Note 143 — Chapter XIV

It will be seen by the subjoined extract from the London and China Telegraph of the 15th November, 1867, that a contract for the conveyance of our Eastern mails (referred to ante, page 241), has been entered into between the Government and the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. Henceforth, the service to and from Egypt and India will be weekly, instead of four times a month; to and from China, fortnightly, instead of twice a month; to and from the Australian Colonies, once every four weeks, or thirteen times a year, instead of twelve times, or once each calendar month, as at present. It will be perceived that, as usual, St. Martin’s-le-Grand is opposed to a more complete postal system, because the outlay involved “is more than the Post Office will sanction.” The service is undoubtedly an improvement on the existing one, but it falls far short of what will have to be conceded, probably even within another twelvemonth.