§ MR. MACARTNEYsaid, he would beg to inquire of the hon. Secretary of the Treasury, whether any decision had been come to upon the tenders for contracts sent into the Treasury in March last, to convey the mails to the Australian colonies; and, if not, whether there was any prospect of some more satisfactory arrangement than existed at present for that purpose? And whether there had been any progress made towards tenders being made for contracts to improve the postal communication between London and Dublin, by performing the journey from capital to capital within twelve hours?
§ MR. WILSONreplied, that none of the tenders which had been sent in for the conveyance of the mails to Australia were such as the Government felt justified in entertaining, and they had consequently been rejected. He had, however, been in communication with some gentlemen interested in the colonies, and had nearly settled with them the best plan which was thought could be pursued, and the details of which would shortly appear in the public papers in the form of advertisements for tenders for the conveyance of the mails. With regard to the Irish mails, the conditions which the Government thought proper to impose for the performance of that service had been sent to the united companies, who were now considering the proposals which had been made by the Government. One of the conditions was, that the communication between London and Dublin should be effected in eleven hours.