§ MR. SEELYsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether the National Steam Ship Company (Limited), whose steamers ply weekly between Liverpool, Queenstown, and New York, have, as has been reported, offered to the Post Office authorities to convey the Mails one day in each week to New York at the rate of a penny per half-ounce for letters?
§ MR. HUNT, in reply, said, it was quite true that the National Steam Ship Company was one of the Companies who tendered to carry the mails by their ships which sail from Queenstown every Friday, and they offered to take fourteen days for the voyage, under penalties. That offer not being accepted, they made another tender, to take the letters atone penny per ounce in fourteen days, but without penalties—that was taking their own time over the journey. That offer, at first sight, appeared cheap; but it must be remembered that ship letters were already carried at the rate of one penny per letter, not per ounce. All he could say was, that any letters specially directed to go by the ships of the National Steam Company, or any other Company, could always do so, at the rate of one penny per letter paid to the shipowner.