The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-27 00:00:00

[ PRICE D s__

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LONDON AND
DUBLIN.

The select committee of the House of Commons, ap-
pointed to examine and report upon the present state of
communication between London and Dublin, vid Holy-
head, as regards the expeditious conveyance of the
mails and transport of troops, and the convenience
afforded to the public, and the Irish representatives in
particular in their attendance on this house, and report
what improvements modern science can suggest to. esta-
blish a more speedy and commodious communication
between the two capitals, and who were empowered to
report their observations and opinions thereupon, to-
gether with the minutss of the evidence taken before
them—have considered the matters to them referred,
and have agreed to the following resolutions, which
they have agreed to report to the house, with their
observations, and the minutes of the evidence taken
before them.
Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee-
1. That notwithstanding the vast and increasing im-
portance,
efficientrtanceevennominmanninnaattioionn between al
point
Englandand
Ire-
land, the one now existing is not only defective in speed
and convenience, but inferior to what it was in 1850,
o f
re.
when the contract was formed with the Dublin Steam-
packet Company.
2. That the present imperfect state of the communi-
cation being partly owing to the inferior packets em-
ployed, much advantage would accrue by the establish-
ment of steamers of the calibre suggested in the evi-
dence, that would go at the rate of at least 20 miles
an hour, afford a great increase of accommodation, and
also be suitable, in case of need, for the conveyance of
a considerable body of troops.
3. That tbe speed of therailway communication betweea
London and Holyhead might be greatly accelerated.
4. That the time at present occupied in the convey.
ance of mails between London and Dublin is from 14 to
15 hours ; whereas, by the 'increased speed of the rail-
way communication, and the employment of the superior
vessels, it might be reduced to about 11 :hours.
5. That it is highly advisable that' Maps-should be
taken, with as little delay as possible, to, carry out as
many of the important improvements now suggested as
are practicable.
6. That it would be desirable that a morning express
mail train, leaving London and Dublin respectively
before nine o'clock a.m., and depositing and picking up
letters to and from Liverpool and the manufacturing
districts, together with a superior class of steamers,
with adequate accommodation for passengers, and with
greater capabilities, as regards speed, than those at pre-
sent employed ; and that the time of departure and
arrival should be so adjusted as to insure to the pro-
vinces, as far as possible, the advantages of this im-
proved communication.

REPORT.
Your committee have further considered the matters
referred to them, and report :
The state of the communication between England and
Ireland has at various periods occupied the attention
of Parliament since the legislative union of the two
countries.

Committees were appointed at different times between
the years 1810 and 1842, to suggest such improvements
in the mode of intercourse as the constantly increasing
traffic required, and the progress of science rendered
practicable.

By all these committees the great national importance
of the establishment of the most speedy and convenient
postal and passenger communication between London
and Dublin was fully recognised ; and, in compliance
with the recommendations of these reports, large sums
were expended under the sanction of Parliament in the
formation of roads between London and Holyhead ; in
the construction of the suspension bridge across the
Menai Straits ; and in the construction of harbours on
both sides of the Channel.

Packets were established for the conveyance of mails
and passengers, and in 1846 there were no less than four
distinct services performed by a fleet of 20 packets in
her Majesty's service between Milford and Waterford,
Holyhead and Kingstown, Donaghadee and Portpatrick,
Liverpool and Kingstown, at a considerable annual ex-
pense. _

- In 1844 the late Sir Robert Peel stated in the House
of Commons, that "the object of the Government was to
make arrangements to secure the most expeditious inter-
course possible between the metropolis of Ireland and
England," at the same time expressing a strong opinion
as to the public advantages likely to accrue from such a
policy ; and in 1845 he further gave as a reason for an
intended proposal of a grant for the improvement of
Holyhead harbour, that that port was tilt) " proper
channel of communication with Ireland."
By the opening of the Chester and Holyhead Railway
in May, 1848, and the subsequent completion of the tu-
bular bridge across the Menai Straits, Holyhead became
the point of embarkation for the greater proportion of
the Irish passengers and mails ; four new steamers were
built by the Government expressly for the Holyhead
station, and made up to the commencement of the year
1850, great efforts were made to perform the service
with the utmost passible efficiency. It cannot therefore
be doubted that since the union the establishment and
maintenance of the best and speediest means of commu-
nication between the two countries has been regarded as
a paramount duty of Government.
In the year 1848 Lord Auckland, then First Lord of
the Admiralty, stated in his evidence before the select
committee on army, navy, and ordnance estimates, that
as a general principle he was of opinion that the packet
service might be more cheaply done by contractors,
though he thought in most cases it might be more effici-
ently and certainly done by Government, and the com-
mittee recommended the contract system on the grounds
of economy.
This recommendation appears to have led to the adop-
tion of a totally different principle, as regards the com-
munication with Ireland, from that previously acted
upon since the time of the Union ; and the matter was
accordingly dealt with by Government, in 1850, as
purely departmental, and with reference solely to the
minimum cost at which the mails could be conveyed
across the Channel. Not only had the mail packets been
removed from three out of four of• the above-mentioned
stations a measure which the facilities afforded by the
completion of the Holyhead Railway may have ren-
dered desirable), but tenders were invited for the per-
formance of the service between Holyhead and Kings-
town, by contract, at a diminished speed; and a contract ,
was accordingly entered into with the City of Dublin
steam Packet Company to perform the service for the
sum of 25,0001. a-year, which, when performed by her
Majesty's packets, had cost a much larger sum.
The result of this change has has been a considerable
diminution in speed of the mail packets. No stipula-
tions were made with regard to the accommodation of
passengers. The inadequacy of both the mail and ex-
press boats for the present amount of traffic is a per-
petual source of complaint ; ladies are described as
frequently being obliged to lie on the floor, in such
numbers as to render it impossible to move about the
over-crowded cabins, and the fact• that the boats are not
sufficient for the number of passengers having become
known to the public, a very serious obstacle is inter-
posed to that intercourse between the two countries,
which, for many reasons, it is so desirable to promote.
Thus, during a period when immense advances have
been made in the science of steam navigation, and while
all other important lines of communication, such as the
Cunard to New York, and the Peninsular and Oriental
Company's lines to the East have greatly improved, that
with Ireland alone has deteriorated.

Your committee have had ample evidence that the
with letters received to
fidop
farosisoltty:aol a l
esiadreiarnnaggb
leLem London
communicationsi
metnndpors
no
vaetem betweenasecohpt..mwLn.
7 oy do
v
Therei
dn
arei andoo
ltDyphurebeal
sin
de.o at dmTtwhioet
3.30 at the General Post-office, is forwarded by the
ordinary Northern express train to Crewe, and thence
ThisbhtouaiftH-iaotmnal Holyhead,
uil iasvrd ,:iloowiresheoeevtxreec
Kingstown
due
yw
nen
rairrtalaelgu2w6..2l:s;Tma;hreeinnDtghooemfbrnileniecioxaultteidtnmiamtyelye:
n an
occupied between London and Kingstown is 13 hours
25 minutes—that is, from 5 p.m. London time, to 6
The. second departure from London
ldue
ot
arrivala6t
.104 f Holyheadat.hmi
this
,postanadt
iarsse: Ina4t9ch.heaDBK. m.u4ibn.sligspnTt. mothiwnie
ompe.aoactiklletltrasal.nml.wouhlTidchhseaiis
appears to be equally irregular with the former ; the
time occupied between London and Kingstown may be
taken at 15h. 10m., or from 8.45 p.m. London time, to
11.30 a.m. Dublin time.
Tthafetr
ofiEmr first
Euston
nnag
t-tpaotaN:conkne(tla.t2l es4a:pse.oms
a. K.,
mijh i:nstdthooenw ntt
time
ete
time),
occupiedmtb e,
departure Dublin
e(iKingstown
time.espnec .sumfopr)oedi
nswi
sTtniihshteoehoisyot aEiuhmmr
sue
mail-packet
des t btoaienonmtfdwselttieelaoa3eetvnlni
mail
tsntmha
eileitpuia departuresantseighnssßa.
to;ig2netw;:
tart a
5i58
boat
fwparioimiltmEh.uston station at 11 a.m. The time ocenapniceldis
from
e
Kingstown to Euston station is 15h. sm.
There is also a daily communication each way, Sun-
days excepted, between London and Dublin, for pas-
sengers only, performed by an express train, and steam-
boats belonging to the Chester and Holyhead Railway
Company. The departure from London is at 9.15 a.m.,
the arrival at Kingstown at 10 p.m. ; the time occupied
12h. 45m. The departure from Kingstown is at 9.25
a.m., the arrival is London, 11.25 p.m. ; the time occu-
pied 14 hours.

The time supposed to be now occupied by the mails
between London and Kingstown may be thus taken at
an average of about 14 hours 25 minutes each.way.

Your committee are of opinion that this time may be
easily reduced to about 11 hours. To effect this, the
speed on the railway must be accelerated, by diminish-
ing the length and number of stoppages, and a class of
vessels superior to those at present employed provided;
but such acceleration of speed must necessarily involve
considerable alterations in the present times of departure
and arrival. It has been shown by the evidence that
considerable additional accommodation could be afforded
to the public, both in England and Ireland by extensive
changes in this respect.
A proposal has been made for the establishment of a
mail by the morning express trains leaving London and
Dublin at 8.30 or 9 a.m. respectively, and your COM.
mittee are of opinion that great adrantagos would remit