§ Mr. WATTasked the Postmaster-General (1) what is the nature of his contract for carrying mails from Glasgow to the Island of Islay; is it in the power of the captain of the steamer employed to carry such mails to declare that the weather is unsuitable for the passage, and if this is carried on indefinitely has his Department no claim for compensation against the steamboat owner; are the mails between Glasgow and that district to be entirely dependent on that opinion; 932W and (2), whether he is aware that the steamer "Pioneer," which carries the mails between Glasgow and Islay, having arrived at Port Askaig, in Islay, on Wednesday, the 16th November, did not carry any outgoing mails on Thursday, 17th, Friday, 18th, and Saturday, 19th November, although on the last-named day she made the passage; that the alleged rough ness of the weather was assigned as the reason for this inaction; and whether, in view of the inconvenience to the trading and travelling communities, he will insist on compensation to his Department for all blank days and on a steamer of greater power and less age being put on the route?
Mr. PEASEThe contract for the conveyance of mails between Tarbert and the Island of Islay, like other contracts for similar services, does not render the contractors liable to a penalty for failure of service due to bad weather. It must rest with the captain of the steamer, who is responsible for the safety of the vessel, the mails, the passengers, and the crew, to decide whether on any particular occasion the weather is suitable for the passage, and there are no grounds for supposing that the captain's discretionary power has been abused. The dates which the hon. Member mentions in his second question fell in a period of exceptionally stormy weather. Occasional interruptions of this kind could not be held to justify the increase of expense that would be involved in employing a newer and more powerful steamer than the one now employed on the service, even if such a steamer were now obtainable.