HC Deb 22 July 1901 vol 97 cc1124-5
SIR CHARLES DALRYMPLE (Ipswich)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he can explain why the letters by West Indian mail steamer "Orinoco," which were landed at Plymouth at 9 p.m. on Wednesday last, were not delivered in the city of London before 3.45 on Thursday; and what steps it is proposed to take to avoid such delay in future.

MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN

The mails were forwarded from Plymouth by the first available train; and unless a special train had been employed the letters could not have been delivered any earlier. The Postmaster General has for some time had under consideration the question of making special arrangements for forwarding the West India mails from Plymouth on occasions such as that referred to by the hon. Member, but he has not yet been able to arrive at a definite conclusion on the subject.