MR. GILPINasked the Postmaster General, Whether his attention has been drawn to the advantages of Milford as a Foreign and South Irish Mail Packet Station, and to the saving of time that would accrue to the cities of London, Manchester, Birmingham, and the Midland 1685 districts by the delivery thereat and despatch of mails there from?
§ MR. MONSELL, in reply, said, the subject of Irish mails had been frequently considered by that House. With regard to foreign mails, the steam packet companies ordinarily selected their own ports, and in doing so they were chiefly guided by commercial considerations. With regard to the Irish mail, the hon. Member must be aware that considering the distance between Milford and Waterford, and the comparative slowness of the steamers that ran from Milford to Waterford, there would be a loss of time even to the most southern parts of Ireland in sending mails by the Milford route. If the improvements which he understood were now being made at Fishguard, and by which a shorter route from England to Ireland might be made than by Holy-head, then no doubt the circumstances of the case would be altogether altered, and the Post Office would re-consider the subject.