HC Deb 11 May 1899 vol 71 cc341-2
Mr. KIMBER

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster-General, whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Continental mails by the German ship "Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse," leaving Southampton on Wednesday 26th April, arrived in New York on Tuesday 2nd May, while the English mails by the White Star steamship "Britannic," leaving Liverpool on Wednesday 26th April, arrived in New York on Friday 5th May; also that a portion of the English mails forwarded by the "Aurania," a casual Cunarder, leaving Liverpool on Tuesday 25th April, arrived in New York on Thursday 4th May, two days later than if they had been sent from Southampton on 26th April; and, seeing that the "Britannic" is an obsolete ship taking nine days instead of six for the Atlantic voyage, will he explain why she is still used by the English Post Office for the conveyance of mails to America.

MR. ANSTRUTHER (for Mr. HANBURY)

The official returns have, of course, not yet been received from New York; but according to the telegraphic reports published by the newspapers, the arrivals of the three steamers took place as follows:— Kaiser Wilhelm," 3 p.m. 2nd May. Aurania," Midnight 3rd May. Britannic," 1.30 p.m. 5th May. Both the British steamers sailed from Queenstown, the "Aurania" having on board letters posted practically the same day as those carried by the; "Kaiser Wilhelm," and the "Britannic" letters posted a day later, as she did not leave Queenstown till the 27th April. The employment of the slower boats of the Cunard and White Star Lines together with the faster has been frequently explained to the House. The mail contract gives the companies the right to the conveyance of all of the correspondence not specially superscribed, and requires them to use their fastest boats all the year round and to put in at Queenstown for mails. The "Britannic" is one of the four fastest boats of the White Star Company; and the Postmaster-General has no power to exclude her until the Company have a better boat to take her place. Letter-writers can always secure the transmission of their letters by any steamer they prefer by specially superscribing them.