1840.] On low Steam Power to Vessels, instead of Satis, 24^ 



£ 



Actual expences of sailing vessel 1215 



Rate at which it can be chartered . . , , 2500 



Actual expences of steamer ^ 1040 



Proportional rate of charter , ^ 2100 



240 persons in former gives per head J0£ 



o40 do. in latter do. do. 6 £ 



Saving 4 £ 



Add do. food.. 0 12 



Total saving 4 12 



which, taking men and women and children together, is about f of what the 

 colonies now pay for them. This too allows a profit of 1060£ upon the 

 voyage which is probably too much, as such vessels would certainly have 

 the choice of freight and passengers for the home voyage. They would 

 generally go home by the Cape of Good Hope, instead of Cape Horn, 

 which would be a much preferable piissage. For half the year, they 

 might go by C. Lewin, and the other half through Torres Straits. A 

 vessel went home by the latter route this year, and there seems little 

 room for doubt, that shortly it will be preferred by ail vessels, as being 

 shorter, and a fair weather-voyage almost throughout. The dread 

 Torres Straits for sailing vessels has now nearly passed away, and there 

 is still less objection to a steamer making that passage than a sailing 

 vessel. Such vessels might also be used to meet the Indian steamers at 

 Batavia or Trihcomalee. The former would take them but little out of 

 their way, on their passage home from Sydney by Torres Straits. There 

 is a difficulty to be got over in respect of carrying the number of emi- 

 grants proposed, as being greater than that at present allowed by law 

 that is, if the vessel is measured for emigrants by the same rule as for 

 tonnage, viz. taking the depth into the calculation, but if they are mea- 

 sured as transports are measured for troops, viz. by the breadth and 

 length only, there would be no difficulty in the matter. If, however, the 

 number at present allowed is in proportion to the tonnage, it would 

 be necessary to get an act passed for this new class of vessels, and as 



