The Washington herald., 1907-09-29
FOR new MAIL PORT
HOlyhead May Take Qneens-
towns Place.
CHANGE WOULD SAVE TIME
Modern Methods of Handling Mails
Makes Old Port Six Hours or More
Behind the Proposed New system.
Ocean Steamers Now Have POst-Of-
fees ON Board TO Sort Mail.

Liverpool, Sept 2S-In the race with
the mails across the Atlantic, in the
present age OF rush. every second saved
is precious, and ocean pOst-ohices are the
very latest time-saving device
Special offices have now been estab-
lished on many steamers. where marine
postal clerks sort the mail at sea. and
have II ready or the arrival OF the boat.
This saves from twenty-four 10 forty
eight hours work for the clerks ashore.
The whole question Of accelerating the
mail service on the liners is now being
carefully considered by the international
postal authorities.
J. T. McCleary. an assistant postmas-
ter Of the United States, mas just re-
turned to New York after a round trip
10 England and back on the White Star
liner Celtic. and has reported Oh the
working OF the new system.
In his report just issued. Mr.. McCleary
expresses his opinion that Holyhead IS
the best English port Gor ocean post-oflces
10 touch. as he considers it 10 be the
best distribution point in this country.
aueeusgOBHa rate.
This decision. il acted on. viii spell tho
doom OF Queenstown as the mail port OF
call, and put Plymouth also out Of the
running In the mail race OF the future.
When the Atlantic boats were slower
and the mails smaller the disembarking
Of the American mails at Queenstown
accelerated their delivery throughout the
United Kingdom. Now. however. it is
found that the time spent in SIX hand
lings Of the letters between Queenstown
and London IS so great that nothing is
saved by using the old port
II is quite common now for vessels
which have dropped American mails at
Queenstown TO come up the Channel past
HOlyhead an hour or two before the
mails-which have been sent overland by
train and the Channel by fast boat-have
arrived.
Mr. McCleary estimates that If the
mail steamers passed Queenstown and
went direct 10 H0iyhead with the bags IL
would improve the present time by al
least six hours.
On the outward journey a steamer
leaving Liverpool has 10 wait a consider
able time at Queenstown for the extra
mails, and this unduly lengthens the
journey.
The Cunard Line intends 20 make an in
teTesting experiment this month They
viii run one boat direct from Liverpool
10 New York. and she Will be followed
by a sister snip Of similar speed. which
viii pick up the mails at queenstown and
show the exact loss Of time entailed.
Much Time Lost.
The landing OF the east-boUnd mails
at Plymouth instead Of Queenstown or
Liverpool suits London. but It means
considerable loss of time in delivery IN
other parts Of the kingdom. Ireland and
North Scotland being the chief sufferers.
The only lines which at present run
ocean post-ofhces are the White Star,
the North German Lloyd. and the Ham
bUrg-American.
Mr.. McCleary hopes 70 have the ex-
pertinent tried on as many vessels as
possible.
A sum Of SI25.10 has been devoted by
the United States government TO the
ocean post-ofice scheme for experimental
purposes, and the tine already saved has
assured the success of the innovation.