§ 43. Mr. MULDOONasked whether any new contract or arrangement has been entered into with the Cunard Company in reference to the American mails; and, if so, what it is; and whether it provides for the inclusion of the call at Queenstown as originally provided?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEAn arrangement has been concluded with the Cunard Company under which, commencing on the 28th of this month, the Cunard packets will leave Liverpool every Saturday at 2.30 p.m., instead of at 5 p.m. as at present, and will proceed to New York direct, without calling at Queenstown.
§ Mr. MULDOONIs the right hon. Gen-man aware that this is, in fact, a new contract with the company; and has this contract been entered into with the company without the sanction of the House of Commons?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSENo; no new contract has been entered into. A variation of the old contract has been made, but inasmuch as it imposes no new charge upon the public it was not actually necessary to lay it before the House. If, however, the House desires to see that variation, the nature of which I have stated in 570 my reply, I shall be happy to lay it before the House.
§ Mr. MULDOONWas this proceeding the act of the right hon. Gentleman or of the late Postmaster-General? Has the right hon. Gentleman taken the advice of the Law Officers of the Crown on the point of its being a new contract?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEAs I have been Postmaster-General only three or four days, it was clearly the act of my predecessor, who took the opinion of the Law Officers upon the point.
§ Mr. DONELANWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the desirability of entrusting the transmission of Irish mails to the White Star Company, in view of the fact that their steamers are engaged in a weekly service between Liverpool and New York via Queenstown?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSESome of the Irish mails are entrusted to the White Star Company, which company, in respect of one of their ships—the "Olympic"—find exactly the same difficulty as the Cunard Company—namely, that it is dangerous for that ship, having regard to its size, and particularly its length and depth, to enter the harbour at all.
§ Mr. DONELANCan the right hon. Gentleman say in what respect Queenstown Harbour is more unsafe now than it was when the Cunard Company entered into the contract?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe date at which the contract was made was 1903, and these two big ships—the "Lusitania" and the "Mauretania"—have been built since that time. As their size could hardly have been anticipated then, it is clear that a very considerable change in the circumstances has taken place, and it is that change which necessitates the abandonment of Queenstown.
Mr. W. A. REDMONDIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the White Star "Arabic" entered Queenstown Harbour yesterday and left with perfect safety for Boston, and that the Cunard liner "Carmania" refused to enter?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI was not aware of the actual circumstances of the two ships; but it is the "Olympic," of the White Star Line, which is unable to enter Queenstown, and the "Olympic," under the terms of contract, is one of the vessels that is bound to carry the mails.
Mr. W. A. REDMONDWhy did not the "Carmania" enter the harbour yesterday when the White Star liner "Arabic" entered and discharged the mails?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEI have not had the opportunity of comparing the two vessels, but if a question is put down I will look into it.