STEAM NAVIGATION. 



in maritime affairs, being associated with some large capitalists 

 who had confidence in .his sagacity and skill, laid before the 

 British government a project for a line of Post-office steamers, to 

 ply between [Liverpool and Boston, touching at Halifax. But 

 Mr. Cunard insisted strongly on the necessity of providing a 

 considerable fleet of steamers, to ensure that permanence and 

 regularity which were indispensable to the success of the project. 

 He demonstrated that the magnitude of the capital it must involve, 

 and the vast expenditufe attending its maintenance, were such as 

 could not be covered by any commercial returns to be expected 

 from it, and that, consequently, it could only be sustained by a 

 liberal subsidy to be furnished by the government. After much 

 negotiation, it was agreed to grant him an annual subsidy of 

 60000/., upon which condition the enterprise was commenced. 

 Mr. Cunard, however, had hardly embarked in it, before it became 

 evident that this grant was insufficient, and it was soon increased 

 to 100000/. per annum. Further experience proved that even 

 this was insufficient to enable Cunard and his associates to 

 maintain the communication in a satisfactory and efficient manner, 

 and the annual subvention was in fine raised to its present amount, 

 lhat is to say, 145000/. sterling per annum. 



14. Thus supported, the communication was in 1851 main- 

 tained throughout the year. During the four winter months, 

 December, January, February, and March, there were two de- 

 partures per month from each side, and' during the eight other 

 months of the year there was a departure once a week, making a 

 total of forty-four departures from each side, or forty-four voyages 

 going and returning. 



These voyages make a total distance sailed of 272800 geogra- 

 phical miles within the year. The subsidy, therefore, amounts to 

 ten shillings and eightpence per mile sailed. 



Since the epoch here referred to, steam-navigation has, as is 

 well known, undergone great improvements, and its powers have 

 been proportionally extended. The arrangements of this and 

 other lines of ocean navigation have accordingly undergone, and 

 continue to undergo, modifications having the effect of increasing 

 the frequency and extending the lengths of the trips. 



15. Soon after the Cunard line of steamers commenced opera- 

 tions, it was proposed to establish, with government support, a 

 transatlantic line of steamers communicating between Great 

 Britain and its West India colonies. Ultimately the present 

 "West India Steam-Packet Company was established, and obtained 

 from the government a subvention greater still in amount than 

 had been granted to the Cunard Company. The amount of this 

 annual grant was 240000/. 



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