(See p. 295.)
PLAN FOR THE ACCELERATION OF THE CHINA MAILS (i.e. THEIR CONVEYANCE FROM SUEZ, vi CEYLON TO HONG KONG DIRECT)
SUBMITTED BY MR. HENRY WISE TO HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT SEPT. 14, 1843, ADOPTED JUNE 20, 1845, AND NOW IN ACTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL OPERATION.
| Proposed Route from Hong Kong to London, and vice versÂ. | Course. | Dist. Miles. | Av. Rate per Hour, Miles. | Interval und. weigh. | Interval at Anchor. | Total Interval. | Duties at Anchor. |
| Days. | Hrs. | Days. | Hrs. | Days. | Hrs. |
| HONG KONG | TO | PULO LABUAN | | | S.2°.18'E. | | | 1009 | 7 | 6 | — | 1 | 12 | 7 | 12 | ToreceiveCoal.[B] |
| PULO LABUAN | TO | SINGAPORE | | | S.69°.23'W. | | | 707 | " | 4 | 6 | — | 12 | 4 | 18 | To receive Coal, land & receive Mails. |
| SINGAPORE | TO | MALACCA | – | | S.64°.48'W.19 | | – | 122 | " | — | 18 | — | 6 | 1 | — | To land & receive Mails. |
| N.51°.41'W.103 | |
| MALACCA | TO | PENANG | | | N.30°.37'W. | | | 222 | " | 1 | 8 | — | 16 | 2 | — | To receive Coal, land & receive Mails. |
| PENANG | TO | CEYLON[A] | – | | N.82°.24'W.303 | | – | 1219 | " | 7 | 6 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 18 | Ditto. Ditto. |
| S.89°.45'W.916 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| CEYLON | TO | ADEN | As now performed by the Peninsula & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, detention of 2 days included. | 11 | — | |
| ADEN | TO | SUEZ | — | — | — | 2 | | — | | 8 | — | |
| SUEZ | TO | ALEXANDRIA | — | — | all stoppages | — | | 3 | — | |
| ALEXANDRIA | TO | MALTA | — | — | — | | | — | | 4 | — | |
| MALTA | TO | MARSEILLES | — | — | H.M. Post-Office Packets | 4 | — | |
| MARSEILLES | TO | LONDON | — | — | Regular course of Post | 5 | — | |
| Total interval from HONG KONG to LONDON, and vice versÂ, by the proposed Route | Days | 59 | — | |
| Average interval of transmission of China Correspondence, vi Calcutta and Bombay, during the last Twenty Overland Mails, viz. from the 10th October 1841, to 6th May 1843 | | 89 | — | |
| Difference of Time in Favour of Proposed Route | Days | 30 | — | |
Mem.—I have adopted an average rate of seven miles per hour as a fair estimate of the speed that well-appointed Steam Vessels, of moderate size and power, will be enabled to accomplish and maintain, throughout the proposed route, at all seasons of the year; for, during the whole distance from Penang to Aden, and vice versÂ, neither monsoon, from the course steered, becomes at any period a directly adverse wind; an advantage which the route hitherto observed does not possess. Assuming that the Honourable East-India Company continue the management of the Bombay line, and that the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company are encouraged to render their operations more comprehensive, by the establishment of Branch Steamers between Ceylon and Singapore, to which latter Port Her Majesty's Steam Vessels on the China Station could convey the Mails from Hong Kong, this all-important object might, without difficulty, be attained. The advantages to the Straits' Settlements, consequent on the adoption of improved arrangements, require no comment; and the practicability of effecting a very considerable acceleration of the communication with China, is evident from the simple fact, that the average interval which has occurred in the transmission of letters from China, by the last twenty Overland Mails, (irrespective of the unfortunate July Mail from Bombay,) exceeds the period occasionally occupied by fast-sailing ships, in accomplishing the voyage vi the Cape of Good Hope.
Henry Wise.
London, Sept. 14, 1843.
P.S.—Oct. 9, 1843.—The arrival at Suez, on the 16th ult., of the H. C. S. Akbar, in forty-six days from Hong Kong, after accomplishing the passage down the China Seas, against the S.-W. monsoon,—unassisted also by any previously arranged facilities for coaling, exchange of Steamers at Aden, and other manifest advantages requisite for the proper execution of this important service,—confirms the correctness of my estimate for performing the voyage from Hong Kong to Suez, or vice versÂ, viz. forty-three days, including stoppages.—H. W.
