There is a shampooing and hairdressing establishment, with a supply of every toilet requisite; a splendid bathroom, affording passengers who have travelled during the night the luxury of a salt-water bath, and a cloak room where they can leave hand-bags and other small articles. There are in addition a book stall and a fruit stall for cabin passengers, and for steerage passengers, a ladies’ cabin forward and several stalls (fruit stalls, &c.) are provided. The only floating post office in the kingdom is to be found on board the COLUMBA, and in it is transacted a larger amount of business than is transacted in many a provincial town. In it letters, telegrams and parcels are received, stamped, sorted and distributed at every calling place, for transmission to all parts, and it is of immense convenience to tourists and the inhabitants along the route. Upwards of 100,000 letters pass through this office in a month, of which a large proportion are local letters passing between the coast towns and villages at which the steamer calls. Over 450 telegrams were handed in, and upward of £70 received for postage and telegraph stamps in one month. The most sanguine expectations of the Post Office Department being more than realised, has induced the Postmaster-General to add to the staff. Three post office officials travel with the COLUMBA. Postal orders can be purchased, and those issued at other offices in the kingdom cashed on board this steamer. [Illustration: R.M.S. COLUMBA. David MacBrayne.] In 1902 Mr. David MacBrayne assumed as partners his two sons, Mr. David Hope, and Mr. Laurence MacBrayne, the name of the firm remaining unchanged. Messrs. MacBrayne’s steamers navigate every sound and loch between Port Ellen in the Island of Islay, off the South-west coast of Scotland, and Thurso in the extreme North, and visit almost every island between those two points. The new steamer LAPWING, built in the early part of the year 1903, proved very successful, and the firm have in course of construction another fine steamer, which is expected to be ready for the service early next year (1904). The fleet at present consists of thirty-one screw and paddle steamships, named as follows:—