"In undertaking this duty, the Government will in the first place have regard to the national interests, whether political, social, or commercial, involved in the establishment and maintenance of each particular line. Care must, however, be taken, in cases where the communication is desired chiefly for commercial purposes, to guard against an undue expenditure of public money for the benefit of private merchants. The extension of commerce is undoubtedly a national advantage, and it is quite reasonable that Parliamentary grants should occasionally be employed for the sake of affording fresh openings for it, by establishing new lines of communication, or introducing new methods of conveyance, the expense of which, after the first outlay has been incurred, may be expected to be borne by the parties availing themselves of the facilities offered them. But this having once been done, and sufficient time having been allowed for the experiment, the further continuance of the service, unless required for political reasons of adequate importance, should be made to depend upon the extent to which the parties chiefly interested avail themselves of it, and upon its tendency to become self-supporting." Noticing the greater or less sums at which private companies may be induced to undertake short line postal service, and stating that the line is both benefited and injured by the necessity of punctual sailing hours, the Report states the reason why subsidies are required, thus: "The vessels now under contract with the Government are, however, for the most part, required to maintain high rates of speed. The contractors are also subject to a variety of conditions, designed partly to secure the efficiency of the postal service, and partly to render their vessels available for other national purposes wholly unconnected with that service. In return, they are in the receipt of subsidies largely in excess of the amount of revenue derived from the mails they carry, and those subsidies are guaranteed to them for terms of years varying from four to twelve, most of which have at the present time not less than seven or eight years to run. An Estimate printed in the Appendix, will show that while the amount of the subsidies to foreign and colonial lines, as contracted for in the past year, was no less than L822,390, the sums received for postage upon these lines can not be estimated at more than L443,782."