The government packets, sailing from Falmouth (England) at the commencement of each month, and the middle packets, sailing about the fifteenth, arrive, in due course, at Port Royal, in about five weeks from the actual day of departure. They formerly returned, the first after three weeks' sojourn in Jamaica; and the latter, after about twenty-four hours, but by a different route. The arrangement, however, is now much altered, and excessively inconvenient to the inhabitants, particularly to the mercantile classes; as the regular packets remain only four or five days in the island, merely to await the return of an express post from the West End.

The mail bags leave Kingston post-office during the afternoon of Saturday, at different hours. The windward post is first dispatched, then that of the north-side, and, lastly, the one for the south-side. Each is conveyed by a negro mounted on a mule, leading another mule, on which is affixed the mail-bags : unless when an accident occurs, from negligence in properly fixing the bags, the conveyance is tolerably expeditious, and pretty regular. But during the heavy seasons (rains) the post is frequently detained from the Rio Minho (dry river) being impassable, sometimes for days together, and there has never been a bridge thrown over it . No delivery of letters takes place in the country; consequently, whatever may be the distance, every individual is compelled to send to the post- office for his letters, &c . The charge is sevenpence-halfpenny (called “ a bit” ) for the first hundred miles, and any thing short of it, for a single letter, and twice that sum for the rest of the distance, whatever it may be. Of course double letters are charged in proportion. Between Kingston and Spanish Town, however, there is a daily post, leaving the former place in the morning, and returning in the evening; nor could this possibly be dispensed with, as the mercantile community is principally confined to Kingston, and most of the law business transacted in Spanish Town.
The General Post- Office next claims attention. This department comprises a deputy postmaster general, a chief and numerous other clerks, in Kingston, and deputy postmasters stationed at proper and convenient distances along the post roads in every direction . The windward post road extends 64 miles. That of the North side to Port Antonio, 60. North side to Port Maria, 42. North side to Green Island, 151 ; and that of the South side to Sav. la Mar, 119. In a climate like Jamaica, where the messengers are of the negro race, it is rather surprising so few accidents happen the conveyance of letters, particularly as the weather is sometimes extremely unfavourable.