§ MR. HENRY SEYMOURsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, Whether it is true that a bag containing the Despatches from the Admiralty to the Admiral on the station at Vancouver's Island was abstracted from on board the United States Steamer in its passage from Panama; and whether, in the absence of safe postal communication, the Admiral was not under the necessity of employing a Government War Steamer to carry the Despatches to Panama; and whether the Government were not obliged, on the occasion of the Trent Affair, to send the Depatches to the Admiral on the Pacific station at Vancouver's Island round by Cape Horn?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETsaid, in reply, that in 1858 an arrangement was made by which the mail-bags from Vancouver's Island were brought to Panama by way of San Francisco by American Packets. In the following year there were two occasions on which the hags were mislaid, not abstracted. One bag arrived after some delay complete. In the case of the other, part of the letters turned up, but some never came to hand at all. He had not heard of any similar affair later than these two. With regard to the latter part of the question, the despatches to the Admiral at Vancouver's Island were not sent by way of Cape Horn because of distrust of the other route. On the contrary, the Despatches were sent viâ Panama, and duplicates were sent by Cape Horn, in the Devastation, which was going out with re- 950 inforcements. The Despatches sent by Panama arrived safe at their destination.
§ MR. HENRY SEYMOURBy American steamers?
§ LORD CLARENCE PAGETYes.