The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-28
STEAMSHIPS TO EUROPE.


The Committee on the Post Once and Post Roads
TO whom referred letter from the Postmas-
ter General relative % the transportation Of the
mails between this and foreign countries, have
had under consideration that part Of Il which re-
fers 10 the establishment Of all Atlantic line OF
steamers, and reports
/ II appears from communication, received from
the Postmaster General under date Of March g. 1886
in answer 10 a resolution OF the House Of Repro
senaiiyes OF the 81 inst, that under the authority
Of an act OF Congress, approved March 81, l645,
that officer proceeded TO invite proposals for the
sportation Of the mails Of the United States be-
tween New York or any other Atlantic port Of the
United States and some one VI the important ports
of Europe fixing the 18th day OF January, 1876, as
the last day for the reception OF bids s.
Several bids were made for this service; and il
seemed 10 the Postmaster General, upon examining
them, that the proposal Of Edward Mills, for semi
monthly line between New York and Havre, at
$500, 00e was the most advantageous for the gov
eminent Controlling considerations, however, in
duoed the Postmaster General TO believe thai was
| important 10 select some port IN Germany for the
termination Of the line; and, upon full examination
of the subject, he determined 10 invite Mr. Mills to
vary his proposal so far as TO substitute Bremen in
the place of Hayre. The result Of free interchange
Of opinion upon this subject between that officer and
Mr.. Mills was the acceptance OF a bid submitted by
the latter ia which he offered TO establish line OF
steam ships for the conveyance OF the mails semi
monthly, from New York TO Cowes, in England,
and thence 10 Bremen-huven, in Germany, and
semi-monthy from Bremen-haven, by Cowes, TO
New York-reeeiying a compensation for the
service, 100000 per Rnnumi reserying, however,
the privilege Of running each alternate ship To and
from HsVre, instead Of Bremen, at an annual reduc-
ton in the amount paid for the service Of $50 900.
The time has arrived for increasing our means Of
Communication with Europe. The rapid and Ger
transmission Of intelligence is Of the highest i'm
portance 10 a commercial people; and, instead OF re-
lying upon the steamships OF Great Britain for the
transportation Of mails, we should enter at once
upon an enterprise TO which we invited by the
most powerful considerations connected with our
relations to the world, and which can no longer be
| neglected, II We would keep pace with the move
ments Of an enlightened age.
The route selected by the Postmaster General for
the lime Of steamships which will be employed In
the transportation Of the mails of the United States
TO and from Europe Is believed by the committee 10
combine important advantages. BY touching al
CoWes, u direct and rapid communication Is secured
both with England and with France. London may
be reached in three hours, and Havre in less than
nine.
Cowes is an accessible and safe port, the only one
the British coast offering these advantages, and
the delay would be trhng TO which vessel would
be subjected in entering II, when on It's course 10
Bremen.
While from that point mails can be despatched in
so short a time TO the great emporium Of British
commerce, and to France and Belgium, they might
also be forwarded to Spain and Portugal. At Bro
men the mails for Germany are TO be dlsembarked,
and they will be rapidly spread overland through
| the neighborng kingdoms and states Of that popu-
lous region, by means Of railroads extending in va
| rious directions.
Starting upon their return from the most central
port Of commercial Europe, the steamships Of the
United States would receive there the letters and
other communications OF the people north Of the
Rhine and the Rhone, destined for this country,
while at Cowes they would take in letters, pam
phlets, and other publications from England and
France, intended for distribution here.
IL will thus be perceived, that while even perfect
communication is secured with England and France,
Germany and other parts Of Europe reached with
the least possible delay. These important adyan-
tages secured at comparatively little expense.
BY reference the letters from the Postmaster Gen
era and the documents which accompany it, it will
be seen that the lowest bid which that officer re-
ceived for carrying the mails to England $685.
900, while the expense Of sending them to France
| would have been $500 900, and TO Germany $780,
600. The route determined upon, while It opens
the communication with England and France just
referred to, connects directly with Germany, at an
expense of 100000 only thus making the cost TO
the government $685., 900 less than would have been
required for the service, fit had been contracted for
separately.
1t is believed that line of mailsteamers between
| New York and Bremen, making semi-monthly trips
ana touching AT loves, 80 lar from Dcl1g charge
upon the government, will almost Immediately sus-
tain ITSELF and will Ia short time after its complete
and efficient organization, yield profit to the Post
| Office Department
Independent Of the advantage which this line will
possess IN commanding at Bremen the entire mail
of Germany and Of the north of Europe which con-
tains population of 100 900 900, destined for this
country, it will also receive the Asiatc mail, which,
upon the completion Of the continuous railroad under
contract connecting that port with the Adratic sea-
be dsembarked at Trieste and sent overland to Bre
men in sixty hours. Our commercial relations with
| Germany are steadily becoming stronger and more
important, and the business correspondence between
that country and this will naturally increase with
| the additional frequency and certainty Of communi-
cation which line of steamships will afford.
| 1t is wcl[known, too, that large proportion oil
the emigrants who seek homes in our country come
| from Germany; and they would find in this direct
and rapid tranmsson of mails a sufficient motive
for keeping up correspondence with their friends
through that channel instead OF subjecting their let
ters to the delays and uncertainties to which they
are exposed when sent by sailing. vessels or the in
creased and excessive charges which they must pay
if sent by the Cunard line through England. From
January, 1882, up to January, 1886, one hundred
and eighty-one thousand eight hundred and nine.
teen emigrants embarked from Bremen for the Uni
ted States. The importance of this fact will al
once be perceived upon examining statement OF
the number Of emgrants which embarked from Bre-
from other ports of the North sea- in the year l845
From HAMsURo the number Of emigrants sailing fol
the United States was, within that year twenty six
hundred;
/ From ROTTERDAM about three thousand;
/ From AMSTERDAM, sixteen hundred;
| From ANTWERP five thousand and forty-one
while from BREMEN it amounted to thirty-one thou
sand and sixteen. 1t may fairly be supposed thai
the amount Of correspondence will bear some ratio
TO the number Of emgrans, and if this should prove
to be true, Bremen, in this single view possesses
advantages az point Of communication which are
not TO be found in other ports.
! There are, however, other considerations connect
ed with thio subject which ought not TO be over
looked. Nothing can be regarded az uninportant
which tends to develop our resources and ncreas.
the facilities df commercial intercourse between the
thirty millions Of Germany, demanding every yea
larger supply of our products, and the twenty mil
lions of our own industrious and entsrprslng people
engaged in producing the ARTICLES which they re-
1 qure. The trade which we at present enjoy witt
that country yields the most important advantages
Some Of our products, which are burdened viii
heavy duties in England and in France, enter Ger
many under light charges, and IN some Of the coas