§ 79. Lieut.-Colonel GAULTasked the Postmaster-General if he will arrange to have letters and parcels addressed to naval personnel, care of the General Post Office, sent forward free of extra charge, as at present those on foreign service are called upon to pay additional postage to the inland rate on parcels directed to them in this way?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI regret that I am unable to grant this concession. The postage applicable to correspondence for His Majesty's ships outside home waters is the Imperial rate, and the postage on a parcel for one of His Majesty's ships abroad is the same as for an ordinary parcel for the same destination. These rates are generally not more than sufficient to cover the actual costs incurred by the Post Office, but as I promised in my reply to the hon. 1108 Member for the Sutton Division of Plymouth (Viscountess Astor) on the 12th February last I am considering whether some reduction can be made in the postage rates for parcels addressed to certain stations.
§ Major HORE-BELISHAIs the hon. Gentleman not aware that a British ship is supposed to be British territory wherever it may be, and therefore should not the inland rate apply to British ships?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI am fully aware of that fact, and I am also aware that a British Embassy is British territory, but the rate does not apply in that case either.