The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-06 00:00:00

COMMUNICATION WITH INDIA.

The following proposal has been submitted to
Lord Stanley as Secretary of State for India :
" Oct. 4.
" Myr,Lord,—We ask permission to refer to the
correspondence submitted to your lordship on the
10th of August last, in which we state our readi-
ness to enter into a contract with her Majesty's Go-
vernment for a permanent transport service to India,
either by way of Suez or the Cape of Good Hope.
" This service we propose to perform by means of
eight screw steamships belonging to the European
and American Steamship Company (Limited), sail-
ing punctually once a month on a stated day from
Southampton, and leaving Calcutta in like manner
once a month, touching at the Cape of Good Hope,
going and returning, on every voyage.
" The interview with which your lordship recently
favoured Mr. O'Beirne, representing our house, en-
abled that gentleman to explain to your lordship
the princi•ple on which we proposed to perform this
service. We now beg to state in writing, for the
information of the Council, the leading features of
our proposition.
" We have the control of the eight screw steam-
ships above mentioned, each of the average tonnage
of 2,300 tons, and 300-horse power; they are iron
ships, built by Mare and Co., and the engines by
Maudslay, Sons, and Field. Two of these ships are
now on their way to India with troops, one is on
her way home from India, and the other five are
now in the Victoria Docks.
" Three of those now in dock are ready for imme-
diate service ; the others can be put into a state of
perfecf efficiency at the shortest notice, the
whole fleet having last year undergone the most
thorough overhaul, at a cost to the company of
upwards of £160,000, or £20,000 for each vessel.
" They are sister ships, and can carry between
decks 600 soldiers, with the usual requirements for.
hospital and other accommodation.
" The character which this fleet has earned for
itself during the whole period of the Crimean war,
and subsequently during the last 15 months, in
transporting troops tolndia, must be so well known
to your lordship as to render it unnecessary to make
any remarks as to their admitted fitness and capa-
bility for the speedy and comfortable conveyance
of large b3dies of troops on distant voyages.
" The establishment of a regular steam commu-
nication with India, via the Cape of Good Hope
cannot fail to have arrested the attention of your
lordship and the Council as a matter of vital im-
portance, both in a military and commercial point
of view, in its_ political bearing upon the future of
India. It will °require some time, however, for
such communicalion to be established without the
aid, of a postal colitraet, or without sonic arrange-
ment being entered= into by her Majesty's Go-
vernment that will' secure a certain income against
the heavy outlay contingent upon such com-
munication. With eight ships we possess the ne-
cessary surplusage of tonnage to ensure regular de-
partures, even in case of accident. With a lesser
number a slight derangement of machinery or an
occasional long passage would prevent the desirable
and most important regularity. This security
an't2ainst interruption in the performance of the ser-
vice is one which no other owners of steamers can

command
"Provided we can obtain from the Council for
India a contract or undertaking by which they will
be hound for three years to ship to Calcutta or
Midras on or before a fixed day of each month not
less than 600 men by each ship, for each departure
from Southampton, at a price to be agreed upon,
and not less than 200 invalids from Calcutta or
Madras at a lesser price, also to be agreed upon, we
will undertake—
" 1. To despatch one of the abovenamed ships on
a fixed day of each month to India from Southamp-
ton and the same from Calcutta, touching each way
at the Cape of Good Hope.
f‘ 2. The ships to be kept in good working order,
both as to machinery and hull, to the satisfaction
of the surveyors of the Board of Trade.
" 3. The men to be provisioned at our cost, ac-
cording to the scale of the Hon. the East India
Company.
" 4. One hundred tons of freight room in excess
of the room required for the equipment of the men
to be at the disposal of the Council at rilow rate of
freight, to be agreedupon, both outwards and home-
wards, for the conveyance of ammunition and ac-
coutrements, or othe •needful freight • but notice
must be given of their
requiring '
this space 10 days
before the departure of the ship.
i‘ 5.: A certain amount of cabin accommodation
will he-in like manner and with like notice reserved
for military officers and )21 /oyrs at a reduced rate
for passage below what We shall ordinarily charge
to, the public.
41 We_ will undertake to charge to the public
25 per'eefit: lower rates for passage than what is
now charged by the overland route.
." 7. We will convey Calcutta or
Madras to the Cape of Good Hope,l from
mxclusive of the
200 above stipulated for, to the xxceenttof the 'tween
a reasonable
deck space, free of all charge
per diem charge for their maintenance.
$g 8. In the event of our obtaining a postal con-
tract from Southampton to the Cape, 61e halfo
such contract will be placed to the credit of or paid
j.
over to the Council of India.
." The question of price and other points which
may occur "to your lordship, or to the Council, are
left open for negotiation or arrangement. We my
however, be permitted to remark that, if the prin
ciple of out'Proposition be Incepted, we are prepared
to fix the price for the services to be performed, and
will be disposed to accommodate ourselves to any
other views or requirements as for the same may
be practicable. - •
" As so large an amount of valuable shipping
property cannot remain
lorag in idleness, we would
beg of your lordship to favour us As ith an early.. i de•
cision on the subject, so that we ma be flee, n
case of our proposition being unfavourably received,
to accept of other business we have in view.
" It i s useless to add that we hold ourselves at
your disposal, and at the disposal of the Council,
in-case an interview. may be eesirable.—We have
the 'honour to be, &c.,

" CROSKEY AND CO.
" The Right Hon. Lord Stanley, M.P,;
Secretary of State for India, East .
India-house."