§ MR. CAVEsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether the West India Colonies have been called upon by the Treasury to contribute the sum of £37,554 for the present year towards the subsidy to the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company; and, if so, whether the consent of those Colonies had been previously obtained; and, whether he will lay upon the table of the House the copy of a letter from himself to Sir Frederick Rogers, together with the copy of a letter from the Postmaster General enclosed therein, on the subject?
MR. PEEL, in reply, said, the Home Government two years ago had given notice to the Governments of the West India Colonies that from the present year, when the new contract would commence, they would apply to those Colonies that principle of half contribution for the cost of the Mail Service which was already in operation in respect to the Australian and other Colonies. The loss upon the West India Mail Service had been much reduced under the new contract, but it still amounted to a considerable sum — about £115,000. They had ascertained how much of that sum was due to the West India part of the service, and how much to the Mexico and Pacific part. This country would bear the whole loss on the Mexico and Pacific branch, but as regarded the West India branch, it was thought fair that the West India Colonies should bear a share of the loss upon it. Of course, it rested with those Colonies entirely whether they would give or withhold their consent to the arrangement, but that consent was necessary to their participating in the benefits of that service.