§ MR. GIBSONasked the Postmaster General, Whether there is anything in the proposed Irish Mail Contract regulating the time to be taken on the land journey and the sea journey respectively, or whether the contract will be satisfied by the whole journey being perfected in ten and a-half hours; and, whether, under the proposed contract, it would be competent for the London and North Western Railway Company to accelerate I their land journey and lessen the present speed of the sea journey, provided the whole journey did not occupy more than ten and a-half hours?
§ MR. FAWCETTSir, I hope the contract will be laid on the Table in the course of a few days; but, as its terms are not yet finally settled, I think the right hon. and learned Gentlman will agree that it will not be desirable for me to state what may be the precise effect of the document.
§ MR. GIBSONI must really press, with great respect, for an answer. My Question is categorical and quite clear.
§ MR. FAWCETTI have before answered a Question similar to this, and I can assure the right hon. and learned Gentleman that I should be very sorry to withhold any information from the House. The negotiations are now in that state that will soon enable their character to be explained to the House; therefore, I hope he will not press me to be more explicit upon the matter. I may, however, state generally, as I have stated before, that the contract is for ten and a-half hours on the land and 1814 sea service combined; but I do not pledge myself that there will not be in the contract a provision stipulating for a certain rate of speed in the sea service taken by itself.