HC Deb 23 May 1870 vol 201 cc1191-2
LORD HENRY SCOTT

said, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether any recommendation has been made by the Treasury to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty which has led to the withdrawal of the privilege hitherto enjoyed by the Officers of Her Majesty's Navy while serving on Foreign Stations, enabling them to send letters to and to receive letters from their relations and friends at a reduced rate of postage; if he will state the reasons upon which the recommendation, if any, has been based; and, if he will lay upon the Table any Minutes or Correspondence which have passed between the Treasury and the Admiralty on the subject?

MR. STANSFELD

said, in reply, that for some time officers of Her Majesty's Navy, officers serving on board ships on foreign stations, and officers of the Army serving in India and other countries, enjoyed the privilege of sending letters home at a reduced rate of postage. Various technical and troublesome questions had arisen with reference to the conditions under which those officers became entitled to that privilege; but, independently of those considerations, it became necessary for Her Majesty's Government to look at the matter in relation to the contracts for the Packet Service, and to the fact that the postage charge very often fell upon the foreign dependencies where the officers were serving. It seemed, therefore, a matter of doubtful expediency that the Government should, of their own motion, grant a special exemption to their own subjects which fell upon the foreign dependencies; and for those reasons, and for the greater simplicity of the postal arrangements, it was thought desirable to withdraw the advantage from officers of the Army and Navy serving abroad. The change did not apply to the men. "With reference to the production of the correspondence, he should speak to the noble Lord upon that point; but, meanwhile, he could assure him that it threw no additional light upon the matter, and that the decision of the Government was arrived at upon general grounds.