Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-12-13

convenience requires, and subjects it to censure
by those who know not this circumstance
FOREIGN MAIL SERVICE
The mail service by the way of Southampton
to Bremen has been, under the contract with this
Department, carried the past year by the steam
ships Washington aud Hermann, for the sum of
two hundred thousand dollars, and the gross a.
mount realized in postage from that service for
the year ending October 4th, lS4S, was $780,
0S2,5l.
Notice has been received from the proprietors
that this service will be suspended until Fcbu-
ory next, in order to make necessary repairs now
required for the safety OF these steamships
The mail from Charleston via Savannah to
Havana under the contract with this Department
has been carried since the 18th October, 1913,
in the steamnr Isabel with good degree of reg
ularty, at the cost of S35, 066,22. No other
foreign mail is carried by contract with this De-
partment.
By contract with the Navy Department
made by direction OF law, provision was made
tor carrying a mail twice in each mUnih between
| New York and New Orleans, via Charleston,
Savannah aud Havana, and also for like trans.
portation between Havana and Chagres. This
was entered upon in Decembar 1913, and has
been partially performed. Under n like con-
tract with the Navy Department, steamships are
carrying the mails on the Pacific, between Pam
treaty, the Government of New Grenada is
bound TO transport the mail across the Isthmus
This service, more particularly on the Atlantic
and across the lsthmus has been very imperfect
~ performed and the connexions have been very
unsuccessful. This the Department has not
been able entirely TO remedy, the contractors not
being within lis control. Exeitions have. how
ever, been continued, and such arrangements
have been made and assurances received, as 10
give n good degree of confidence, that with the
cooperation N the Navy Department, the mails
Will hereafter receive regular despatch through
this entire route OF great aud increasing impJr-
lance.
BY The present organization Of the Post Office
Department established IN 1886, the mail service
Of the United States IS sustained by apprUpria.
lions entirely from The money derived from post
age.
Congress by the act of March 81, 1917, enti-
tied IAN act providing for The building and O.
quipment of four naval steamships" entered on
the policy OF encouraging the erection by lndl-
vIduals, OF war steamers, 50 that on the emer-
gency of a war; they might be ready for public
use. Contracts were ofdcle aud made by the
Navy Department for three line of war steamers
one from New YorK via Havana TO New Orleans
and from Havana to Chagres, and from Ponama
tn California and Astoria, Gud one between New
York and Liverpool, all which, requiring thirteen
war steamships, were 10 cary the mail, and 10
receive, when completed, the sum OF SS74C00
per annum from the Treasury. Whether this
policy is to be continued or extended is entirely
a question for Congress, but il seems proper 10
observe that any change by whiOh this shall be
declared mail service, ana this great additional
demand be made a claim on the income from
postage, will greatly embarrass and dcrange the
operations OF the Department.
SD ,rrcnt ~ The cust of huildinfr and SuSt,ip.
ing these vessels, aud so small lie postage to
Ue derived lhercirnn, that 1t will, if so ordered
defeat the present system OF sustaining the mails
WITHIN this country, put an end to all extension
of It's accommodations, all reduction of postage,
and al Improvement Of It's condition. 1t IS much
to be hoped, that 80 proposition So disastrous in
It's consequences will be entertained.
In any course Congress may lhInk proper to
pu sue III relation TO these war steamers, their
support, white continued, must be drawn from
The Treasury, as provided when adopted, and as
is now done.
The transportation of the mail across the 18th
mus, being IN foreign country, Is the proper
subject matter OF treaty, and Is not within the
power oi tins department. II IL, however, re-
specttully suggested that thus service now done
bv the Government Of New Grenada, is vcry
tardIly and carclessly performed, and the com
ppnealioa under t~P treaty probably inadequate
Ola HE iuformN ion has bepn rpcevpd thai thev
would willingly Weld up this service. A now
ARRANGEMENT should Immediately be madc nv
treaty, if practicable, permitting this service to
be performeh by ourselves, but guaranteeing us
projection there, and placing 1t under the direc-
lion of this Department. The amount required
bv the treaty 10 be paid to New Grenada Tor car
rylnr that mall being in no other way provided
for by Congress, has been paid bv this Depart.
meut up 10 this time.
No steamship has yet been despatched on lhe
mail service from New York 10 Ilvsrpoo under
the contract with the Navy Department. but it is
expected soon to be done
Since the last session of Congress. the Postal
Treaty with Grea, Britain has been carried into
full operation by regulations settled in pursuance
of the Treaty by this Department and the Post
Office Department Of that country, which regu-
lalions h I'VE been promulgated. The leading
feature of that urranqemeni IL. that letters on
which the postage Is wholly pre- paid. or on
which nome is paid. PASS lhrourh the mnls be-
tween the two countries. and are DESPATCHED and
delivered in the SINE manner as If these
countries were one. aud an account is kept in
each ot the hostage collected for the o,her.whi,h
is ncri,dicnlIy settled. The effect of this is
that while the sea service is almost entirely per.
formed by the British steamships. the sea post
AGE belonging to them makes the balance IN ac-
csuntlno largely AGAINST us. The opprl,ion of
! =.