HC Deb 26 October 1908 vol 194 c1567
MR. PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)

To ask the Postmaster-General if he would give the distances between London and Paris, respectively, via Dover and Calais and via Folkestone and Boulogne; and if he would state the extra mileage covered daily and yearly by the mail services between these two capitals owing to the carrying of the mails over the longer of the two routes, stating also the number of mail services daily by each route.

(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) The distance between London and Paris via Dover and Calais is 287 statute miles, and by Folkestone and Boulogne 259 statute miles. The number of mail services daily by each route is; to Paris via Dover and Calais three on week-days; to Paris via Dover and Calais two on Sundays; and via Folkestone and Boulogne two on week-days only; to London via Calais and Dover three daily; and via Folkestone and Boulogne one daily. If all the mails could be conveyed by the Folkestone-Boulogne route (which is not the case) and the total number of services was the same as at present, there would be reduction in mileage traversed of 168 miles a day or 59,864 miles a year.