§ Mr. Pakingtonsaid, a petition had been presented by a noble Friend of his from St. John's, Newfoundland, setting forth the advantages which would result to the inhabitants of that Colony if the Post-office packets, which frequently passed so near as to come within sight of their ports, were required to touch there, for the purpose of conveying their letters to and from England direct. He wished to ask his hon. Friend the Under Secretary for the Colonies whether any and what steps had been taken on the subject?
§ Mr. G. W. Hopesaid, his noble Friend the Secretary for the Colonies had, he believed, received for presentation to Her Majesty an Address upon the same subject as the petition which had been presented to that House. The Government had but one object in these matters, to confer as generally as possible the advantages of postal communication; and, upon the receipt of the petition and the Address alluded to, the question of whether the prayer of the inhabitants of the Colony in question, that the packets should call out and home at St. John's could be complied with consistently with due despatch as regarded the other American Colonies, had been referred to the Admiralty and Post-office Departments; and their opinion was, that, though the packets often came within sight of St. John's, to oblige them 1450 to call there on all occasions would occasion much delay. In winter, it was obvious such communication would be out of the question; but even in summer, the navigation in the neighbourhood of Newfoundland, owing to the drifting ice, and the dense fogs that often prevailed, was a matter of difficulty, and would involve much uncertainty and delay; and he had no doubt that the Company who held the contract for the conveyance of the mails to North America would object to the packets calling at Newfoundland, as it would materially increase the length of the voyage.