§ MR. MACARTNEYsaid, he begged to ask the hon. Secretary to the Treasury what provision would be made for the conveyance of the Australian mails between England and Suez, in case parties tendered for carrying the mails to Sydney from Suez, viâ Point de Galle? Also, under what head of expenditure, in the Appropriation Acts of 1854 and 1855, will be the sums of £125,000 and £5,600, expended by the Board of Ordnance in purchasing lands at Aldershot and the adjoining parishes, for the purpose of forming a permanent camp there?
§ MR. WILSONsaid, that hon. Members were aware that at the present time a contract existed with the Peninsular and Oriental Company for the conveyance of mails to Suez. It would, therefore, be obviously inconsistent to propose a new contract for the same route, as in that 1231 case the payment for the carriage of mails as far as Suez would be made twice over. Any new company, therefore, must be willing to conform to such conditions as the Government may think proper, while the contract with the Peninsular and Oriental Company lasted. He could not answer the hon. Gentleman's second question then, but he would do so at a future time.