow§ Mr, Mqvoilv bag

exerted in England, in the way of reviving and extend-
ing Protestant feeling, is immense ; and surely all must
acknowledge that we greatly need such a salutary in-
fluence here. Nothing is half so alarming as the
supineness and indifference on this subject, which so
lamentably prevail. Popery is becoming every day
more bold and insolent in its pretensions, and yet men
look on with unfatuated unconcern. At this moment
it is convulsing what was lately one of the most united
nations in Europe—the kingdom of Prussia—with its
arrogant and intolerant spirit. It is but a few years
ago since it succeeded, by its intrigues, in rending
Holland and Belgium asunder. Even Russia is menaced
with the "allocutions" of the Vatican. At home,- he
must be blind indeed that does not see the same insi-
dious power busily, and too successfully, prosecuting
its treacherous designs. It is truly high time for Pro-
testants to awake out of sleep; and we fondly hope
that the great meeting of Wednesday next will not only
create a powerful sensation, but leave a permanent
influence behind. A similar meeting is to be held the
same week in Edinburgh. We trust that in Glasgow
our leading citizens will show that they look to Pro-
testantism as the key-stone which binds the great, arch
of the British Constitution, by coming forward on the
approaching occasion and identifying themselves with
the cause the meeting is intended to promote. The
Lord Provost—as becomes the chief magistrate of a
city so long renowned for its zealous attachment to the
Protestant interest—has, we rejoice to hear, consented
to take the chair.

Since writing the above, we rejoice to learn that
there is every reason to expect the poWerful assistance
of Dr. Cooke at the meeting of Wednesday. All Pro-
testants, and especially those of the Church of Scot-
land are under a deep debt of gratitude to that dis-
tingethed man. He has been, both in Ireland and in
England, on innumerable important occasions, the
Church of Scotland's representative, so to speak, in
maintaining the Protestant cause. Few men are more
fitted for such a task, for few in the present day inhe-
rit more of the spirit of our Presbyterian forefathers,
whose zeal and determination in contending with Anti-
christ will be remembered and revered while Scotland.

eDdures.

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE ADJUTANT-
GENERAL TO THE FORCES AND COLONEL
THOMAS, M.P.

(From the Standard.)
The following order of Lord Hill appears in the Morning
Chronicle of this day. We annex to it copies of the corres-
pondence of Colonel Thomas with the Horse Guards.
In making public this correspondence we do not act by
Colonel Thomas's authority, or even with his knowledge.
The correspondence was communicated some time since by
the Colonel to his friend, not for the purpose of publication,
but in order, as we believe, to obtain the advice of the gen-
tleman to whom it was addressed. Some copies were taken
for the use of other friends : that from which we print has
been in our possession more than a week, but we have with-
held it until the case should be finally disposed of. It is now
printed on our sole responsibility. If there is breach of trust,
we are the guilty parties. It is necessary to say so much in
order to acquit the military genileman concerned of any par-
ticipation in our act, should it give offence at the Horse
Guards; otherwise we need no apology for publishing docu-
ments necessary to vindicate the gallant men censured by
Lord Hill from the suspicion of having resorted to unworthy
means to escape punishment.
The censure of the noble lord is not indeed in itself seybre.
It comes to this, that military men act wrong in attending at
public meetings at which, by any possibility, improf*r lan-
guage can be used, or to the speakers at which improper
language can be ascribed, even by garbled or wholly false re-
ports. In short, that military men act wrong in attending
any public meetings. Whether this is or is not a good mi-
litary doctrine, we cannot pretend to say ; but it certainly is
not the doctrine of Sir John Hobhouse, who would have
every soldier a politician—and it is a doctrine that has long
slept, as the practice of Sir Ronald Ferguson, Col. Napier,
Col. Thompson, and a hundred others abundantly testifies.
We have a grateful recollection of the services of Lord Hill,
and an admiration of his character—services and character
ranking below those of the Duke of Wellington alone—which
assure us that having revived this rigid rule, his lordship will
enforce it impartially. It is no discredit, perhaps, to one in
his lordship's position, that, urged as he has been to carry
the ministerial vengeance beyond the bounds of all justice, he
has gone as far as the strict rules of military justice will per-
mit—a course which must have this good effect, that the
silence of gentlemen engaged in the military service of the
country can be no longer misinterpreted as approving of the
system pursued by the Queens advisers.
REPRIMAND BY LORD HILL OF COLONEL THOMAS, MAJOR
MACLEAN, CAPTAIN AINSLIE, AND OTHER OFFICERS.

Horse Guards, Nov. 20, 1839.
Sir,—By Lord Hill's desire, I have the honour to com-
municate to you his lordship's sentiments and decision upon
a case which has lately occurred in the district under your
command, which has occasioned his lordship the utmost
concern, and of which the following are the facts :
On Wednesday, the 30th ultimo, a meeting, called " The
Conservative Association," was assembled at Ashton-under-
Lyne, at whieh Colonel Thomas, Major Maclean, and other
officers of the 20th Regiment, as well as Captain Ainslie, of
the Royal Dragoons, were present.
One of the speeches spoken upon that occasion having
been reported to have contained expressions insulting and
disrespectful towards her Majesty, Colonel Thomas was re-
quired, by the General Commanding-in-Chief, to state whe-
ther he had heard those expressions, and, if he had, whether
he had expressed disapprobation of them.
Colonel Thomas positively denies having heard these ex-
pressions (as does Captain Ainslie also for himself), but is
unable to state what the expressions used by the speaker
alluded to really were, or to show that their tenor was re-
w"TratPlarrit,TiOlihrittilirdliter onm,u, a •••- •.- _
who were present, state that they " cannot vouch for parti-
cular expressions used by Mr. Roby upon that occasion."
In reference to the above facts, it is most painful to Lord
Hill to observe that, upon their own showing, Colonel Tho-
mas and the other officers in question have placed themselves
in the mortifying predicament of being obliged to confess
that they lent their presence to a meeting of a strong party
character, at which expressions were uttered which they are
unprepared to prove the propriety of towards the person of
their Sovereign.
In this state of a case, on every account very distressing
to him, it remains for Lord Hill but to order that you con-
vey to Colonel Thomas, and to every other officer belonging
to the forces now serving under your command, who was
present upon the above occasion, the expression of his lord-
ship's most pointed and decided displeasure, reminding them
that, as military servants, they are bound to confine them-
selves to their military duties; and that when they thus
venture to connect themselves with any party association,
under any circumstances, or upon tiny pretence whatsoever,
they incur a heavy responsibility, and expose themselves to
the heaviest blame.

In Colonel Thomas's first letter to the Adjutant General
upon this unpleasant subject, he states that he was invited by
this Conservative Association " as a member of parliament."
In reference to that part of the colonel's statement, I have it
specially in command to declare that, whilst Lord Hill yields
to no one in respect for the privileges of a member of parlia-
ment, his lordship will not suffer any officer of the army to
build his justification upon them, when he thinks fit to resort
to a measure calculated to compromise the character and dis-
cipline of his profession. -
Lord Hill thinks it scarcely necessary to add that the pro-
hibition to attend party meetings, in their military capacity
(except when on duty and in aid of the civil authorities of the
country,) applies to the officers of the army at large.
His lordship's final orders are, that you, on receipt hereof,
or as soon thereafter as may be practicable, without subject-
ing the public service to injury or inconvenience, proceed to
Ashton-under-Lyne, and there assemble the officers of the
20th Regiment (commanding Captain Ainslie's presence like-
wise,) reading this letter to them, and intimating to them
that his lordship will allow no further discussion of a subject
which has already been exhausted by official correspondence,
upon which no new facts can be elicited, and upon which,
therefore, his opinions are settled and immutable.

. .
I have, &c.,
(Signed) JOHN MACDONALD, A.G.
Major General Sir Charles Napier, K.C.8.,
&c., &c., Nottingham.

" Horse Guards, Nov. 8, 1839.
" Sir,—Lord Hill's attention having been attracted by a
report published in the accompanying impression of the Times
newspaper of the 2d instant, of speeches made at a meeting
denominated ' a Conservative Association,' at Ashton-under-
Lyne, on Wednesday, the 30th ult., in one of which speeches,
more particularly that made by Mr. Roby, expressions most
insulting and disrespectful towards the Queen are stated to
have been uttered on that occasion, and that in your hearing,
as well as in the hearing of other officers now employed in the
northern district, I have received Lord Hill's commands to
point out these expressions to you, and to desire that, on re-
ceipt hereof, you acquaint me, for his lordship's information,
whether you heard them, and, if you did, whether you ex-
pressed your disapprobation thereof upon hearing them.
" I am to add that it is most painful to Lord Hill to know
that officers of the army were present on such air occasion ;
but that his lordship will refrain from passing any opinion on
the case until you shall have furnished such explanation re-
lative thereto, as you may be prepared to submit for his con-
sideration.

" The expressions to which this letter alludes are tran-
scribed in red ink in the margin.
" You will be pleased to return the newspaper with your
answer.

(Signed)

" J. MACDONALD, A.G."

(Extracts referred to.)
" He trusted the Duke and Sir Robert Peel would purge
the court of that filth which stunk in the nostrils of all but
those who did not know virtue from vice, purity from impu-
rity, innocence from youth ; for virgin innocence was ba-
nished from the Palace, while vice rioted rampant at the
Royal board." (Cheers.)
"‘ He was sorry to use such words, but they were the words
of truth and soberness."

" A Lady Flora Hastings was dismissed with scorn and
obloquy, and fell a sacrifice, whilst a Melbourne and a Head-
fort (faugh) basked in the sunshine of Royal favour. (Ap-
plause.)
"Wen any one aimed a blow at the epicure administra-
tion, down he skulked behind the embroidered petticoats and
the flounces and furbelows of the ladies of the Court.
(Laughter.)"

" Stockport, Nov. 9, 1839.
" Sir,--I have had the honour to receive your letter of yes-
terday's date, calling upon me to state, for Lord Hill's in-
formation, whether I beard certain expressions quoted in
the margin of that letter, as most insulting and disrespectful
towards the Queen, and purporting to he an extract from a
speech made by Mr. Roby, at a meeting • denominated' a
Conservative association, at Ashton-under-Lyne, on the 30th.
" Ph reply I beg to state, that without pretending to be
able to determine with any degree of certainty, the correct-
ness of isolated expressions extracted from reports of speecies
delivered on the occasion referred to, I can with confidence
assert, that the whole tenor of Mr. Roby's speech at that
dinner breathed a high spirit of loyalty to the monarchy ; and
I beg further to add that as no expression uttered by that
gentleman conveyed to my mind that the slightest disrespect,
much less insult, was offered or intended to the Queen, there
appeared no ground for the expression of my disapprobation,
and I had flattered myself that my long and faithful services
of upwards of one-and-forty years might have assured Lord
Hill that I would not have been wanting had such an im-
pression been received by me.
" I have to lament that the knowledge of officers having
been present on such an occasion should be painful to Lord
Hill. With reference to myself, I was honoured with an
invitation as a member of parliament to meet Sir F. Burdett,
which I could have no hesitation in accepting.
" The prompt reply demanded has prevented me from
having any communication with the other officers, who I
understood, when I met them at the dinner, were invited as
an acknowledgment, on the part of the neigbouring gentry,
of the high sense they entertained of their services in support
of the magistracy, and the protection they afforded to life and
property during the Chartist disturbances, . and which was
conveyed in the most gratifying terms when their health was
proposed. " H, THOMAS,
C9l. PtYPT gOt/1140140Ptt"

" Stockport, Nov. 16, 1839.
" Sir,—l do myself the honour to acknowledge the receipt
of your letter of yesterday's date, conveying to me Lord Hill's
express desire, that in my answer to your letter of the 12th
instant, I shall confine myself to the simple denial or (admis-
sion) required of me by that communication, omitting the
words—' Which, in my opinion, is a garbled report of what
that gentleman did say in his speech at the Ashton dinner.'
" Having in my letter of the 9th instant " asserted with
confidence that the whole tenor of Mr. Roby's speech on the
occasion referred to, breathed a high spirit of loyalty to the
monarchy, and that no expression uttered by that gentleman
conveyed to my mind, that the slightest disrespect, much less
insult, offered or intended to the Queen, and that consequently
there appeared no grounds for the expression of my disap-
probation, which would not have been wanting if such an
impression had been received by me :'
" Having further stated in my letter of the 14th instant,
That I did not hear the particular expressions on the occa-
sion referred' to,' and quoted in the margin of your letter of
the Bth inst., which in my opinion is a garbled report of what
that gentleman did say in his speech at the Ashton dinner :
" I now beg to acquaint you, for the information of Lord
Hill, that with the greatest respect and submission to the
Commander-in-Chief, I have nothing further to offer in ex-
planation ; nothing to retract or omit from what I have
already stated, and I stand upon my character as a soldier,
and my birthright as a gentleman, which I cannot help feeling
have been reflected upon by most unmerited suspicion.
(Signed) H. Tnom xs, Colonel,
" Lieut.-Col. Commanding the 20th Regt.
" The Adjutant-General, Horse Guards."

MEMORIAL OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
AND MANUFACTURES OF THE CITY OF GLAS-
GOW TO THE LORDS OF THE ADMIRALTY.

Respectfully showeth, that the improvement of the means
of commithication with the West Indies and South America
has become extremely desirable, and the extensive connex-
ions of the merchants and manufacturers of this city with
these countries render it to them a subject of peculiar interest.
While, therefore, they have received with great satisfaction
the announcement of your lordships' intention to employ
steam-vessels for that purpose, they regret to observe that
the arrangement they have prescribed to the respectable par-
ties who have undertaken to perform the service is in some
respects very objectionable : and, not doubting that it is still
open for consideration, they presume to offer the following
remarks upon the same, to which they solicit your lordships'
attention.

The first object, in establishing steam communication with
the transatlantic countries, ought to be to secure the best
possible intercourse with and among the British possessions.
The port of departure from Great Britain ought to be con-
venient for the whole of the United Kingdom.
. _

The port of rendezvous beyond the Atlantic ought to be
in a British colony conveniently situate for all.

No material deviation from the direct course to each
colony ought to be made without necessity.

The course of post ought to be as short as possible, and
every ,colony ought to have an opportunity of replying by the
same return steaming.
Upon a careful examination of the plan prescribed to the
Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, it appears that these
important considerations have not been duly regarded, and
that a much better arrangement is practicable with the same
number of steamers they intend to employ, and without any
additional expense—nay, with very great advantage to the
company, as well as to the vast interests concerned.
It is difficult to perceive any reason why the letters and
passengers for the most important of our West India co-
lonies—Jamaica, and those for South America, the Gulf of
Mexico, and other places to leeward, should be carriedAo far
to the southward as Barbadoes—then still further out of their
course to Grenada—afterwards northward, to St. Thomas's,
round Hayti, to St. Jago de. Cuba, before proceeding to King-
ston. There is no necessity whatever for this great deviation ;
indeed, it is not even the best mode of distributing the let-
ters and passengers for most of the intermediate places men-
tioned. Those for St. Thomas's and Porto Rico need not be
taken southward to Grenada ; those for_ Hayti will be
landed at the most inconvenient points of that great island,
from which they, will have to be conveyed a considerable
distance, with unnecessary expense and delay.. Samana, a
mere village, is remote from every place of business; and Cape
Nichoa Mole, another insignificant place, is also very distant.
In regard to the Leeward Islands, and the adjacent continen-
tal colonies, the plan is still more objectionable. It is pro-
posed, as if it were an advantage, that they shall most of
them have fifteen days to reply ; hereas such a delay is, of
course, a serious grievance. A few of them are to have an
opportunity of replying to Great Britain in 43 days ; while
the major number, including the most important, are to be
subjected to 57 days. This delay and inequality are both un-
necessary. One British possession—Honduras—to which our
exports are very considerable, is excluded from any commu-
nication except through the unimportant foreign port of
Trinidad de Cuba, and that only by the uncertain convey-
anceof a schooner once a mesath.

With respect to the port of departure, Portsmouth, or
Southampton, however suitable for London, would be a very
inconvenient station for the rest of the kingdom. The pas-
sengers, generally, would have long and tedious journies to
perform ; and as regards correspondence, it will be seen by
reference to the first example given in the " route table " of
the steam-packet company, that the steamer departing from
" a port in the English Channel " on the 2d of June is ex -
petted to return thither on the 28th of July. If this estimate
prove correct, the letters will be in London on the 29th of
July, and may be answered by the next outgoing steamer on
the Ist of August ; but a great portion of the kingdom will
be deprived of this opportunity, and forced to wait 15 or 16
days more for the subsequent packet.
In looking with impartiality for the most desirable port of.
departure,. Liverpool occurs at once, not only as being the
most central, but as most accessible to every part of the
kingdom. On the other hand, Antigua is in the direct course
to Jamaica. It possesses every advantage that can be attri-
buted to Grenada. It would be more conveniently touched
than Grenada by outward bound vessels for Jamaica, Hon-
duras, or the cotton ports, for the purpose of landing coals.
It is' considering its windward position, the nearest point of
departure that could be selected for all the colonies.
It appears to• the directors of this chamber that every ob-
jection may be removed, and very great improvement upon
the proposed pytneffected, by adopting the following arrange-
the ocean steamer in the fir'st instaiice tc:
arrival there to transfer to two branch steamers all the mails
and passengers for the colonies and places to the southward
of that island, and proceed immediately to Nevis, St. Kitt's,
Tortola, St. Thomas's, St. Johns, Porto Rico, by the Mona
passage, to Jacmel, and Kingston, Jamaica—viz.

. _ .
Days,
Liverpool to Antigua .
Antigua to Nevis, St. Kitt's, Tortola, St. Thomas's,
St. John's, Porto Rico, Jacmel, Kingston 6
Stop at Kingston
Kingston to Jacmel, St. John's, Porto Rico, St. Tho-
mas's, Tortola, St. Kitt's Nevis, Antigua
Antigua to Liverpool 17

In all 5l
BRANCH STEAMERS FROM ANTIGUA.

1. To Montserrat, Guadaloupe, Dominica, Martinique,
St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada, Trinidad, La-

guayra, and Porte Cabello .
Stop at Porto Cabello 1
Porto Cabello, by the same route to Antigua 6

2. To Barbadoes, Tobago, Demerara, Berbice, Para-
maribo ..
Stop at Paramaribo
Paramaribo, by the same route to Antigua 6

• 14
To vary and render more complete the intercommunication
among the colonies, these branch steamers may alternate
their course thus, viz.—
Antigua, to Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Marti-
nique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent's, Grenada, Demerara, Ber-
bice, Surinam,* and

Antigua, Barbadoes, Tobago, Trinidad, Laguayra, and
Porto Cabello.*
BRANCH STRAMERS FROM JAMAICA. days.
1. Kingston to Chagres, Carthagena, Santa Martha,
and back to Kingston, with stoppages, twice
every month
The same steamer that performs this service may
also make an intermediate voyage between the

periods of arrival of the ocean steamers from
Kingston to St. Jago de Cuba, and back to
Kingston .

2. Kingston to Honduras and llavannah, stopping at
Honduras one day......
Stop at Havannah
Havannah to Kingston..

11
The communications from Havannah with Vera Cruz,
Tampico, New Orleans, Mobile, and Halifax, as proposed in
the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company's plan; for, though
the interests of British commerce do not seem to require any
regular intercourse between Havannah and New Orleans and
Mobile, yet it will afford some facility without disadvantage.
The intercourse with Nassau is very trifling, and the best
means of maintaining it would be by a schooner to and from
Havannah twice every month, to meet the steamers. She
might convey light freight, and thus diminish the expense.
It is quite unnecessary to incur any charge for a packet com-
munication with Crooked Island or Turk's Island.

As the service in the Leeward Islands and adjacent conti-
nental colonies would be performed by two instead of three
steamers, it is proposed to employ the one thus saved in
maintaining a regular and direct intercourse between Antigua,
Nevis, St. Kitt s, St. Croix, Tortola, St. Thomas's, Ber-
muda, and Halifax—which passage will occupy eight days,
establishing prompt communications among the commanders
of our principal garrisons in the Transatlantic colonies, and
affording, besides the accommodation to merchants, frequent
and desirable means of enjoying a change of climate without
a long absence from professional employment. There would
also be a saving of two schooners. The letters and passen-
gers would be landed at Jamaica four days sooner ; conse-
quently there would be a saving not only of time to all par.
ties, but also of expense to the Steam-packet Company.
The homeward mails may be despatched thence in six days,
without regard to the returns from other places. That pe-
riod will be sufficient, if proper arrangements be made for
distributing and collecting the letters within the island ; and
it is of much more importance to have for all the colonies a
rapid course of post, than that their whole correspondence
with Europe should be detained for the mere purpose of
affording every country district several days, especially as
the letters from those parts are seldom of an urgent nature,
and they may hereafter be prepared with great certainty, in
anticipation of the arrival of the successive packets. With
regard to letters, passengers, and specie destined for Europe
from Havannah, Mexico, N. Orleans, and Mobile, it is obvious
that as the shortest route will be preferred, so the whole will
come, not via' Jamaica, as seems to be contemplated, but vid
Halifax. From Havannah to Halifax the steamers will oc-
cupy 9 days, and thence to Liverpool 11 days, being toge-
ther 20 days ; whereas the plan prescribed to the Steam
Company includes the expectation '
of obtaining the letters,
passengers, and specie via Jamaica in 27 days. It further
supposes that the company will have them outwards to
Havannah in 29 days ; but, as it is estimated that the
steamers will make the passage from Liverpool to Halifax
in 13 days, and the Steam Company's plan calculates
the time thence to Havannah in 9 days (though it will
probably be 10), it is extremely doubtful whether they
will be attracted even by the- shorter course now sug-
gested, seeing it will require 24 or 25 days. Whatever
benefit the company may anticipate from the conveyance of
passengers between Havannah and Mexico, and the ports of
New Orleans and Mobile, it is clear that they will not carry
any part of the European correspondence to or from those
ports, inasmuch as the regular post between New York and
New Orleans is now ten days, and Mobile nine days ; and
either through New York or vid Halifax, their distance from
England will be respectively 21 and 22 days ; while viii
Jamaica it will be according to your Lordships plan, at least
33 days, and by the course now suggested, 27 or 28 days. In
regard to " North American" mails to these ports, the
steamers will hardly compete with the regular post ; for they
will take at the least six, and probably seven, days from New
York to Havannah, and 3 or 4 more thence to Mobile, being
together 9 or 11 days, while, as 'before stated, the distance
from New York to Mobile by land is 9 days, and it is likely
to be considerably reduced by improved means of communi-
cation now in progresss. With these facts in view, it would
be very inexpedient to detain all the correspondence from the
* Returning to 4ntigu4 by the same routes taken from that
04144,

British colonies, as has been proposed, for a return mail to
Europe from Havannah vid Jamaica.
In comparing the arrangement now suggested with the plan
prescribed by your Lordships, it will be observed that every
place of the least importance is included in it ; and that the
only places omitted are unworthy of special consideration.
These are Curacoa, Samana, Cape Nicholas Mole, and Tri-
nidad de Cuba. They need not be visited at the sacrifice of
a single day. Curacoa is close to Laguayra, arid has hardly
any trader—Samana is a village—Cape Nichola Mole has no
trade, and if it had, it is as easy to send letters thence to
Jacmel, as. to have them conveyed from Jacmel thither.
Trinidad de Cuba is an improving place, but it has a regular
intercout se by land with Havannah, and• also with St. Jago
de Cuba, _

A steamer departing from Liverpool on the 2d of June (the
case already quoted) would probably return on the 21st of
July : and, even allowing for occasional delay, there would
consequently be ample time for replying from every part of
the kingdom by the next outgoing steamer on the Ist of
August—an object of so much importance, that without it
the proposed improvement would be in a great measure
frustrated.

It may be objected that by bringing the return mails from
Jamaica via Antigua, they are not brought in the most direct
course. It is true, a very trifling deviation is made ; but it
must be remembered that, according to the company's plan,
a much greater deviation is proposed, as regards all the lee-
ward and continental colonies, by carrying their correspond-
ence and passengers several hundred miles to the westward
out of their homeward course, and that the interests and
convenience of the whole ought to be fairly considered.
The general results obtained would be, a more prompt
communication with every British possession, including
Honduras and Bermuda; as well as every other place of the
least importance—a much more rapid course of post to and
from Europe, as well as among the colonies—equal advan-
ta,tes to the whole of the United Kingdom, and to all places
not further westward than Jamaica, of replying by the same
steamer, the places beyond Jamaica having at the same time
other means of communication still more favourable—an
additional communication with Halifax, and thence with
North America generally, direct from and to the leeward and
continental colonies—a great saving of time to passengers,
and consequently of expense to the company. The saving
on each voyage being six or seven days, and each steamer
being capable of performing six voyages annually, it follows
that the annual saving upon each of th ocean steamers would
be five or six weeks, which would enable the company.to
carry passengers at a cheaper rate, to induce an increase of
their number, and yet•to maintain their revenue.

. .
—.7Your memorialists therefore pray, that it may please your
lordships to take the premises into your favourable consi-
deration, with a view to adopt the course here suggested for
the West India steam-packets, in so far as it may be con-
sidered an improvement on the previous plan.
A. MACGREGOR, Chairman..

• JAMES A. ANDERSON, Secretary.
Signed, by order of the directors, and sealed
with the seal of the Chamber.