§ MR. BATESasked the Postmaster General, If there is any truth in the rumour, that, by the new Contract lately entered into and arranged by the late Government with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company (but which Contract has not yet been confirmed by the House of Commons), the Company are not bound to call at Plymouth on the homeward voyage as heretofore, for the purpose of delivering the mails, and by which arrangement those mails were delivered in the north at least one day earlier than if they were carried on to Southampton?
§ LORD JOHN MANNERS, in reply, said, it was perfectly true that under the new contract the mail steamers would not be obliged to call at Plymouth, The new contract was arranged by his Predecessor in office, and would carry out 1059 the Postal Service at a diminished cost to the country, and as the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company were only hound to call at Southampton they had intimated that they did not intend to touch at Plymouth, in consequence of the additional expense to which it would put them.
§ MR. BATESgave Notice that, in consequence of the reply of the noble Lord, he should on an early day call attention to the matter, and move that the House do not confirm the Contract entered into with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company.