MR. HARVEY LEWISasked the Postmaster General, Whether his attention has been called to the frequent detention of the Mails at Calais consequent upon the want of water to float the steamboats; and, whether it is possible to apply a remedy to obviate the serious inconvenience and delay thus occasioned in the transmission of the Mails?
§ MR. MONSELL,in reply, said, he was quite aware of the grievance, but it 1714 was impossible for him to redress it. Her Majesty's Government did all they could. A harbour at great expense had been made at Dover; it was accessible at all times of the tide, and they had a small steamer at Calais to land the mails and passengers when the water ran low. But on the other side there was no good harbour, and the French railway trains convoying the mails only ran at the rate of 33 miles an hour, while the English trains ran at the rate of 46 miles an hour.