§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he had received copies of a circular of the Governors of the Australian Colonies, containing the description of a plan for the establishment of regular steam postal communications with these Colonies?
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLreplied that the Treasury had under their control and management the mails for Australia, and that his hon. Friend the Secretary for the Treasury would state what arrangements were in operation or in contemplation.
§ MR. WILSONsaid, that the arrangement made for the conveyance of the mails to Australia by the Cape of Good Hope had been abandoned. But with regard to the contract for communicating every two months by way of India, that contract was not abandoned, but only suspended, in consequence of the number of ships belonging to the Peninsular and Oriental Company employed by the Government in the conveyance of troops to the Black Sea, and which the Company had been unable to replace on the packet service. However, a proposal had been made by the Admiralty, at the request of the Treasury, to the Peninsular and Oriental Company, to make an offer to the Government for the purpose of carrying the mails every month by way of India, but as yet no answer had been received, the Company having to wait for some information from the East that might regulate their offer, and hoping that some vessels now in the employment of the Government would be shortly at their disposal. He could assure the right hon. Gentleman the subject was one which 536 the Government felt the liveliest interest in, and no effort would be spared to secure a monthly communication with our Australian colonies as soon as possible.