Transport

ITEMCOST - pounds/shillings/penceCOST - US Dollars
Draft horse/mule2/0/0$10
Horse (ordinary)5/0/0$25
Horse (superb)150/0/0$750
Carriage20-100/0/0$100-$500

Travel and Communications
Carriage travel (in city, per mile) $0.25
Coach travel (in summer, per mile) $0.05
Coach travel (in winter, per mile) $0.06
Passage to India (from England) $2,000
Passage to the West Indies (from England via Post Office packet) $260
Posting a letter (inland destination < 80 miles) $0.06
Posting a letter (inland destination < 150 miles) $0.10
Posting a letter (inland destination > 150 miles) $0.12
Posting a letter (London to Edinburgh) $0.14
Posting a letter (London to Dublin) $0.12
Posting a letter (London to America) $0.25
Posting a letter (London to France) $0.20
Posting a letter (London to Spain) $0.37

Sailing Speed/Travel Time
Atlantic Crossingdays
Atlantic Crossingdays

1788 First Fleet ship
Borrowdale
Route: Portsmouth Teneriffe, Rio de Janiero, Cape Verde Islands, Cape of Good Hope, Botany Bay
Speed: 6 knots Voyage: 109 days
Length: 113 feet (34.4m)  Passengers: 216  Tons: 492

a ship-of-the-line could make about 12 knots, a frigate 14 knots at most (top speed). Averages would be between 5 and 8 knots approx.

The distance between the American coast and the English Channel is about 3000 nautical miles. Remember that a standard nautical mile is 6080 feet (1853 meters). Sea speed measurement is taken in knots, with one knot equal to one nautical mile per hour.

An average rate of approximately 4 knots went into completing Nelson’s passage to and from the West Indies.