THE AUSTRALIAN MAIL SERVICE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 459, 28 March 1857, Page 5

THE AUSTRALIAN MAIL SERVICE.

(From the 'Home News.') The mail contract.between the European and Australian Royal Mail Company and the Government has been ratified on the part of the : Company by John On* Ewing, of JEtatho ; Walter Buchanan, of Shandbn; Allan Gilmour, of Eaglesham; John Sterling, of Kippingdarie; - John Dunbar, of -Holme; James Galbraith, of Glasgow; Niel Black, of Dunoon; John Houldsworth, of Glasgow; Wm. Oonhal, of Glasgow ; Thomas Augustus Gibb, of London; and Robt. Sniith and John Pender, of Manchester. They agree to provide not less than six steamers to perform their contract." Those employed between Southampton and Alexandria are--to be 1600 tons burden and 400 horse power, and those between Suez and Australia are, to be 2200 and 530 horse power. They are to provide also steamers to convey the Australian mails between Malta and Marseilles of 500 tons burden and '200 horse power. The mail packets are to touch at Point de Galle on their outward voyages, and at King George's Sound and Point de Galle on the homeward one. The Alexandria packets are to touch at Malta. The company .are compelled to deliver the mails from Sydney at Southampton in 51 days, exclusive of time occupied in stopping at Melbourne, crossing the Isthmus of ■ Suez, and calling,at King George's Sound; and from Southampton to Sydney in 54 days, exclusive of similar stoppages. If they fail,to do so, they are to forfeit.£so for, the.first day after time, £100 for the second day, £150 for the third day, and so on. For every day under the -51 and 54 days respectively in which they convev;the mail between the two ports they are to receive a premium of £.30 a day. If the company fail to have a steamer ready to put to sea with the mails at the aj>p.binted time at any one of the mail j>orts, they are to forfeit £100 a day. The company are bound, to provide accommodation on board their packets for any naval officer, or Post-office official, who shall be appointed to take charge of the mails onboard. The company are bound also to convey a certain number of naval and military officers, civilians, noncommissioned and warrant officers, seamen, marines, and soldiers, if required to do so. The sum to be paid to the company by the Government for the conveyance of the Australian mails, is to be £185,000 a year, which is to include the mail service between Southampton and Sydney, and between Malta and Marseilles. A proportionate part is to be paid at the completion of every entire voyage. The Government are allowed to purchase or charter the company's packets, if they please. The contract is to last five years. Should the company fail to perform their contract, they.must pay a penalty of £25,000. According to the programme, the first steamer will leave Southampton,, with a mail to be conveyed via Egypt, on the 24th of February next; and the supplementary mail, via Marseilles, is to leave London on the 28th of February.

The steamer is to reach Alexandria on the Bth March, leave Suez, on the 11th, reach Melbourne on the 19th of April, and Sydney on the 22nd. Subsequently the Australian mail .will leave Southampton on the 12th of the month, reach Alexandria on the 24th, leave Suez on tha 27th, reach: Melbourne on'the sth of the second month subsequently, and Sydney on the 9th. The usual time allowed for replies at Sydney yvill be 48 hours. The first steamer will leave -Sydney with a mail for England via Egypt, pn the 23rd Jan., and after that date will in all cases leave Sydney oh the lltli of the month, arrive at Melbourne on the 13th, leave Melbourne on the loth, arrive at Suez 'on the 20th or 21st of the following -month, have Alexandria on the 23rd or 24th, arrive in London on the 29th or 30th, and. at Southampton on the 4th or sth of- the succeeding; month.

The Australian mail packets will stop a day and a half at Melbourne on their outward voy-ao-e, and two days on their voyage.homeward. They will occupy 12 days between Southampton and Alexandria, three days between Alexandria and Suez, 39 days between Suez and Melbourne and four days (including a stoppage) between Melbourne and Sydney. ... ■ _ The whole distance between London and*Melbounie, via Marseilles, will be performed in 49 days, and the distance between London and Sydney will be performed in 52 days.