The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-10-29

months The island is perfectly healthy and it is
tober.
The vessels OF the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company Of
which this IL the great West India rendezvous touch
Harbados emerara, Trinidad, st. KITS, Antigua, Qua
daloupe, dominique Martinique Tobaeo ST lucia st
Vincent Jamaica, Nassau, Grenada Honduras Colon
Greytown ser'hsgena Santa Martha, Jacmel, Havana,
Vera Cruz Ianpico &c, &c, from whence they collect
great number OF passengers who toge with the mails
are forwarded to SOUTHAMPTON every fortnight. How
ndefoy strange Il lie that with al the energy and en-
terprise OF our people, American conceived the
idea Of tapping This mammoth steam packat company at
1t. Thomas The monopoly has made the officers of this
compapy's vessels surly grabbed, and conseonenfly
odious to those who Of necessity travel with them The
days passage money s75 The voyage from this 10 New
York ought to be mace in five TO six days. Ut being less
than 400 mles sixty dollars for each pas enger would
pay well Cur steamers ten days from New York IN
Liverpool and charge about $780, first class American
steamer making two trips month, leaving this place
simultaneously with the Southampton steamer issuing
round tickets" from St Thomas Liverpool via New
York, at S17o (by arrangement with the Collins
other European line) would in three months after the
cate of her first trip get majority and in time eight
enbs If he raye for the Yves, India people perfectly
understand the superiority of American over Eng sh
tesmeIs; and speed cleanliness good fare and civil
reatment what they most seek.
When add to this the of visiting the
sets Of New York, Philadelphia Boston and Baltimore
Without much time or additional expense it may
be set down fixed fact" that nearly all the West
India merchants who visit Europe to purchase goods
would prefer this route So that the merchants Of
great cities deeply interested in the OF such
an enterprise for be assured that many millions Of dol
be expended In the United States.
The Engith government, watchful of her CONNER
cta interests jealous of foreign intercourse with her
onies and prompted by desire to monopolize the West
India trade long since established mail routes through
the agency Of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company to
all the points indicated by which she has secured
amount Of trade which otherwise would have been lost to
her. The West India trade has also primary object
ofnterest government since the days Of washing
n No less than six negotiations carried on between
the United States and Great Britain this subject pre-
vious to Jacksons administration and until the 5th
day Of October 1880 this trade entirely open to our
vessels and though 1t has increased greatly since that
time, and our merchantmen reighted with the rich PR,
auctions OF country seek every port and market
the Antilesyst have esta blished mail to
any of the West Indies and depend entirely upon
silent sailing vessels for the conveyance Of mail mat
ter-ofen important, well to the government as to
merchants.
It strikes me, therefore, that policy dictates to the
government that to protect and increase trade which
has been held to be 80 important merchants should
be placed in direct certain and speedy communication
With the merchants of the West Understand when sin
gle steamer running between New York and St Thomas
would give such communication with so many i'm
poraDt points, which inaccessible, that let
ter sent from the United States by the way Of England
teaches them and certainly than to wait a
direct opportunity by sailing vessel there should be
hesitation on the part Of the government in giving
liberal annual bonus to company that would contract
to carry the mails twice month by steamer.