74 1^^ American Mail Service. 



posted in any part of England could reach New York quicker 

 by chat route than by the steamers from Southampton, and 

 even letters posted in Southampton itself could be despatched 

 at a later hour by the Queenstovvn route, and yet arrive at their 

 destination as soon or sooner. The transmission of the mails 

 from Queenstovvn to London had been accomplished in as short 

 a time as thirteen hours twenty minutes, although the distance 

 covered was 516 miles including sixty-four miles of water, and 

 he believed if the postal authorities could be prevailed upon to 

 adopt some quicker method of loading and unloading the mail 

 bags that time could be considerably reduced. Mr. Roche 

 exhibited several views illustrative of the journey from Euston 

 to Queenstown, and others depicting the arrival and departure 

 of Atlantic liners by both routes. Alluding to the benefit 

 derived by Ireland in consequence of American visitors dis- 

 embarking at Queenstown instead of proceeding direct to 

 Liverpool, he strongly advocated the adoption of some system 

 of through tickets, which would give travellers the option of 

 sailing all the way to Liverpool, or, without any further cost, of 

 proceeding by rail from Queenstown to Dublin, instead of the 

 present system, under which those who chose the latter course 

 had to pay extra for the privilege. In concluding a deeply 

 interesting lecture, Air. Roche said he thought from the facts 

 he had placed before them the audience would be able to form 

 some idea of the importance they ought to attach to the question 

 of the Queenstown mail service. 



The lecture was much enhanced in value and interest by over 

 a hundred original lime-light photographic views taken by Mr. 

 Roche, including several large pictures of the Teutonic, 

 Majestic, Lucania, and Campania. 



Mr. Herbert Lanyon, in moving a vote of thanks to Mr. 

 Roche for his lecture, said what struck him as a very important 

 thing was that such vessels as the Teutonic, the Majestic, and 

 other large vessels which sailed under the English flag could be 

 utilised by the English Government in case of war for conveying 

 their troops from one part of the kingdom to another, and 



