§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether, in view of the fact that the Stornoway mail has been conveyed via Mallaig since April 1st, the official reports show that the experiment has now been in force a sufficient time to warrant the Postmaster General in inviting tenders for this service, and, if not, will he state when he will be able to arrive at a decision on the subject, and will care be taken that a modern and swifter steamer is secured for this service in place of the present boat, which is forty years old.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN,) Worcestershire, E.The service viâ Mallaig is not yet sufficiently established, especially in view of a projected acceleration on the Highland Railway, to enable the Postmaster General to form an opinion as to the permanent advantages of the Mallaig route to Stornoway. In any case, having regard to the loss on the Stornoway mail service, the Postmaster General does not consider that he would be justified in recommending that additional expense should be incurred for the purpose of providing swifter steamers for the conveyance of the mails.
§ MR. WEIRIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the steamer is forty 1329 years old, and can only go ten knots an hour?
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINIt is not the duty of the Postmaster General to provide steamers for passenger accommodation—only to see that they are suitable for the conveyance of the mails.