Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-12-06

the mall steamers from New ork TO Hayanare not re-
qurcd to touch at Charleston Savannah and the
tract for semi-monthy service between he~ ports last
named and Havana has been renewed for four years. from
the LIST day OF July last at the price hereoore paid for
that service.
The for the mail service from. New York
and New Orleans via Havana Chagres time since
proposed to take mails by their steamers which di
rect to Chagres in addition to the mails taken by their
steamers touching Havana They desired additional
compensation therefor This Department declined to as
for the Government either express implied OBJ
legation 7, make such compensation, but consented to
send mails by such steamers with the express
ing that obligation for such service thereby
incurred but without requiring the contractors expressly
to renquish all claim to compensation, and thus pre-
clude an application to Congress.
The opening Of the route now in operation by way of
Lake Nicaragua and the probability thab other competing
routes from the Atlantic cities to California will ere
long be in operation, and upon which the mails may
perhaps be transported with greater dispatch and
than upon the present route renders il expeden to
proceed with great caution in adding the cost of the
present service and to in all cases the right to-
discontinue such service and pay whonever the public in
terest may require. 81 9ssf
No contract has been made for the transportation Of
the mails the sthmus of Panama. under the second
section of the Act to establish certain post routes &c
approved March 3, 1851. The Government of New Graz
NADIA has consented that the service may be performed by
the Panama Railroad Company. and proposition from
the President of that company for the transportation of
mails the Ishmus favoraby regarded As,
however, there difficulties in the way Of making
permanent contract in conformity with the requirements
the railroad company should commence the transporta-
ton of the mail their road should be so far
completed and in operation to increase the expedition
Of the mails and that this Department should recon-
mend to Congress to authorize payment therefor at
price per pound slightly above the average price paid
under the treaty with New Granada The President Of
the railroad company has given notice that on and after
the lst of December next lS5l the company will be
ready to receive and transport the mail under this
rangement orders for its delivery that company
have been issued This will expedite very considerably
the transportation across the Isthmus. respectfully
recommend appropriation the compensation which
will be equitably due to the railroad company,
The contract with the Collins line of mail steamers be-
New York and Liverpool requires the performance
of but twenty trips out and back during the year. For
the purpose however, of arranging reeky trips in Anne
rcan steamers alternating with those of the Cunard
steamers which depart weekly from this country and Eng
land these have made departures each alter
nate week, and have thus completed weekly line of
American steamers from New York. If these trips
continued heretofore there will have been performed
the present year three trips than provided for
in the contract and to continue the weekly trips there
after viii require six additional trips per year.
AS the English Government had made arrange
ments by which the weekly trips of the Cunard
were be continued through the year, it deemed
highly important to continue the weekly trips of the
American steamers Also Under these circumstances Mr.
Collins requested to continue his trips every other
week, and assured that the payment, by Con-
gress of pro compensation would be recommended
1t is claimed by the contractors and is believed justly
that pro rata compensation for these extra trips in the
i
extra trips performed, it is earnestly recommended
that pro compensation with such addition if any,
may be necessary to give to the contractors fair and
liberal compensation for the extra service be authorized
by Congress- The unrvaed qualities and speed of the
ships of this ne and the very satisfactory in
which the service has been performed, establishing the
superiority Of American skill and enterprise in the
struction of steamers and in steam nav-
CATION enttle the propreors of this line to the most IA
vorabe consideration and doubt that Congress
will make the appropriations recommended.
amount Of postage including inland sea- and foreign
letters &c. received and sent by the different lines of
United States mail steamers during the last fiscal year.
was S867,891 81 as follows:
Line from New York to Liverpool [Collins) 1905 841 n
Line from New York via Southampton to
Line from New York via cowes to Havre (sor 80 :
Lines from New York and New Orleans via
Havana, Chagres and Panama, to Califor-
MIA and Oregon 529,341 O4
$780,, s91 50
The hostages accrung on letters carried by the lines
from the Atlantic cities to California and Oregon will be
much diminished in consequence reduction ofpostage
made by the act of 1851 and of the increased number of
letters sent by private expresses Upon the other lines
very considerable increase is confidently expected
The attention Of this Department having been directed
to the subject Of postal communication between the Uni
ted States and Mexico it has ascertaned that satisfactory
propositions probably be obtained for line of mail
steamers from New Orleans by way of Tampico to Vera
Cruz
The establishment Of such line would no doubt great
y facilitate and increase the postal intercourse between
the two countries and in that regard alone worthy of
the consideration of Congress But it would ALSO it is
believed be productive of great political and commercial
advantages would abate national antpathes and preju-
dces; promote and increase friendly views and relations
between the people of the two countries and unite
closely by mutual benefits the two great Republics Of the
western hemisphere. For the thus briefly adj
verified to- respectfully advise that the establishment of
line of mail steamers to Vera Cruz be recommended to
Congress An examination of the Treasury tables of
ports and imports to and from Mexico for the last
years will it is believed show the Importance of such
line to the interests of the whole to
that large portion Of it situated the Mississippi and it's
ibutaresand justify defrayng from the Treasury the
expense of its establishment.
Offers have been made to this Department to contract
for mail service from New York to Antwerp;
From New York, by Gibraltar, Marseles, and Toulon
to Genoa; ~
Z From New York to San Francisco by the Nicaragua
route, which is now in operation; I,,a 6{ Hts j
From New York to Galway, in Ireland; II
From Philadelphia to Havana;
+ From New York, by st. Thomas, &c., to Venezuela
From Philadelphia to Antwerp, and from New York to
New Orleans by Ocean steamers in connexion with con-
templated railroad service the State of Florida
Believing that the future of the Department
would prove insufficient to justify the employment of the
service embraced in these Offers of the parties making
them have been informed in substance that contract
for the service would be made by this Department and
that their applications should be submitted Congress-
Some if not ALL Of these lines would be found exceeding
useful and advantageous the service could be obtain
ed at rates not dsproporoned to the public benefits
secured by their establishment
1t is understood that the Belgian Government is ready
to cooperate in the speedy establishment and maintain
ance Of the line to Antwerp That point favorable