§ DR. LUSHasked the Postmaster General, If any steps have yet been taken for the transmission of letters to the West of England by mail train from Basingstoke to Exeter, instead of by the present system of mail carts; or if he can hold out any hope of an early compliance in this respect with the general wish of the inhabitants of the large district interested in the adoption of the proposed change?
§ LORD JOHN MANNERS,in reply, said, the establishment of a night mail train from Basingstoke to Exeter would be of little, if any, advantage to the mail service, and the present mail carts could not be discontinued except at a complete sacrifice of cross post communication involving most serious inconvenience to the public. The present arrangements afforded a much better service for the correspondence generally than could be provided by a mail train as suggested.