§ MR. HEALYasked the Postmaster General, Whether arrangements can be made by which the American mails may be sent by the fastest steamers leaving Liverpool; and, whether it is the fact that the "Batavia," a Cunard steamer, which carried the mails from Liverpool, on a recent occasion, was distanced by three days by the "Alaska," of the Guion Line, which had no mails on board, but which left Liverpool on the same day as the "Batavia?"
§ MR. FAWCETTSir, presuming that the hon. Member refers to the voyage of the Cunard packet Batavia which left Liverpool on the 8th of April, and called at Queenstown on the following day for the mails, I find that she made a rather long voyage as compared with that of the Alaska. The Post Office has an agreement with the Cunard, In-man, and. White Star Companies to carry the mails to New York on regular days of the week, and on the whole the service is satisfactorily performed. The average voyages on two of these lines are superior to those of the Guion, and on the third are about equal. Independently of these mail packets, the public have the option of sending any letters they wish by the Guion or any other vessels; and, in point of fact, a ship letter mail was forwarded by the Alaska, containing letters specially addressed to be forwarded by that ship.