The Sun.
London, England, 1856-06-26 00:00:00

[LEFT SPEAKING.]

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(This Day.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
The following bills were read a third time and passed
—Dawson'. Estate ; Danblane, Donne, and Callander
Railway ; Ingham's E-tate ; Perth, Almond Valley,
and Methven Railway ; and Stirling and Dunfermline
Railway.
POSTAL COMMUNICATION WITH AUS-
TRALIA.

Sir J. PAKINGTON asked the Secretary to the
Treasury whether her Majesty's Government had com-
pleted arrangements for postal communication between
England and Australia, and, if so, what was the nature
of the arrangements?
Mr. WILSON said the right hon. baronet had put a
number of questions, from time to time, relative to the
postal arrangements to be agreed on between this country
and Australia. It was a matter of no small difficulty to
arrange a service of such great importance to give satis-
faction to this country, and also the colonies. There
were many interests to be consulted, and recollecting the
many failures in former experiments, it was neces-
sary that the arrangements now made should
not only be of a satisfactory nature as regarded the colo-
nies, but such as would partake of a permanent cha-
racter. After great consideration and invitations for
tenders, the object of which was to test all the routes
by which Australia may be reached in the shortest time,
the result of which was the Government in this country,
and those who represented the colonies here decided that
the best way to reach Australia was overland to Suez.
through the Red Sea—(hear) —round Piont de Gallo and
Cape Louis and Melbourne. The Treasury then autho-
rised the Board of Admiralty to issue notices for tenders
for that route, and four had been vent in. One tender
proposed to carry the mails fur a comparatively small
sum of money, but there was this disadvantage
accompanying it, that the vessels for the service were
not ready, and the Government would have to wait
twelve months for their building, and three months after
that before they could be on the station. That proposal,
with the uncertainty of the company being formed, and
considering the urgency of the case, the Government
declined to accept. The next tender was of a similar
character, and the Government would have to wait for
the building of the vessels. The third offer was from a
very powerful company, capable of carrying out the ser-
vice, who had in their possession a sufficient number of
vessels, and of the requisite size, but they proposed as a
condition, that the service should not commence until
their vessels were disengaged from the transport service,
which would not be for some months, and they refused
to be bound by the conditions for completing the voyage
within the given time laid down by the Government,
and the Government consequently declined to accept
their offer. The fourth tender was, by a considerable
sum of money, the largest in amount, but it contemplated
the immediate commencement of the service with vessels
recently built. The company were willing to accept the
contract, subject to the penalties for the non-completion
tif the voyages within a certain period, and they also
ndertook, for the same sum, to commence the service
from Southampton (although the Government only re-
qtaired it from Suez) and take letters and passengers
direct to the Australian colonies (Hear, hear.) That
appeared to the Government an important advantage,
because if the service were only from Suez and Australia
it might-occasionally happen that the Australian mail
would arrive too late at Suez to meet the home Indian
mail, and in that case there would be a delay of a
fortnight at Suez until the mail arrived
there.
Upon communication with the Secretary for the Colo-
nies, who acted as the representative of the Australian
Colonies in this matter, and as they were Wir.ng
u to pay
half the amount of any contracts entered into for the
conveyance of the mails, the Treasury could not hesitate
to pay a sufficient amount of money to secure this great advantage for the colony. The company who undertaok
this service were strangers to the Government, but
strict inquiries had been made as to their responsibility,
the result of which was that the Government were per.
fectly satisfied as to the ability of the company in paint
of capital, knowledge, energy, and business • like
habits to carry out the contract. (Hear, hear.)
The first vessel was to he ready for survey in August,
depart from this country direct for Melbourne, round
the Cape of Good Hope in October, and take up her
station at Suez in January, followed by a second in
November, a third io December, and a fourth in Janu-
ary, and so on so as to keep up a regular communication
with the Australian colonies. The vessels were to be of
2,200 tons burthen, of 100 horse power, and fitted with
powerful screws. Everything had been done that was
Possible to ensure punctuality, speed, and to give entire
satisfaction to the colonies, (Hear, hear.)
Sir J. PAKINGTON said the answer of the right
hon. gentleman was perfectly satisfactory, and asked if
measures had been taken to ensure the vessels would not
be less than 2,000 tons burthen each, and whether
any stipulations had been made for the amount of speed
to be maintained throughout, and the maximum period
of
and time Melbourne. the voyage was to occupy between Southampton

Mr. WILSON said the vessels were not to be less
than 2,000 tons burthen, but two vessels of 1,800 tons
each would be used temporarily for the first two or
three voyages, by which time others of the larger ton-
nage would be provided to take their place. The voyage
Wag to be accomplished in 50 days, and the penalties for