320
WEST INDIES.
York, and Trinidad, or between Bremen or Havre and Trinidad, via New York. Trinidad has also the Dutch Royal Mail Service and a Ciudad Bolivar Line, a monthly steamer from Trinidad to Carúpano, Ciudad Bolivar, Cumaná, La Guayra, and other places. Barbados has the fortnightly Royal Mail Service, the weekly West India and Pacific or Harrison Line from Liverpool, a direct steamer from London, the Quebec Line, and the fortnightly arrival of a steamer from New York to Brazil, going and returning. Jamaica is well favoured with steam communication. Since April 1842, when the Royal Mail Company began their contract with the Government, which contract has been regularly renewed, at stated intervals, ever since—the principal alterations being the increase of speed and the reduction of subsidy—the island has had the benefit of the Royal Mail Service. The voyage from Southampton, after calling at Barbados and Haïti, takes practically three weeks. Jamaica has had an opportunity of witnessing the improvement in the boats of this service for nearly fifty years. The old Atrato and the new Atrato are in evidence, and the progress of steam navigation is very striking. In 1860 Holt’s Line connected Jamaica with Liverpool. This is now the West India and Pacific Steamship Company. In 1872 the Atlas Company, owned by Messrs. Forwood, a well-known firm in Liverpool, started running steamers between Jamaica and New York. In 1880 the White Line and the London Line opened communication with Jamaica, and these were followed by the Anderson Line in 1881. They have been amalgamated into the Caribbean Line, now running frequently, but at irregular dates, between London and Jamaica. These steamers of the Caribbean Line not only go to Kingston, but call for produce at other ports of the island. The Clyde Line despatches a steamer monthly from Glasgow, bringing back produce to Glasgow or London as desired. The above are irrespective of the coasting service, which is frequent and efficient. A large number of vessels, in addition to the regular lines, are engaged in carrying large quantities of fruit to the United States from Jamaica. The other colonies partake more or less in the advantages of the varied steam communication detailed above. They are all, except British Honduras, connected with Great Britain by the Royal Mail Steamers. Among the foreign lines trading between Europe and the West Indies, the following are the most important. The vessels of the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique leave St. Nazaire on the 10th of each month, and arrive at and leave the ports of call on the following dates.