The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-24

loosely lntu Nils mattefi ana ~ was 10 INC han'i
going into Il that he objected, The Improvements
which he had suggested bad not yet been fully se'
complished; and he desired that they should oe;
The gentleman from Alabama Mr.. HILLIARDl had
said that there ought 10 be personal feeling IN thS
matter. The gentleman could not suppose hlm 10
have any. He had no personal feeling connectea
with any one in this matter. What he wished was
that we should 60 into this thing with our eyes
open, and that the country should not be deceiVeu
into a reliance on these steamers for war purposes
and then find them TO be utterly useless: mol ono
of the Cunard line was fl TO 20 into battle, nor any
of the old steamers. They might do TO transport
troops, and might be useful IN war with such
people as the Chinese, but not with any naval pow
or. People had seen that their money had Deeh
thrown away in building steamers heretofore.
Mr.. HOPKINS remarked that the right was re-
served 10 take the steamers for war purposes, but
the government was not obliged to take them.
Mr.. II. b. KING said the contract was to run
through Ave years, and would involve an expendi-
ture of AZ 900 900, which would be sufficient TO
build Ave good war steamers. He did not believe
that the Bremen route would pay 1000 year.
Mr.. HOPKINS said the overland postage IN
England was very highs cents on letter, and oil
cents on a newspaper sent from this country TO
Bremen.
Mr.. T. b. KING replied, that the British govern
ment would reduce their rates OF postage TO meet
this competition, and the probability was that re-
eiprocal tariff Of postage would be adopted by the
two governments. Any intelligent architect would
say ihat we could build steamers that could cross
the Atlantic two days quicker than any now afoat
IL was Of great importance that our seam-vesses
should be swift sailers. We never expected to
fight in line; we must tight in single ships; If not,
we would have no advantage. We should give en-
couragement TO our architects TO build our war
steamers so ss to outsail those Of any other power
Great Britain had 80 many more ships than we had
that il would be useless TO render ours merely equal
to theirs in point ofspeed Unless they were swirl
er they would be captured, except when they could
fight ship to ship. The British government was dis
carding paddle-wheels, and putting their machinery
below the water line. The Princeton was our best
ship. She drew too much water-enough for YES
sci Of 500 tons-and she might be taken by an
enemy whose llne-ships were swifter than she. The
great consideration should be speed whether TO
could be obtained for architects had skill enough
and our merchants enterprise enough to go into the
enterprise.
Liverpool (Mr. X. said) was the great CONNER
cial point; and il we sent letters to Cowes, they
must go Liverpool afterwards to be forwarded to
their destination He did not think that the con-
tract sufficiently specific, or that the government
had secured all the advantages by II which were
necessary for the success of the enterprise.
Mr.. billiard said that the gentleman had
completely demonstrated the propriety of the appro
pration by the very arguments he had used against
il. He desires such a system will be useful in
war and in peace. and he had said that the govern
ment had built no war steamers that were good for
anything. That good reason why the gov
eminent should build no more and why they should
be built by private contract. No money was asked
for building these steamers and but a small appro-
pratlon proposed 10 compensate the contractors
for carrying the mail The contract required also
that the vessels should be built with regard to the
latest improvements, and their capacity for pur-
poses to be Judged Of by scientific persons to be
employed TO inspect them. We ought not TO per-
nit foreign nations to ouStrip in steam naviga-
ton, and employ our own resources IN sustaining
their enterprises. He gave his reasons for the be-
lief that the project would be eminently successful
Mr. THURMAN said it could not be denied
that the principal inducement to contract for mail
steamers TO obtain vessels suitable for war pur-
poses. II this object could not be accomplished, the
measure would not receive his vote. He was not
willing pay $500 900 year for the transportation
Of mails alone by the proposed line. He read the
contract, in order to show that it did provide for
sells adapted to war purposes.
Now there could be used no language which
would more directly declare that these vessels should
he constructed as war vessels. But question was
what guarantee there that the contractor would
perform his contract We might withhold the mo-
ney, il true, if he did not, but that would not
accomplish our object. And therefore the contract
ought to stipuate that before any money shall be
paid for any Of these ships they shall first be GER
tifed by the proper officer to be fit for service As
war-steamers. To provide for this object,
Mr. T. moved in conclusion, the following
amendment to the amendment of Mr.. McKAr:
Provid,d That no money shall be paid under the con-
entered into by the Postmaster General with Edward
Mills for Atlantic mail transportation for any service by
suitable persons appointed by the President certified
pance with said contract and to he in all respect. proper
for use as a steam vessel Of war.
Mr. +. B. KING said the gentleman from Alaba.
ma Mr.. HILLnRD without any intention on his
part, had directed his remarks as to tend to place
him Mr.. K.) in a false position Mr.. X. not
opposed to this system; he as anxions as could
be the gentleman to see such line Of ships estab
llshed on American capital, and by American skill
and industry. But what he wished was to see it well
done if done at ALL and he had asked that this bill
might be postponed few days, in order that the
subject might be considered more thoroughly,
The gentleman had said this was a very small sum-
and that Of it to be paid in advance Oft
performance of the work. And yet they pressed
to appropriate this sum of S25, 900, without delay
when the plan not to take effect until lst Janu-
airy next. At that time the next session Of Congress
would have continued a month. Why, then, could
there be so pressing a need now
The gentleman seemed to think he had very adroit-
ly turned his (Mr. K.'s) argument against himself
that because the government had built some ves-
sells that not fit for the SERVICE therefore the
government was not the proper agent for building
more. Now he said no such thing; he drew no such
inference He said the government had expended
money enough to have learned some wisdom, and
that that wisdom should be exercised in the con-
struction of steamships hereafter, to insure that
they be well constructed for war purposes
If the bill were now to be acted upon he should
vote for the amendment Of Mr.. THURMAN.
Mr. PAYNE wished before he proceeded with
few remarks, to inquire Of the chairman of the
Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads,
whether or no, it was contemplated during the
present session Of Congress TO present bill which
had for its object the increase of postage upon let
ters transmitted through the MALI And if so, at
what time the report might be expected
M. HOPKINS replied that the committee had
agreed on the basis of bill which looks to some
increase of the postage-it would not be a very
heavy increase-and that bill would probably be
reported to the House during the next week.
Mr.. PAYNE, (continung( said it occurred to him
that this information from the chairman of the
Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads
very good reason why they should not
act upon this bill at the present time. Before we
appropriated money by way Of extending our mail
fac or al pnlarpinu o,ir of