604 Documents relative to the application of [July, 



carriages, there is no very material difference. The speed will, I consi- 

 der be nearly equal, and I question if in either mode the actual journey 

 be in general performed in less than eighteen hours. Even in carriages 

 I presume the travellers, particularly ladies, would gladly avail them- 

 selves of ten or twelve hours rest at the stations, and as the departure 

 of the steamer must be regulated by the arrival of the cargo and bag- 

 gage, no advantage would be gained by compelling passengers to hurry 

 through a journey, that must, under the most favourable circumstances, 

 be sufficiently fatiguing. As however the advantages and disadvanta- 

 ges of either scheme can only be judged of by experience, the best 

 advice I can give the Committee is to direct comparative experiments 

 on the actual road, to be made and reported on a rough carriage, that 

 might afterwards serve as a break; and a sedan frame, four dromeda- 

 ries and two mules, are all that would be required, and a series of trials 

 made for a few weeks, and at a trifling outlay, would set the question at 

 rest, and enable the Committee to adopt a plan that need not entail the 

 expense of subsequent alterations. 



The freight of coal from Alexandria to Cairo is, in native boats, 6 a 

 ton, and the landing, stowing, and subsequent transfer to the steamer, 

 will cost about one more. The latter charge is the mere cost of Arab 

 labour, and is distinct from the annual expense of a clerk, weigher, 

 gate-keepers, &c, which, with proper management, might be serviceable 

 in the baggage and cargo department, as well a3 in the coal depot, provid- 

 ed the latter be limited to the supply of the Nile steamers. In the event 

 however of there being a depot, on a large scale, connected with the 

 transfer of coals to Suez, the establishment should be entirely separate. 



If by employing large steamers coaled at Aden, the depot at Suez 

 can be dispensed with, doubtless there will be a great advantage to the 

 Company in such an arrangement. The business of the Egyptian 

 Agency, already sufficiently comprehensive, will be proportionately 

 lighter, and probably a great annual expense will be avoided. 



In my letter to Mr. Greenlaw, dated 17th December, I offered an 

 estimate of the expense of delivering coal, which was at that time from 

 Alexandria to Suez about 21. o, ton. A recent rise in Camel hire has 

 added nearly 1 per cent, to the cost as then calculated ; so that the car- 

 riage of coals by hired Camels, particularly where so large a quantity as 

 10,000 tons is required, has less to recommend it than formerly. An 

 immense saving may however be effected by the adoption of the Camel 

 suspension truck, to which I have already alluded, and I calculate that 

 coal may be put on board at Suez for about 1/. 13s., exclusive of the 

 cost of delivery by contract (at present 21.,) at Alexandria. The 



