§ Mr. Humebegged to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it were true, as had been stated, that her Majesty's Government had entered into an agreement by which the mails were to be carried, in Scotland, six days in the week by railway, and on Sunday by coach.
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, that under the Act of last Session, the Postmaster-general had no power to compel the proprietors of railroads in Scotland to carry passengers on Sunday, though they could require them to carry the mails. Two railroads in Scotland had agreed to carry the mails, though they refused to carry passengers; but they said, that the Post-office must bear the expense of the communication by steam, in which they were quite right. The Post-office found, however, that they could convey the mails by horses cheaper than by railway, without any inconvenience to the public, and they had accordingly contracted for that purpose.
§ Mr. Humeobjected to the principle on 704 the score of the expense, and gave notice of a motion for copies of the correspondence.