§ COLONEL WELBY (Taunton)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, why the Island of St. Helena, although a British Possession, is the only part of the world to which reply postcards are not transmissible?
§ MR. HANBURYThe finances of St. Helena have not as yet been considered sufficiently flourishing to admit of the adoption of the postcard system. Hence, if the Colony accepted reply postcards from this country, the reply halves would displace letters and thus involve the island in a direct loss of revenue. In these circumstances the Colony has refused to accept these cards. It is understood that some improvement in the financial condition of St. Helena has lately taken place and that the question of issuing both single and double postcards in the island is under consideration?