The Sun.
London, England, 1836-05-24 00:00:00

PACKETS.

The packets employed at Milford arc stated to be very
deficient in power, and not well adapted for the service.
Captain Roberts says—" The Milford station, from
being more exposed to the western ocean than either Li-
verpool or Holyhead, ought to have vessels of a class and
power at least equal to any of the packets employed on the
other station ; whereas the vessels on the Milford station
are very inferior to those on the Liverpool and Holyhead
stations."

Three of the packets have engines of 80-horse power, the
remaining one, the Aladdin, has 100-horse cower ; while
the Liverpool packets have engines of 175-horse power each.
Some trifling repairs are performed by the workmen at
Milford ; but in case a general refit is required, or any se-
rious damage has been sustained, the vessels arc sent to
flolvkead.

One packet, the Aladdin, was taken off the station four
times durinc, the last year. In the early part of the season
she was at Holyhead for six weeks, having new boilers put
in, and in October and November three different times there,
getting some repairs done to the machinery.
With a naval yard immediately adjoining the Milford
station, it appears extraordinayy that no advantage should
have been taken of the means''which it ;dirtied for repairing
the packets.
Prom the vicinity of the Dockyard at Pembroke,
Captain Bevis is assured that repairs would be much cheaper
and better executed there than at lio!yhcad.
Captain Holland says—" Hobbs' Point Pier is close to
the Naval Dockyard, and were an arrangement made with
the Admiralty for repairing the packets there, a great saving
of time and expense, now incurred by their being sent to
Holyhead, would ensue."
In the Report of the Select Committee of the House of
Commons on Post Communication witlt Ireland, in 1832,
it is stated that " Waterford is the natural and direct line
of communication between London and Bristol and the
South of Ireland. Yet it has been so neglected, as to be
of little use. Letters from Cork, Tralee, Limerick, and
Wexford are sent by the circuitous route of Holyhead to
London and Bristol, although subject to- extra postage, in
order to secure an earlier arrival."

The Committee, with a view to place this line of com-
munication on an efficient footing, recommended the improve-
ment of the South Wales roads, and the establishment of
better packets on the Milford station ; and that all the
corresn ondcnce from London and the south of Ireland
.should be sent for distribution to Waterford. They anti-
cipated, if the alterations. they proposed were adopted, that
the mails might be expected in Waterford about noon, and
by fixing the departure of the inland mails at seven P. M.
ample town would be allowed for the arrival of the packets.
The recommendations of this Committee were not attended
to, and the station has been maintained, as eve have already
shown, at an enormous expense, in proportion to the re-

etipts and the amount of correspondence transmitted by
that

The neceoiti of having a Post permanent communication
between the southern partof England and Irelan have been
admitted by successive Governments ; we had only to een-
sidei- in what manner this aczommoci,;tion could be rendered
of the gnicst utility to the public ; And if any change
could be effected which would be likely to yeduce the charge
of its maintenance.
The number of steamers plying from Bristol to the ports
of Cork and Waterford led us to inquire whether the mails
ought not to be carried from the Bristol Channel, in which
case a contract might probably have been obtained on ad-
vantageous terms. We found, however, some great ob-
stacles to this plan.
From the diffienities attending the navigation of the Bris-
tol Channel, and the great additional length of the voyage,
we apprehend that the passage could not be depended upon
with that degree a certainty which is so essential in Post
communication.
The Government has recently laid out a large sum of
money for the purpose of it:Auroving the Milford station.
A pier has been constructed at Sobb's Point, expressly for
the Post-office packets, and every tOcessary accommodation
for passengers has been provided.
We have been informed by Mr. Louis,
that as soon as
the coaches can travel by the new line of .I*ol[l from St.
Clear's to Hobb's Point, the mails may be put etl
Loard the
packets by twelve o'clock at night, which will effoct a con-
siderable saving of time, as the packets do not lea7c Mil-
ford at present until four A. M. .
We have before adverted to the causes which appear to
have deterred passengers from travelling by Milford..
These will be entirely removed when the packets start from
Hobb's Point, where passengers, horses, and carriages can
be embarked without any delay or inconvenience.
At present there are no means of getting on board, ex-
cept by walking across a wet beach, and getting into an
open boat, in order to reach the packet, which lies at soi
distance from the shore ; and the length of time required to
get carriages and horses embarked has frequently delayed
them a day, and has almost entirely prevented families from
travelling by Milford.
At Dunmore also there is a want of all proper aceorn-
inlidation for passengers ; and we were informed that the
harbour there has neither depth of water nor capacity suf-
ficient for the reception of that class ofpackets best acloptGd
for the station.

We therefore directed Captain Evans to ascertain,
whether it would be practicable to carry the mail direct to
Waterford Quay.
From his report, and the testimony of the most experi-
enced practical seamen acquainted with the navigation of
the river, we are induced to believe that there will be no
difficulty experienced in running the packets up to the City
of Waterford, and that all further expense on account of
works at Dunmore may be avoided.,
We therefore recommend to your Lordships, that packets
of that class and power which may be considered best
adapted for conveying the mails with regularity and ex-
pedition, from Hobb's Point' to Waterford, may be placed
on this station.

Your Lordships having agreed to sanction an advance of ►
7,000/. to enable the trustees of the Carmarthen road to
complete the small portion of the work which now remains
unfinished, we hope that in the course of a few months the
coaches may be able to run to Hobb's Point ; and by hav-
ing a superior class of packets on the station, we think the
mail will arrive in Waterford by about ten A.m., and may
be depended upon with certainty by noon.
This will enable a large correspondence for Cork, Lime-
rick, and the South of Ireland, which is now sent via Holy-
head, to reach its destination in less time, and with equal
certainty as by the present route.
(To be continued.)