Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1849-12-27

tract with this Department.
BY a contract with the Navy De-
partment, made by direction Of law,
provision was made for carrying a mail
twice in each month between New
York and New Orleans via Charleston,
Savannah and Havana, and also for
the transportation between Havana
and Chagres. This was entered upon
in December, ls4s, and and has been
partially performed. Under a like
contract with the Navy Department,
steamships are carrying the mails on
the Pacific, between Panama and Cal.
ifornia, once in each month. By a
treaty the Government of New Gren.
eda is bound TO transport the mail across
the lsthmus. This service, more par
ticularly on the Atlantic and across the
ls'hmus has been very imperfec,ly per.
formed, and the connections have been
very unsuccessful. This the Depart.
ment has not been able entirely to rem.
edy, the contractors not being within
its control. Exertions have, however,
been continued, and such arrangements
have been made and assurances eceiv.
ed. as to give good degree of conf.
dence that, with the cooperation of the
Navy Department, the mails will here.
after receive regular dispatch through
this entire route of great and increas.
ing importance.
BY the present organization of the
Post office Department, established in
1886, the mail service in the United
States is sustained by appropriations
entirely from the money derived from
postage.
Congress, by the act of March 3d.
ls47, entitled, An Act providing for
the building and equipment of four ma.
val steamships" entered on the policy
of encouraging the erection, by indi.
viduals, of war steamers; SO that, on
the emergency of a war, they nigh, be
ready for public use. Contracts were
ordered and made by the Navy Depart
ment for three lines of war steamers;
one from New York, via Havana, to
New Orleans, and from Havana 10 Cha
gres; one from Panama TO California
and Astoria; and one between New
York and Liverpool; all which requir
ing thirteen war steamships were 10
carry the mail, and to receive, when
completed, the sum of 900 per
annum from the Treasury. Whether
this policy isto be continued or exten.
ded, is entirely question for Congress;
but il seems proper TO observe, that
any change by which this shall be de.
clared mail service, and This grea, add.
tional demand be made a claim on the
income from postage, will greatly EN-.
barrass and endanger the operations Of
The Department.
So great is the cost of building and
sustaining these vessels, and so small
the postage to be derived therefrom
that it will, if so ordered, defeat the
present system of sustaining the mails
within this country-put an end TO al
extension Of its accommodations all re-
auctions of postage, and all improve
ment Of its condition. II is.much tc
be hoped, tina, no proposition so disas
trous in its consequences will be enter
tanned. In any course Congress may
think proper TO pursue in relation t.
those war steamers, their support, while
continued, must be drawn from tn,
Treasury. as provided when adopted
and as is now done.
The transportation of the mail acros
the lsthmus being IN foreign country
is the proper subject matter of a treaty
and is not within the power of ,hi
Department. 1t is, however. respect
fully suggested that this service nov
done by the government of New Gren
ada is very tardily and carelessly per
formed and the compensation under tn
treaty probably inadequate. Reliabl
information has been received that the,
would willingly yield up this service
A new arrangement should immediate
ly be made by treaty. if practicable
permitting this service to be performe
by ourselves, but guaran,ying it's pre-
lection there. and placing it under tn
direction of this Department. TIL