The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-06-26 00:00:00

WEST INDIA MAILS.

The following is abridged from the contract entered into
by the Admiralty, with the Royal Mail Steam Packet
Company, for the conveyance of the Mails to the West
India Islands:—

By the articles of agreement the Royal Mail Steam Packet
Company are required to provide and maintain, in constant
readiness, not less than 14 steam-vessels, of 400 horse power,
and capable of carrying guns of the largest calibre now
used on board of her Majesty's steamers ; and also four
sailing vessels of 100 tons burthen.
A steam-vessel is to start twice a month from some port in
the channel, to be determined on by the admiralty, with the
mails to Barbadoes, there remain six hours and proceed to
Grenada, stay there twelve hours, then on to Santa Cruz,
St. Thomas, Nicola Mole, in Hayti, St. Jago de Cuba, and
Port Royal, in Jamaica. After remaining there 24 hours,
to proceed to Savannah la Mar, in the same island, and
thence to the Havannah. The steamer is to remain there
11 hours, and with the mails from home, return by Savannah
la Mar, Port Royal, St. Jago de Cuba, and Nicola Mole, to
Samana, in Hayti, (which is to be accomplished on the 22nd
day after the arrival of the mails at Barbadoes,) and thence
to England direct.
The steamer from England is to meet with a similar vessel
at Barbadoes, which will proceed with the mails to Tobago,
Demerara, Berbice, and Paramaribo; there remain 48 hours,
and return by the same route, with the exception of calling
at Grenada. After leaving Tobago, this vessel is to arrive
at Barbadoes in time for the next packet from England.
On the arrival of the English mail at Grenada, it will be
met by two steamers, one of which will proceed by Saint
Vincent, St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominico, Gaudaloupe,
Antigua, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, Santa Cruz, Tortola,
St. Thomas, Porto Rico, Samana, Curacoa, Porto Cabello,
La Guayra, and Trinidad, back to Grenada in time for the
next mail from England.

The other steamers will proceed by Trinidad, La Guayra,
Porto Cabello, Curacoa, Jamaica, Porto Rico, St. Thomas,
Tortola, Santa Cruz, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua,
Guadaloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, and St.
Vincent, back to Grenada also in time for the next mail
from England.

On the arrival of this last steamer at Curacoa, a sailing
vessel is to start from thence to Santa Martha, and Cartha-
gena, there remain 24 hours, and return to Curacoa by the
same route.

On the arrival of the English mail at Nicola Mole, in
Hayti, a sailing vessel is to proceed with the Bahama mails
by Crooked Island and Rum Island, to New Providence ;
there remain 72 hours, and return by the same route to
Nicola Mole, in time to meet the steam vessel from Jamaica.

On the arrival of the English mails at Port Royal, another
steam-vessel is to proceed to Chagres, and return by Car-
thagena and Santa Martha to Port Royal, in time to meet
the return mails from Havannah.

At Savannah la Mar a sailing vessel will take on board
the mails for Trinidad de Cuba and Belise, there to remain
48 hours, and again return to Savannah la Mar by Trinidad
de Cuba.

At Havannah three steamers will meet the English mail,
one is to go round the Gulf of Mexico, by Vera Cruz, Tam-
pico, and Mobile, back to Havannah, in time for the next
mail; another by Mobile, Tampico, and Vera Cruz, to
Havannah, likewise in time for the next mail. The third is
to proceed to Matanzas, New York, and Halifax, returning
by the same route also for the next mail.
At all places except those specified, the steamer remains
no longer than to land or receive mails; and the Admiralty
have power to alter the routes and time of staying, by giving
three month's written notice to the company. The company
is also required to make whatever improvements in the steam
machinery, the Admiralty may direct. Provision is also made
for the proper accommodation of a naval officer, who is to
have charge of the mails, and a proper boat, with four oars,
supplied for embarking and landing them.
Delaying to start from England, or putting back, except
by stress of weather, or unavoidable circumstances, is to be
visited with a penalty of £lOO ; should the delay extend to
12 hours .f. 500 ; and a like sum for every additional 12 hours.
Delays between all other places are to be paid for at the rate
of £2OO for 12 hours.

The naval officer in charge of mails is to have the power
of surveying the vessel, and any repairs that he may suggest,
which are not made good at the first opportunity, to subject
the Company to a fine of £lOO ; and employing a vessel after
improvements or repairs are ordered in her by the Admiralty,
through one of the officers, will incur a penalty of £5OO ;
all such fines to be deducted from the money payable to the
Company.
. _

• .
Provision is also made for the conveying in each vessel, of
not more than two naval, military, or civil officers, as cabin
passengers, two persons as fore-cabin passengers, and ten
seamen or marines, at two-thirds the usual passage money,
besides sundry small packages from place to place, free of all
cost.

For doing such service, the Company is to receive
£240,000 per annum, by equal quarterly payments, to com-
mence at the end of three months after the first steamer has
started for Barbadoes ; and should war or any national
cause increase the rates of insurance on these steam-vessels
above £6 6s. per cent. per annum, the freight of coals above
£1 2s. 6d. per ton, and the insurance on them above £2 2s.
per cent, the Lords of the Treasury are empowered to grant
an additional sum, according to circumstances, but not to
exceed £60,000 per annum.
The contract is to commence on the Ist December, 1841,
but should it be agreed to perform a part of this service be-
fore that time, an allowance at the rate of £20,000 per an-
num, is to be made for each steam vessel employed. The
whole contract is to continue 10 years, or longer ; but either
party is to give twelve months' notice, in writing, before with-
drawing ; and the Treasury, in the event of war, have full
power to employ the whole of the Company's vessels in any
service they may think proper.
For the proper performance of this Contract, the Com-
pany is bound in the sum of £50,000.