§ 84. Sir H. BRITTAINasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any steps are contemplated to improve the communication between this country and the West Indies in view of the great benefits that would accrue to these islands from a regular direct service to the Motherland?
§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREI am glad to say that steamer communications between this country and the West Indies have considerably improved lately. There is now a service alternately by Messrs. Elders and Fyffes and the Harrison Line to Barbados, Trinidad, British Guiana and Jamaica with sailings every two or three weeks. The Pacific Steam Navigation Company have arranged that their steamers leaving Liverpool on the 25th January and the 22nd February shall call at Jamaica, and that steamers shall call there homeward bound about the 10th and 27th March. These are large and comfortable vessels, and the arrangement affords every facility to people wishing to pay a short visit to the island. The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, the Canadian Pacific Railway Company and the White Star Line are all despatching tourist steamers from New York to the West Indies. This is in addition to the 2597 ordinary facilities afforded by Messrs. Furness Withy and the Canadian mail steamers. I am afraid that the present time is not opportune for taking steps to secure a service run strictly to a timetable, which would no doubt involve a subsidy.