New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-12-03

lfNNFTIT
81, IA believed Congress WI not hesitate 70 make
henecesssTy appropriation That Il b made Al an
cary day IS earnestly recommended
me requirement OF the return o, weekly sat
itoNIn! REGISTERS Of the arrivals AID departures al
sbe MATS AZ the term,nl OF each route sAosiag
Nhtther the number Of TINS contracted for had
nag ho' eeen performed according 70 contract ana
wrhin scheocie time, has introduced greater eff
cIoncy aEo regularity into the service
DUNG the last fiscal year. as appears by the re-
Vcit from the Inspection Ofsce. the fnes iu,,s
upon contractors on inland routes amounted 10
sscsl = OF which the sum o; 80 Is has been re-
n ted. Tie deductions On account OF failures ana
irregular service 90 such routes amounted, dur,ns
Tie same PERIOD. 20 $2S,9'l - OF which the sun
OF e. - has been RENTED. The deductions MADE
dung the same period for failures ami irregular.
iieS foreign routes under contracts with this De.
psrin,ent amounted 10 81 $50, ana tie fines and
decuctioI which the Navl Department has been al
Nisec 10 make on routes under It's control the in
>pecton OF which had been transferred 10 this De-
partmenN amounted 70 81 9Ss.
The special agents OF the Department have been
aotivel, and usefOlly employed Ia the discharge os
their various and important duties.
/ he posimaSttrs ana other perscls In the service
% the Department have, With few exceptloas, DIS
charged their duties with hdell,y, promptness ana
accuracy. and have endeavorea 10 increase the en-
cieucv utility, ana reputation o, the Department
On re % OF January LASTS, X. HOboie, Esl then
INST As'lstsni Postmaster General, VAS appointed .
special agent aud postal COMMIT sSOneT ani dispatch
e. 70 turs ana Panama, with instructions TO make.
practlcHble suitable arrangements iOr exchange
al Cuba Of mails from and to the West India Isl ,nds
the Atlantic coast OF south America and TO points
tie CUT OF Mexico ant elsewhere reached from Ha
Nana oy British mall packets but to which our o an
mail arrangements dd not extend and also 10 effect
II pracucaole. an arrangement for the exchange at
an anna OF mails from and 10 the western coast Of
South America.
Temporary arrangements for these purposes were
agreed upon by MIR. H0boie and confirmed by she
department. Tnese arrangements have been found
80 be useful but the increase of correspondence
with the points named, will soon render more per-
feet arrangements desirable.
As Mr. Hobbie contlnuedp service as special agent
OF this Department for some time after the LIST OF
April when his resignation as Fnst Assistant Post
maSteT-GeHeral took effect, | respectfully recon-
mend that Congress make adequate provision toe
the payment OF his expenses and a suitable compen-
satiOn for his services
IL was hoTed amt expected. AZ the time the aiycr-
tisemens for proposals for mail service California
ana Oregon were ordered, that Congress s0uid sa.
ihorlze regular letting To be cone uded there, aud
contracts for the usual period be executed under
the supervision OF the sgents Of the Department,
acting under Its general instructions Congress-.
however. adjourned without comforting this author-
~ and the agent IN California instructed 20 make
temporary contracts only Acting under this instruc-
tiop the agent who had received bids for service
l the S0th day OF June, 1854, dhe end of the regular
contract term IN the secton,to which Caliorr Ia and
Oregon belorgl very properly received from the
Cepted bidders cont acts for the residue Of the
tract term, endorsing upon each an agreement
signed by the contractor, giving to the Postmaster
General 1.-The right to discontinue the service at the
END OF one year or on the 30th day OF June 1859,
making such additional allowance for the years
service, as to him shall seem Just, proper, and
equitable"
As these contracts provide for service At pricss
more than fifty per cent less than those paid uades
the previous contracts and as low as can probably
be obtained at letting, II Is respectfully recon-
msrded that Joint resolution ieSaliztng such COZ.
trscs for the residue OF the contract term be adopted
at an early day.
Contracts for the service IN Orsgoa, under prope-
sails received and opened In pursuance Of an Adver
tsement directed under The same circumstances, and
With the same exPec'atons as thss directed IN csI,
contract term to end the 30th Of June, 1884. and
returned by the agent to this Department. The Acss
Of the agent have been confirmed 30 far as to author
lie temporary contracts only. The prices OF the
service stipulated for high but Is believed thss
they are nearly or quite as reasonable as could Ds
obtained at new letting. L he early passage Of
oint resolution TO legallZe tho Sc contracts for the
residue OF the contract term Is recommended
Under the provisions OF the hrss section OF navy
appropriation act, approved Mar, 1871, contracts
have been made With the Pacitc Mall Steamship
Company TO increase the trips Of the mail line BE-
tween Panama and Oregon to o. mi'monthly thvs
naking that service conform 10 the sent monshly
service the Atlantic side oithe isthmus as directed
ell for at the rate OF seventy cent ofthe cost Of
the trips under the original or former contract and
the contract therefor Is believed to be In strict ac-
CoTdance with the provisions of the act referred to-
UIder the provisions Of the same section, this De-
partment has consented to a temporary arrange
mcnt BY which the mail steamers from New York
10 Havana are not required 10 touch at Charleston
or Savannah and the contract for semi-monthiy
service, between the ports last named and Havana.
has been renewed for four years nom the lsI day
of July last, at the piice Heretofore paid Tor thai
service.
The contractors for the mail service from New
\ DIRK and New Orleans, via Havana, TO Chagres.
sometime since proposed 70 take mails BY the.r
steamers which run direct 90 Chagrss, in addition
to the mails taken by their steamers touching at
Havana They desired additional compensation
therefor This Department decliGei TO assume foo
the Government either an express or implied obi
cation TO make such compensation, but consented
10 send mails By such steamers, with the express
that no obligation 10 pay for such
service thereby incurred, but without requiring
the contractors expressly 10 relinqush all claim 70
and thus preclude an application 70
Congress.
The opening Of the route nov In operation BY
way of Lake Nicaragua, and ne probability thea
other competing routes from the Atlantic cities 10
{ alifomia VIII ere long be IN operation and upon
~ hch the mails may perhaps he transported WITH
create cesI atch and economy ID an upon the pres
tntroute, renders expedent % proceed with greet
caution IN addDg 10 the cost OF the present service.
and 10 reserve IA all cases the right 70 discontinue
such service and pay Whenever the public intsreN
may require.
No contract has been made for too transportation
Of the mails across the ishmus Of Panama, under
the second section Of the "Act 10 establish certain
lost routes, &c" approved March 3, 1851 The Gov
eminent Of New. Grsnada has consented thai The
service may be performed by the Panama Railroad
Company, and proposition ffon' the Pfesicent o.
that company for the transportation Of our mahs
across The Istbnus was fayorsby regarded As.
however there were difficulties III the way OF making
permanent contract In conformity with the require
menss OF the section ABOVE referred TO- 1t was sus-
5 ested that the ralvoad company should commence
Inc transportation OF the mail rs their road
should be far completed and IN operation as 70 IN
crease the expedition OF the mails, and that THIS De-
panment should fecOmmen nd to Congress " auSnof.
lze pay ment therefor &c price per pound slightly
boVe the average price now paid under the treaty
with New Granada The President Of heraiifoaA
company has gwen notice that on ard sitef the -
n December next lle5iJ the company will be ready
70 receive and transport the mail under this arrange
ment, and orders for ils delivery to that compsar
have been issued This will expedite very consider
ably the transportation acaoss the lsthmus. re-
spectfuIly re nd appropriation fer the CON
pensation which Will be equtabiy due to the raroaA
company.
Tie conirac, with the Collins line OF mail steam
ers between New-York and Liverpool requires the
rer1nImance Of bit t eaY tlps out and back during