The Sun.
London, England, 1839-08-05 00:00:00

FALMOUTH PACKET STATION

Having given insertion to several communications
touching the relative merits of Southampton and De-
vonport as packet stations, we feel bound, on the prin-
ciple of fair play, to publish the following documents in
favour of Falmouth, which we have just received from
a deputation now in town from the port. Our own
opinion is that in the selection of a packet station, the
GENERAL PUBLIC ADVANTAGE should be consulted in
preference to any private or party interests.—En. Sow.

A public meeting of the inhabitants of Falmouth and its
vicinity, convened-by J. Ellis, Esq., the Mayor, was held
in the Town-hall, on Wednesday, the 17th of July, 1839,
"for the purpose of considering the propriety of presenting
a Memorial to the Lords of her Majesty's Treasury, on the
subject of steam-packet communication, the Mayor in the
chair. His Worship having stated the object of the meet-
ing, the following Memorial was unanimously agreed on.
To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of her
Majesty's Treasury :
The Memorial of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses
of the borough of Falmouth, and the inhabitants of
Falmouth and its vicinity, in public meeting assembled.
Shewoth—That your memorialists have heard that it
is in contemplation to contract for the conveyance of her
Majesty's mails to the West Indies by steam vessels, and
that Southampton or some other port may be selected for
their embarkation and return, which measure, if carried
into effect, they are convinced will not only be detrimental
to the public service, but will seriously injure the interests
of this town and the county at large.
That Falmouth Harbour, for its great safety, facility of
access at all times, and under all circumstances, and from
its extreme south-western position, possesses advantages
over every other port in the Channel, as an outlet to the
southward and westward; and all vessels from and to any
port to the eastward, must necessarily on their outward and
homeward voyage pass near the entrance of Falmouth
Harbour, the English side of the Channel being consider-
ably less dangerous than the French side, and invariably
preferred by all navigators, who consider it of the utmost
importance to make either the Scilly or the Lizard, from
the latter of which Falmouth is distant about two hours'
sail.

That in case of two steamers of equal power starting
simultaneously from Falmouth and Southampton, espe-
cially with a strong contrary wind, the former would arrive
off Cape Finisterre as soon as the latter would reach the
Lizard, with the important advantage of having on board
a proportionate quantity of unexpended fuel.
That whilst the mails are at sea, their arrival must al-
ways be uncertain, depending materially on the state of
the weather; but, once landed, they proceed with cer-
tainty and dispatch, and as the Great Western Railway
now in progress will shortly be continued as far as Exeter,
the advantages of Falmouth as a port for the receipt and
transmission of mails will be still more apparent.
The steam-vessels outward bound, when compelled to
return, invariably select Falmouth as their port of refuge ;
and it may be added, that, if from adverse winds and
boisterous weather, a packet returns to Falmouth, the
letters received during her absence are added to her mails
and forwarded to their destination.

That there can be no increased expedition attained by a
change of station to Southampton, or any other port in the
channel ; but, on the contrary, a general delay, and a con..
siderable retardation to by far the largest portion of them,
inasmuch as the northern mails, comprising the entire of the
Scotch and Irish letters, and those of the great manufac-
turing districts, are concentrated at Bristol, as demon-
strated in the annexed schedule, to which your memo-
rialists crave your Lordships' attention. -
That in the immediate vicinity of Falmouth steam engine
foundries are established, where all necessary repairs and
defects to machinery can be speedily and effectually ac-
complished, and where the Government vessels have been
hitherto repaired as occasion required.
That your memorialists, therefore, confidently submit,
that any change of the packet station would be the cause of
great inconvenience and delay, and materially and injuriously
affect the general and commercial interests of this king-
dom, independently of causing the necessity of having se-
parate post-office establishments.
Your memorialists have also to submit that a very con-
siderable amount of capital from time to time has been
laid out in the improvement of roads throughout the
country, and in various establishments at Falmouth. under
a conviction that the packets were permanently stationed
there, and this interest which has already been consi-
derably affected by the change recently made from
Government to contract vessels, would suffer further and
more extensive injury by an entire removal from this sta-
tion of the steamers conveying the Spanish, Portuguese,
Mediterranean, and East and West Indian mails.

In conclusion, your memorialists beg respectfully to
represent to your Lordships, that, without desiring to
offer opposition to any measure that would really secure a
permanent benefit to the public service, they earnestly and
respectfully entreat that no alteration may be made
without giving yoar memorialists an opportunity of
producing evidence in support of the facts herein stated,
for they are fully convinced, that the more the merits of
this question are investigated, the more clearly it will
appear, that Falmouth is, of all others in the British Chan.
nel, the most advantageous port for the departure and
return of the foreign mails, whether in sailing or steam
vessels.