§ SIR CHARLES ADDERLEYsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether the project of the late Government to combine all the Leeward and Windward Islands under one government is being carried out, and whether the Packet Station in the West Indies is settled on; and, if so, where: and, whether the International Ocean Telegraph New York Company have made arrangements with the Jamaica Government for landing their cable from Panama on that island?
§ MR. MONSELLIn answer, Sir, to the first Question of my right hon. Friend, I beg to inform him that as the process of combination of the Windward Islands would have been much impeded and delayed by some of them not being Crown Colonies, Her Majesty's present Government decided to seek to bring about a union of the Windward Islands into one group, and the Leeward Islands into another—the latter combination may, I hope, soon be accomplished. With regard to the second part of the Question, I have to say that the Treasury have decided that the packet station shall remain at St. Thomas; and as to the remainder of the Question, we have not yet received any information as to the arrangement be- 1890 tween the Government of Jamaica and the Telegraph Company.