§ 8. "That a sum, not exceeding £17,500, be granted to Her Majesty, to complete the sum necessary to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March 1898, for expenditure in connection with certain Public Works, and for Improved Communications, and other purposes, within the Highlands and Islands of Scotland."
§ *MR. WEIRwished for information as to the communications with the outer islands. It was singular that the Jubilee year should be marked by a reduction of the means of communication between Oban and the islands.
MR. McLEODsaid it was very curious that the communications with two of the counties which returned Conservatives should be cut down from two steamers to one. When the subject was last before the House, the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave a provisional promise that he would consider this matter. This was the year in which they had been 792 asssured that letters would be delivered to every householder, and now they were going to cut down the means of delivering letters in the Highlands. He hoped the Government would reconsider the subject and bring in a supplementary estimate, thus assuring the people that the service would be continued.
§ *THE LORD ADVOCATEsaid the line of steamers had not been a success, and the Department had recommended that the two steamers should be replaced by one steamer of a larger size. The promise given with regard to postal facilities would lie carried out, but it was impossible to do that without time to look into the subject which should be considered from the point of view of trade, and also from that point of view of the postal facilities.
§ Resolution agreed to.