HC Deb 09 August 1911 vol 29 cc1314-8W
Mr. HARMOOD-BANNER

asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the fact that the arrangement he made for expediting the outward American mail from Queenstown has not brought about the promised results; is he aware that these mails have been frequently not delivered in New York on Thursdays nor forwarded to distant places on those nights; in the circumstances will he have a Return, showing, since the 15th January to date, the hours that the mails leaving on Saturdays and Wednesdays have been landed at and despatched from New York, and what the times would have been had the vessels sailed direct from Liverpool and Southampton without calling at Queenstown; and will he agree to take the whole subject into consideration with a view to arranging what is best for the general public, irrespective of the local interests at Queenstown?

Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL

I have given close attention to the question of the despatch of the mails from this country to the United States of America, and I am satisfied that the recent acceleration of the Saturday mails has shown itself to be justified. It is true that with the present long course it has not been possible to deliver in New York on Thursday evenings, but on several occasions the mails for the West and for Canada have been despatched by Thursday night trains. The occasions will probably be more numerous when the shorter course is followed in the autumn. The omission of the call at Queenstown would necessitate a serious curtailment of the facilities for late posting at present enjoyed by the public in the United Kingdom, while in the case of the mid-week packets of the White Star Line

Name of Packet. Date of Sailing from Liverpool or Southampton. Arrival of Mails at new York Post Office. Time of delivery in New York. Time of despatch by rail from New York.
Mauretania 21st Jan. … 27th Jan., 3.15 p.m. 1st delivery, Saturday, Jan, 28th 1911. West Jan. 27/11, 6.30 p.m. train.
West Jan. 27/11, 6.34 p.m. train.
East Jan. 27/11, 5.00 p.m. train.
South Jan, 27/11, 6.34 p.m. train.
Chicago Jan, 27/11, 6.30 p.m. train.
Chicago Jan, 27/11, 9.30 p.m. train.
Canada Jan, 27/11, 6.30 p.m. train.
Canada Jan, 27/11, 7.16 p.m. train.
Lusitania 29th Jan … 3rd Feb., 9.51 a.m. 12.5 p.m. delivery, Friday, Feb. 3rd West Feb. 3/11, 2.16 p.m. train.
West Feb. 3/11, 6.30 p.m. train.
West Feb. 3/11, 6.34 p.m. train.
East Feb. 3/11, 1.02 p.m. train.
South Feb. 3/11, 3.34 p.m. train.
Chicago Feb. 3/11, 4.00 p.m. train.
Chicago Feb. 3/11, 6.30 p.m. train.
Canada Feb. 3/11, 6.30 p.m. train.
Canada Feb. 3/11, 6.56 p.m. train.
Campania 4th Feb … 11th Feb., 3.10 a.m. — —
Mauretania 11th Feb … 17th Feb., 0.12 a.m. 1st delivery, Friday, Feb. 17th West Feb. 17/11, 3.05 a.m. train.
West Feb. 17/11, 8.04 a.m. train.
East Feb. 17/11, 2.10 a.m. train.
South Feb. 17/11, 4.36 a.m. train.
Chicago Feb. 17/11, 3.05 a.m. train.
Canada Feb. 17/11, 3.05 a.m. train.
Lusitania 18th Feb … 24th Feb., 6.53 p.m. 1st delivery, Saturday Feb. 25th West Feb, 25/11, 3.01 a.m. train
West Feb, 25/11, 3.05 a.m. train
East Feb. 24/11, 11.10 p.m. train.
South Feb. 24/11, 9.52 p.m. train.
Chicago Feb. 24/11, 9.30 p.m. train.
Canada Feb. 25/11, 12.26 a.m. train.
Canada Feb. 25/11, 3.05 a.m. train.
Franconia 25th Feb … 6th Mar., 1.25 p.m. — —
Mauretania 4th Mar … 10th Mar., 8.53 a.m. 10.30 a.m. delivery, Friday, Mar. 10th West Mar. 10/11, 12.51 p.m. train.
West Mar. 10/11, 2.16 p.m. train.
East Mar. 10/11, 12.01 p.m. train.
South Mar. 10/11, 11.08 a.m. train.
Chicago Mar. 10/11, 4.00 p.m. train.
Canada Mar. 10/11, 12.51 p.m. train.
Canada Mar. 10/11, 6.56 p.m. train.
Lusitania 11th Mar … 17th Mar., 2.3 a.m. 1st delivery, Friday Mar. 17th West Mar.17/11, 8.04 a.m. train.
West Mar.17/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
East Mar.17/11, 4.50 a.m. train.
South Mar.17/11, 4.36 a.m. train.
Chicago Mar. 17/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
Canada Mar. 17/11, 8.46 a.m. train.

sailing from Southampton on Wednesdays it would deprive the public in this country of the advantages which they at present possess arising from the fact that the last European port of call is situated in the United Kingdom. The following statement shows the times of arrival at New York Post Office of the mails despatched hence on Saturdays since 15th January last, and in the case of those sent by the "Lusitania" and "Mauretania" up to 3rd June last, for which alone the information is available, the times of delivery in New York and of despatch thence by rail:—

Name of Packet. Date of Sailing from Liverpool or Southampton. Arrival of Mails at New York Post Office Time of delivery in New York. Time of despatch by rail from New York.
Campania 18thMar 25th Mar., 5.40p.m. — —
Mauretania 25thMar 30th Mar. 11.55 p.m. 1st delivery, Friday, Mar. 31st West Mar. 31/11, 3.01 a.m. train.
West Mar. 31/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
East Mar. 31/11, 2.10 a.m. train.
South Mar. 31/11, 2.20 a.m. train.
Chicago Mar. 31/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
Canada Mar. 31/11, 3.05 a.m. train.
Canada Mar. 31/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
Caronia 1st April 9th April, 8.38 a.m. — —
Lusitania 8th April 14th April, 0.50 a.m. 1st delivery, Friday, April 14th West April 14/11, 3.05 a.m. train.
West April 14/11, 8.04 a.m. train.
East April 14/11, 2.10 a.m. train.
South April 14/11, 4.36 a.m. train.
Chicago April 14/11, 3.05 a.m. train.
Canada April 14/11, 3.05 a.m. train.
Campania 15th April 22nd April, 5.20 p.m. — —
Mauretania 22ndApril 28th April, 4.56 a.m. 1st delivery, Friday, April 28th West April 28/11, 8.04 a.m. train.
West April 28/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
East April 28/11, 9.15 a.m. train.
South April 28/11, 10.16 a.m. train.
Chicago April 28/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
Canada April 28/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
Lusitania 29th April 5th May, 1.46 a.m. 1st delivery, Friday, May 5th West May 5/11, 8.04 a.m. train.
West May 5/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
East May 5/11, 4.50 a.m. train.
South May 5/11, 4.36 a.m. train.
Chicago May 5/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
Canada May 5/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
Campania 6th May 13th May, 11.18 a.m. — —
Mauretania 13thMay 19th May, 5.8 a.m. 1st delivery, Friday, May 19th West May, 19/11, 8.04 a.m. train.
West May, 19/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
East May, 19/11, 8.00 a.m. train.
South May, 19/11, 10.16 a.m. train.
Chicago May, 19/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
Canada May, 19/11, 8.46 a.m. train.
Lusitania 20th May 26th May, 0.55 a.m. 1st delivery, Friday May 26th West May, 26/11, 3.01 a.m. train.
West May, 26/11, 8.04 a.m. train.
West May, 26/11 8.46 a.m. train.
East May, 26/11 2.10 a.m. train.
South May 26/11 4.36 a.m. train.
Chicago May 26/11 8.46 a.m. train.
Canada May 26/11 8.46 a.m. train.
Campania 27th May 3rd June, 9.50 a.m. — —
Mauretania 3rd June 8th June, 11.52 p.m. 1st delivery, Friday, June 9th West June 9/11, 2.50 a.m. train.
West June 9/11, 3.05 a.m. train.
West June 9/11, 8.04 a.m. train.
East June 9/11, 2.10 a.m. train.
South June 9/11, 4.36 a.m. train.
Chicago June 9/11, 3.05 a.m. train.
Canada June 9/11 3.05 a.m. train.
Lusitania 10th June 16th June, 2.33 a.m. — —
Campania 17th June 24th June, 9.44 a.m. — —
Mauretania 24th June 30th June, 4.8 a.m. — —
Lusitania 8th July 14th July, 0.48 p.m. — —
Campania 15th July 22nd July, 5.14 a.m. — —