HC Deb 08 May 1840 vol 53 cc1331-2

On the question that 50,000l. be granted to defray the expenses of steam communication with India by way of the Red Sea.

Mr. Hume

wished to know how this money had been expended, and how much the East India Company had paid?

Sir J. C. Hobhouse

said, that the East India Company had spent much more than the 50,000l. And when the House considered that the mail which came in to-day arrived in thirty-eight days, and the former mail in thirty-six days, and the one before that in thirty-nine days, arid when they recollected that, under an amended arrangement, the mails did not previously reach England under forty-eight, fifty-two, or fifty-six days, and that under the old system they had to wait for four or five months, there could be no ground of complaint. If there were any, it was by the merchants, who thought that their bills came back too soon, and that India was brought rather too near to us.

Mr. Hume

only wanted to know what the arrangement with the East India Company was, for up to this moment the public were completely ignorant of it. It was only when they were spurred on by the merchants, that the East India Company undertook this mode of conveyance, and he well recollected that when he stated, on the authority of Mr. Waghorn, that letters could arrive from India in thirty-five days, he was laughed at. It was of importance, therefore, to know what were the terms fixed with the Company, and what caused the irregularities in the time of transit that now occurred.

Sir J. C. Hobhouse

did not know what the hon. Member wanted. Did he want to know the number of steam vessels employed?

Mr. Hume

would say that inefficient vessels were employed, which were not able to stand the ordinary monsoons. He had received two months' packets together.

Sir J. C. Hobhouse

said, that what the hon. Gentleman had alluded to had only occurred once. The East India Company had done all in their power, and displayed as much anxiety to keep up the communication as the Government itself.

Mr. Mark Philips

wished to ask whether the speedy delivery of the mails, that had been alluded to by the right hon. Gentleman, had been caused by any increased power applied lately to the steamboats, and whether it might be anticipated that the mails would be sent by vessels of equal power, so as to ensure regularity of communication.

Sir J. C. Hobhouse

said, he would be happy to lay upon the table any returns which the House might think necessary to inform them of what means the East India Company now employed in order to carry out their part of the bargain. When they saw those returns, and compared the number of steam-vessels now employed by the East India Company with those in their service five years ago, he would say that neither the company nor the board over which he had the honour to preside, would have cause to be ashamed of the part they had acted.

Vote agreed to, the House resumed.