HISTORY. 3 



stream in their favour, they would invariably 

 make a rapid run to Bermuda. Here, with one- 

 third of their passage already accomplished, they 

 could replenish their fuel for the remainder of the 

 homeward trip, reaching England within eighteen 

 days from the time of quitting the shores of Central 

 America. 



But the importance of establishing very speedily 

 a steam communication with Great Britain is be- 

 coming every day more obvious. As we may 

 fairly conjecture that steam is to supersede sailing 

 vessels for war purposes, and as it is not probable 

 that the Americans will always continue at peace 

 with us, it becomes necessary, in order to protect 

 our colonies and their commerce, that we should 

 have a more rapid and steady communication with 

 Halifax and the West Indies — since Bermuda, con- 

 jointly with Halifax, holds in check the whole 

 Atlantic coast of the United States, upon which 

 nature has bestowed no equivalent for naval pur- 

 poses, and also controls' the West Indies, the Gulf 

 of Mexico, and the south coasts of the United 

 States. Since the extensive Government works at 

 Bermuda have been undertaken, the island is found 

 more convenient, in conjunction with Halifax, as 

 the seat of naval power, as it greatly facilitates 



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