An Abstract of the Proceedings of the Select Committee of the House of Commons, Appointed Session, 1849, to Inquire Into the Contract Packet Service

by Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company; Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee to Inquire into the Contract Packet Se

2333. In answer to a question put to you by the Chairman (1816), which was, “Whatever the nature of the arrangement between the India Company and the Peninsular Company was, the result is that they received £20,000 a year for five years, from the spring of 1841, for doing certain services; is that so?” you answer, “Yes.” Is that answer correct, that for five years they received £20,000 a year?—That is a mistake; they were to receive that.

2334. For how many years did they receive that £20,000 under the letter of the East India Company?—For two years.

2335. You have been speaking about screw vessels; did you ever command one?—No.

Inspection of the Company’s Affairs by the Government.

It will have been observed, from the evidence of Mr. Croker of the Admiralty (see page 27), that in consequence of the Directors offering to the Government the permission to investigate the accounts and books of the Company, the Admiralty appointed Capt. A. Ellice, R.N., the comptroller of steam machinery, and previously superintendent of the packet service at Southampton, together with Mr. W. H. Bond, an experienced accountant, connected with the civil department of the naval service, to make that Investigation. The following is their Report, which, although it was considered by the Admiralty as a confidential one, and therefore not to be published without the consent of the Company, the Directors had no hesitation in permitting to be produced to the Committee, and which has, accordingly, been published in the Appendix to the Committee’s Report.

Report by Captain Ellice and W. H. Bond, on the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Packet Company.

Sir, Admiralty, 17 June, 1848.

In obedience to their Lordships’ instructions of the 30th ultimo, I have inquired into the matters therein mentioned respecting the Peninsular and Oriental Contract Steam Packet Company, having called to my assistance, for this purpose, Mr. W. H. Bond, purser of her Majesty’s navy; and I have now the honour of enclosing the Report thereon for their Lordships’ information.

H. G. Ward, Esq.,
&c., &c., &c. (Signed) A. Ellice.