The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-13 00:00:00

FOREIGN MA ILS.

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A numerous and highly respectable meeting took place
yesterday at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, pur-
suant to advertisement, for the purpose of considering
the best measures to be adopted for effecting the more
speedy delivery of the mails from the East and the West
Indies, the Mediterranean, the Levant, and the Peninsula.
Several Members of Parliament were present, and some
of the most influential gentlemen of the City.
W. CRAWFORD, Esq., the late Member for the City,
on taking the chair, observed that before they pro-
ceeded to the business upon which they had met, he had
to express his deep regret that the Chair was not filled
by a gentleman who had given his pointed attention to
the subject of their proceedings that day—he alluded to
Sir G. Larpent, whom he was sorry to say was confined
to his house by indisposition. He (Mr. Crawford) had,
in that gentleman's absence consented to take the Chair,
in the hope that the proceedings of the present meeting
would, at an early day, be productive of much good. It
was the wish of those through whose instrumentality the
present meeting had been convened, to impress upon her
Majesty's Government, by the weight of such an as-
semblage as the present, the necessity of their interfer-
ence in the topics for which the meeting was called. The
coarse that was proposed to be taken to-day was, merely
to confine themselves to the fact, that for the purpose of
communication with the Peninsula, the Mediterranean,
the East and West Indies, and the Levant, the port of
Southampton was by far more convenient for
the arrival and departure of the mails than
the port of Falmouth. It was not proposed to enter into
any discussion with respect to the question that had
been brought forward elsewhere, with respect to the port
of Dartmouth, because he felt convinced, that if it could
be shown that that port was preferable to Southampton,
there was no gentlemen present who would not gladly
accede to tat. That was a matter in embryo, but this
he might say, that his own opinion was, that the expec-
tations in that respect would never be realised. The
object of the meeting that day was clearly set out in the
circular which had been issued, showing the advantages
that would be obtained on the receipt of letters brought di-
rect from Malta to Southampton. It was not disputed
that with respect to the Peninsular mails, great advantage
had been derived, particularly in the change of the day.
Under the present system, persons engaged in commerce
with the Peninsula, if they chose to evade the Post-
office regulations, could carry on their correspondence
with greater facility than those who obeyed the law.—
(Hear, hear.) With these observations he would call
upon the gentlemen entrusted to move the resolutions
that had been prepared for the adoption of the meeting
to do so.

Mr. BAGSHAWE then rose to propose the first resolu-
tion. It was so comprehensive that he need not apolo-
gise to the meeting for any inability on his part
to do it justice. He thought he could not do
better, therefore, than read it to the meeting.
The numbers and respectability of which the present
meeting was composed, and the fact of the requisition
being signed by the members of every house connected
with the Mediterranean and Peninsular and Eastern
trade, gave hope that what would emanate from that
meeting would have the desired effect. A memorial had
been drawn up to the Lords of the Treasury, pointing
out the advantages derivable from the removal of the
Packet-station from Falmouth to Southampton, and re-
questing that object might be carried into effect. The
resolution, which he should have the honour to propose
for the adoption of the meeting, was as follows
" That it appears to the meeting that the existing
arrangements, by which the contract steam-vessels em-
ployed in the transmission of the East and West
Indian, Mediterranean, Levant, and Peninsular mails
are compelled to take on board and deliver their
mails at the port of Falmouth, is productive of very
serious detriment to the public interests, inasmuch as nu-
merous instances have been and continue to be furnished
by the arrival of the vessels, to prove beyond contro-
versy, that were they permitted to proceed direct from
and to Southampton, and there receive and deliver the
Mails, the letters would, under ordinary circumstances
be delivered in London considerably earlier than they
now are, in consequence of being landed at Falmouth.
That the alteration is the more important, from the fact
that whereas the Mails are now necessarily dispatched
from London on the last day of each month, another
day would, by the contemplated change, be gained, inas-
much as they would then be forwarded on the evening
of the first of the ensuing month, as shown by the state-
ment before the meeting."
DALLAS; Esq., seconded the resolution, which he
observed was so full in details, that little was required of
him to say on the subject. Previously to the formation
of the Government contract with the Peninsular and
Oriental Steam Navigation Company, great delay
oc-
curred in the dispatch of the Mediterranean and Eastern
Mails, one day was lost at Falmouth, four at Gibraltar,
and three at Malta. All this was now done away with.
But still a delay which might be guarded against
occurred even now at Falmouth, where the
letters for the East which were transmitted in
bulk from London, were assorted for Alexan-
dria, Bombay, Calcutta, and other parts of the
East. The delay thus occasioned could be remedied by
having the letters assorted in London, and transmitted
at once to Southampton.
E. DrVETT, Esq., M.P., would trouble the meeting
with a few observations, and at the same time suggest an
amendment to the resolution now proposed. The point
on which he was at issue with the gentleman who had
just preceded him, was the indication of any particular
port. He thought that their object ought to be to con-
sider the best means of ascertaining by an impartial exa-
mination what might be the most eligible port at which
to establish the mail station. His opinion was that it
would turn out on examination that some port consider-

ably to the west of Southampton, would' be found the
most eligible. It was of the utmost importance to have
the letters carried as far as possible by land, and
if they could have a port at Land's-end it would
be the best place. The Honourable Gentleman
concluded by moving an amendment to the effect .
" That the importance of the rapid and early trans-
mission of the mails to and from this country, the East
and West Indies, the Mediterranean ports, &c., be made
the subject of earnest representation to and from the
merchants of London to her Majesty's Government, in
order to the selection of a port which should best secure
that object at all seasons of the year ; and that letters,
wjiich should arrive after the departure of the ordinary
mails, should be forwarded by mails established- espe-
cially for that purpose."
Mr. HUNT, in seconding the amendment, observed,
that if they persisted in pointing out Southampton as the
best station, they would not have the whole country
unanimously with them. It would be otherwise if they
left the selection to the Government.
Captain THORNTON, R.N., trusted that as Director
of the Universal Life Insurance Company, and also
of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Com-

pany, he might be permitted to make a few iibservations
on the present subject. Those Companies considered a
rapid communication with India as of paramount im-
portance to them. At present they obtained their let-
ters via Marseilles, but as they expected their commu-
cations with the East would greatly increase, they were
anxious to promote the facility and rapidity of the trans-
mission of letters to and from that quarter and this coun-

try. He said it as a seaman, tnat it was of the utmost
importance that there should be one point only selected
from which letters should be transmitad, to and at
which they should be received from both the East
and the West Indies. To have two ports for
that purpose was not only unnecessary, but was
attended with great danger to, and frequently great
loss of, life. Freedom from great danger and much in-
convenience would result to the Company of which he
was the director, if their vessels had not to call at Fal-
mouth, after having left Southampton. He trusted that
such a representation of the matter would be laid before
Government as to render nugatory the influence of any
local interest in the matter.
After a few words from Mr. BAGSHAWE, to the effect
.of his being convinced that Mr. Divett was incapable of
being influenced by any private or interested views in the
course which that Hon. Gentleman had adopted on the
present occasion, the amendment was put from the
Chair and negatived.
The original resolution was then put and carried with
but one or two dissentients.
The next resolution, proposed by Mr. Foster and se-
conded by Mr. Scholetield, was as follows :
" That with regard to the Peninsular mails, besides
this disadvantage in retarding their delivery, the addi-
tional and very serious evil of a week's delay in the
course of post is incurred, as there would be ample
time, were the letters delivered at Southampton, to re-
ply to them by the outgoing mail of the same week,
whereas, by the existing arrangement, the letters are de-
livered never less than two days after the departure of
the outward mails ; and that an alteration in the day and
hour of departure of these vessels is required to be made
simultaneously with the change in the port of arrival
and departure."
Mr. ThvErr, M.P., said, that as he must now leave
the meeting, he would take the liberty of departing from
the usual course, and now move the thanks of the meet-;
ing to the Chairman.
Mr. BAGSHAWE seconded the motion.
The CHAIRMAN observed that he should acknowledge
the compliment at the proper time, namely, the close of
the proceedings.
On the motion of Captain MANGLEF, the memorial re-
ferred to was then read by the Secretary, and adopted by

the meeting.
S. BIGGS, Esq., seconded by HUNTER, Esq., moved
a resolution, thanking the Pacha of Egypt for the facili-
ties which his Highness afforded for the transmission of
English letters through his dominions.—Carried.
After the dispatch of some routine business, the Chair-
man returned thanks, and the meeting separated.

CORONER'S INQUEST.—Yesterday afternoon an in-
quest was held at the sign of the George public-house, in
George-court, Strand, before Mr. Higgs, the Coroner for
Westminster, on the body of Michael Sullivan, aged seven
years. 'The deceased was the son of labouring parents, living
at No. 9, Shelton-court, Bedfordbury, Covent-garden, and
on Thursday afternoon last was standing before the fire, when,
owing to the door of the room being suddenly thrown open, his
pinafore was carried by the draught of air against the bars
of the grate, and instantly caught in a blaze, which, com-
municating to the rest of his apparel, the child, in a few
became entirely enveloped in flame, and before the
could be extinginfhed, was burnt and scorched in a manner
too cdnr desadful to desoribe. He was directly taken to Charing-
cross Hospital, where he died on Wednesday night. Verdict—
" Accidental death."
A gentleman in passing through a village in De-
vonshire, asked a boy if he had been taught the Church Ca-
techism, he replied, " Yes, Sir." " Do you know what is meant
by your ghostly enemy?" " Yes, Sir, my mother says that
our jack-ass is my ghostly enemy, for he is always trying to
kick me." The village schoolmaster is, indeed abroad.
We have reason to believe that her Majesty's Mi-
nisters are in possession of a late dispatch, forwarded by Major
Pottinger to the authorities at Calcutta. The dispatch in
question, we understand, addi nothing to what was previously
known of the state of affairs in Affglianistan ; but it completely
exonerates General Elphinstone, assigning the blame of the
late disaster to a different quarter, or rather to different quarters
—for the council of war comes in for a share.—Evenlygg Paper.