HL Deb 09 February 1858 vol 148 cc969-70
VISCOUNT DUNGANNON

said, that in the last Session of Parliament the noble Duke at the head of the Post Office (the Duke of Argyll) gave him the satisfactory assurance that arrangements had been made for establishing a fresh service of sea-going steam vessels for carrying the mails between Holyhead and Dublin, and information which he had subsequently received led him to hope that this object might be accomplished, and the arrangements be in active operation at an early period, at least, in the year 1859. He had since been given to understand, however, that unexpected obstacles had arisen in the way of carrying out the arrangements, in consequence of some differences between the Chester and Holyhead Company and the Dublin Steam Packet Company, and that the probability was that this very desirable object might be indefinitely postponed. He was anxious to know from the noble Duke, then, whether any such obstacles had presented themselves, and if so, whether there was any hope of their being speedily removed, and an object carried into effect which was most desirable for the public at large, and more especially for those who were connected with the sister island?

THE DUKE OF ARGYLL

said, he was not aware of the existence of the obstacles to which the noble Viscount had referred. There had been some delays, he believed, in arranging and completing the contract between the various parties concerned; and if any difficulties had arisen he hoped they would be speedily removed.

House adjourned at Half-past Five o'clock, to Thursday next, Half-past Ten o'clock.