The Government, however, thought proper to discontinue it, on the alleged grounds of its being unnecessary, and that a saving of expense to the public would be effected thereby. The various memorials from Bombay, praying in urgent terms for its re-establishment, form a sufficient refutation of the first allegation. And the facts--that its discontinuance necessitated the employment, by Government, of an additional packet, to replace this Company’s vessel, which carried the Mails between Malta and Alexandria, at an expense exceeding the whole sum previously paid to the Company--and that the breaking off of an important branch of postal communication could not fail to cause some diminution in the postage revenue--are sufficient to show, that so far from the public being financially benefited by the change, it has been accompanied by a positive loss. _Termination and Renewal of the Contract of 1840, for conveying the India and China Mails between England and Alexandria._ The result of the recent proceedings of the Government, in reference to this Contract, has been of a most satisfactory character, not only as regards the interests of this Company, but the interests of other extensive enterprises employed in the Contract Packet Service. A summary of these proceedings will be found in the evidence of Mr. T. C. Croker, in his answer to question 1306, wherein he read the following _précis_ of them, furnished by the Admiralty, viz.:-- * * * * *