§ SIR GEORGE BOWYERsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, What steps the Government are prepared to take for the conveyance of letters to and communication with Malta, in consequence of the Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamers ceasing to touch at the island?
§ MR. ADDERLEYsaid, in reply, that by the new arrangement of passing through the Straits of Messina, instead of stopping at Malta, the transit of the mails by the Peninsular and Oriental contract between Marseilles and Alexandria would be accelerated by about twelve hours. Other mails would still go from Southampton by Gibraltar twice a month to Malta by the Peninsular and Oriental Company, but what substitute would be given to Malta for the mail between that island and Marseilles was still under the consideration of the Government. As soon as any arrangement was made he would inform the House of it.