The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-12-11 00:00:00

THE CUNARD COMP N! AND THE

POST OFFICE.

The first departure of the American mails from
Liverpool under the new contract took place on
Saturday afternoon, the outgoing steamer being the
Alaska, of the Guion Line. The mails were of the
ordinary kind, and theie was not an unusual number
of bags, the heavier portion of the New York mails
being, as is customary, taken on board at Queenstown.
The Alaska left the river shortly after two o'clock in
the afternoon for New York, vid Queenstown. By
the same tide the Cunard steamer Umbria sailed for
New York direct, without calling at Queenstown, and
before she left her moorings a singular occurrence took
place. The Cunard Company had announced that
the Umbria would take out only consignees,
letters, and it having come to their know-
ledge that a large number of letters had been
specially addressed to go "per Umbria," and
that the Post Office authorities intended to
put them on board the steamer they formally inti-
mated that On this occasion the Umbria would not
carry these ships' letters." It appears that under
an Act of Parliament the Post (nee can demand the
carriage of any letters marked 12:-, the public to go by
any particular vessel, and in case of refusal the
owners of the vessel are liable to heavy fine. As the
intention of the Post Office to tender these mails and
of the Cunard Company to refuse them became
known on Saturday, the action of both parties was
looked upon with considerable interest. The steam
tug Challenger was engaged by the Post Office, and
shortly after two o'clock in the afternoon she left the
landing stage with three bags of mails, one from Man-
chester, one from Bradford, and the third from Liver-
pool. They were addressed to the New York Post
Office, and were in charge of four officials from the
• Liverpool General Post Office. The Cunard Com-
pary's tender Skirmisher left the stage about the same
time with the passengersfor theU mbria, and both tenders
proceeded to the Sloyne, where the steamer was at
anchor. As the Challenger got near the Umbria she
was hailed by Captain Watson, the Marine Superinten-
dent of the Company, who inquired what her busi-
ness was. The officer in charge of the mail bags
replied that he was on her Majesty's service, and had
brought some ship letter mails which he wished to
put on board the Umbria for conveyance to New
York. Captain Watson said that no mails oi any
kind could be allowed on board the steamer, and in
reply to further questions he refused to permit the
Challenger to make fast to the steamer, or to allow
any of the 'Post Office officials to go on board. In
reply to a request that he might see the master of the
Umbria (Captain McMican), Captain Watson replied
that he was busy and could not be seen, and in con-
cluding the conversation Captain Watson pointed to
the Alaska, which was some distance off, and getting
under weigh, and said, "There's the mail boat; take
the mails to her." The Challenger then returned to
the stage, and in the course of the afternoon the
three mail bags in dispute were despatched to Queens-
town to catch the Alaska there. It is thought that
the Government will take means to test in a court of
law the legality of the action of the Canard Com-
pany.

AN old gentleman in Baltimore, who used to be
troubled 13) young men sitting up with his daughters
until a late hour, settled the callers by appearing
promptly at 11 o'clock and giving each of them a
ticket to a 10-cent lodging-house. He never scolded
or acted in an emphatic manner, because there wasn't
any need of it.
\Vim is that lady ?—Oh, that is General Blank's
wife. —That can't be. She just whispered in his ear,
and then the two exchanged a smile.--Ah ! but you
must know that she was originally a country girl, and
is etill a little old fe44loned in her ways.