§ 44. Mr. CLANCYasked the Postmaster-General whether on the 8th instant a letter was addressed to the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company by the Post Office authorities directing that the mail packet should not leave Kingstown till a certain hour in the afternoon, whether the mails and passengers were on board or not, though the contract with the company provides that the boats shall, under heavy penalties for non-compliance, start on their voyage immediately that the mails are put on board; whether since the 28th October the mails, passengers, and luggage have been on board twenty minutes before the time fixed for starting; whether, in view of the fact that the quarter of an hour or twenty minutes thus lost every day might be saved but for the letter referred to, he has authorised that letter; and will he now direct the order it contains to be withdrawn, and so shorten the journey from Dublin to London?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Illingworth)The City of Dublin Steam Packet Company themselves suggested 2.30 p.m. as the time of departure from Kingstown, and when it appeared that they were sometimes starting earlier they were told they should observe the time fixed. The time of arrival at Holyhead was fixed at 5.47 p.m., and the company were not willing to fix an earlier time. The timing of the train from Holyhead to Euston must depend on the fixed time of arrival of the boat, not on such an earlier time as the packet company are able on occasion to achieve. I hope, however, that daylight sailing and the difficulties which have arisen out of it will soon cease.