That the terms concluded upon were as reasonable and advantageous to the public interests as could have been at that time obtained, is sufficiently confirmed by the Report of the Parliamentary Committee. A few facts may, however, serve to further elucidate this point. In giving in their proposals for these Services, the Managing Directors submitted therewith detailed estimates of the expenses and receipts, to enable the Government to see and examine the grounds upon which the sums required for the Mail Service were based. And it appears, by the evidence taken before the Committee of the House of Commons, as well as before another Committee of the House of Lords, on the Post-office Service, (Session 1847,) that this part of the question was subjected to a very close and rigid scrutiny at the Admiralty. Also, that an estimate was made to ascertain what the proposed Services could be done for by public vessels; the result of which was, that it would have cost by such means not less than 42s. 6d. per mile, (less such returns as might be obtained from the conveyance of passengers.) Looking therefore, to this estimate, and the fact that the Bombay and Suez Service, with vessels of only about 200 horse-power, was actually costing, under the management of the East India Company, after deducting the receipts for passage-money, at the rate of 31s. 6d. per mile, namely, £110,000 for 70,000 miles, the rates received by the Peninsular and Oriental Company--being about 20s. per mile for the Suez and Calcutta Service, and 12s. per mile for the Ceylon and China Service, or if averaged for the two Services together, about 17s. 1d. per mile--it cannot be considered as exorbitant by any reasonable or unbiassed mind; but it will rather be admitted that the Company in this, as in the previous instances, are entitled to take credit for effecting a great public improvement, at a less cost than what it could otherwise have been obtained for. The following evidence on this subject was given by Mr. Croker, of the Admiralty. * * * * * 1388. Does there appear to have been any estimate made by the Admiralty of the expense of doing that service?--Yes. 1389. When was that made, or when was it sent to the Treasury?--It appears to have been sent to the India Board.