Mr. LALOR.

I heard the hon. member for Autigonish (Mr. Mclsaac) tell the Minister of Marine and Fisheries to-night that there never was forty-eight hours when there could not be communication between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. If such be the case, and the statement is made by a supporter of the government, I am surprised that the Minister of Marine has not

long ago found out that there is the port of St. George from which communication can be constantly maintained. That statement coming from a supporter of the minister will I have no doubt he accepted as true, and I hope it will induce the minister to look about him for a solution of this winter navigation problem.

Meteorological service, $100,000.

Mr. LALOR.

And there are men employed in these particular counties to fill these bunkers with baskets. I never heard of such a thing before, nor do I think anyone else did either. I am informed there is one place where they do it, but I have had no experience there. They say that they do that in China.

Mr. LALOR.

I understand that they are not boats which you load with coal, but you put a large quantity on board for their use.

Mr. LALOR.

It is somewhat novel to find large vessels of this kind loading coal with baskets. I have seen a good many boats of various kinds, but I have yet to see a boat that you could not load by some other means than by carrying with baskets, and I would like to ask the minister to explain it.

f Mr. PREFONTAINE. If the hon. gen-'tleman will allow me-he is under a completely wrong impression. We do not load these boats with coal ; they are not colliers, we load the bunkers.

Mr. LALOR.