The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-12-04


sometime since proposed 10 take mails by the
steamers, which run direct TO Chagrcs. in addit"p
to the mails taken by their steamers touching at
Havana. They desired additional compensation
therefor. This Department declined to assume for
the Government either an express or implied obli-
CATION 10 make such comp ensation, but consented
60 send mails by such steamers, with the express
understanding that no obligation to pay for such
service was thereby incurred, but without requir
ing the EXPRESSLY 10 rellnquish all claim
to compensation, and thus preclude an application
TO Congress.
The opening Of the route now in operation by
why of Lake Nicaragua, and the probability that
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 despatch and economy than upon the pre-
sent route, renders il expedient to proceed with
great caution in adding TO the cost Of the present
service and to reserve IN all cases. the right to
discontinue such service and pay whenever the
public interest may require
No contract has been made for the transportation
of the mails across the Isthmus OF Panama, under
the second section of the "Act TO establish Ger
tain post routes, Sc approved March 3 1881
The government of New Granada has consented
| that the service may be performed by the Panama
Railroad Company and proposition from the pre-
sdent Of that company for the transportation OF
our mails across the Istbmus was favoraby regard
ed. AS, however, there difficulties in the way
OF making permanent contract in conformity with
the requirements of the section above referred to- il
was suggested hat the railroad company should
commence the transportation of the mail soon as
their road should be so far completed and in opera
ton to increase the expedition of the mails, and
that this Department should recommend to Con
gross to authorize payment therefor at price per
pound slightly above the average price now paid
under the treaty with New Granada. The pres-
dent OF the railroad company has given notice that
on and after the l5t of December next (lS5l) the
company will be ready to receive and transport the
mail under this arrangement, and orders FORTS de-
livery to that company have been issued This
will expedite very considerably the transportation
| across the Ishnus. respectfully recommend an
| appropriation Tor the compensation which will be
| equitably due to the railroad company. 81
The contract with the Collins line of mail steam
| ers between New York and Liverpool requires the
| performance of but twenty trips out and back dur
| ing the year. For the purpose, however, OF ar
ranging toRtkly trips in American steamers, alter
mating with those of the Cunard steamers, which
depart weekly from this country and England,
! these steamers have made departures each alter
nate week, and have thus completed weekly limo
| of American steamers from New York. 1t these
trips continued heretofore, there Will have
been performed in the present year three moro
trips than provided for in the contract, and TO
! continue the weekly trips thereafter will require
six additional trips per year.
| AS the English government had made new ar
engagements by which the weekly trips OF the Gu
nard steamers were to be continued through the
year, it deemed highly important to continue
| the weekly trips of the American steamers also.
| Under theso circumstances, Mr.. Collins was re.
quested to continue his trips every other week. and
| was assured that the payment by Congress of a
| pro rata compensation would be recommended.
Ii is claimed by the contractors and is believed
| justly, that pro rata compensation for these
ira trips, in the winter season, viii not fully in
demnlfy them and II the extra trips are perform
| ed, ii is earnestly recommended that pro rata
! compensation, with such addition, if any, may
be necessary to give to the contractors fair and
! liberal compensation for the extra service, be au-
| thorized by Congress. The unrivalled qualities
and speed of the ships of this line, and the very
satisfactory manner in which the service has been
performed, establishing the superiority of Ameri-
can skill and enterprise in the construction OF
ocean steamers and in ocean steam navigation.
entitle the propretors Of this line to the most ia
vorable consideration, and l cannot doubt that
| Congress will make the appropriations recon.
mended.
I From the Auditors report it appears that the
whole amount of postage, including inland, sea,
and foreign on letters, &c, received and sent by
the different lines of United States mail steamers
during the last fscal year, 1867 ,69l 90, as
! follows
Line from New York to Liverpool
(Collins) S2O5 Sal II
Line from New York via Southampton
i TO Bremen 81 59S 03
Line from New York via Cowes to
Havre (for nine months only IS, ITO "A
Lines from New York and New Or
leans, via Havana, Chagres and
/ Panama, TO California and Oregon 529, 81 o.
1857 1871 8:
The hostages accruing on letters carried by the
lines from the Atlantic cities to California and Ore
gon will be much diminished in consequence of Tho
reduction of postage made by the act of 1851, ant
| OF the increased number of letters cent by private
| expresses. Upon the other lines very consider
able increase is confidently expected.
The attention of this Department having beer
directed TO the subject OF postal communication be
tween the United States and Mexico, it has ascer
tanned that satisfactory propositions can probably
be obtained for line of mail steamers from New
Orleans, by way of Tsmpco, TO Vera Cruz.
The establishment of such line would no doub
greatly facilitate and increase the postal inter
/ between WOO an in at rp
gard alone is worthy of the consideration of Con
| gross. But ii would also, il is believed, be produc
tive of great political and commercial advantages
would abate national antipathles and prejudices
promote and increase friendly views and relations
between the people of the two countries and unite
| more closely by mutual benefits the two great re.
publics of The western hemisphere For the reasons
thus briefly advered to, | respectfully advise thl
the establishment of line of mail steamers 10 Vcra
/ Cruz be recommended to Congress. An examna-
ton OF the Treasury tables of exports and imports
to and from Mexico for the last ten years WILL it is
believed, show the Importance of such line to the
| interests of The whole country especially to tha
large portion of it situated on the Mississippi ano
! its tributaries-and justify defraying from the
| Treasury the expense of its establishment.
| Offers have been made to this Department to
| contract for mail service from New York to Ant
| werP;
From New York, by Gibraltar. Narcotics, anc
Toulon, to Genoa;
From New York to San Francisco, by the Mica.
ragua route, which is now in operation;
FROM New 1 Ork TO galway, IN ireland;
From Philadelphia to Havana;
From New York, by St. Thomas, SC, to Nene
zuela;
From Philadelphia to Antwerp, and from New
| York to New Orleans by steamers, in con
nexon with a contemplated railroad service across
the State of Florida
Believing that the future revenues of the Depart
ment would prove insufficient to justify the en-
ployment of the service embraced in these ofIcrs
most of the parties making them have been in
formed, in substance, that contract for that
vice would be made by this Department, and that
their applications should be submitted TO Congress
Some, if not all of these lines would be found
ceedingly useful and advantageous if the service
! could be obtained at rates not disproportoned tc
the public benefits secured by their establishment.
IL is understood that the Belgian government is
ready toco operate in the speedy establishment and
maintenance of the line 10 Antwerp. That point
| lie a favorable one for the correspondence between
this country and the continent OF Europe and il is
not doubted that the establishment of such line
would be exceedingly advantageous to the two coun-
tries not only in respect to their postal intercourse
but also, in much higher degree, to their CONNER
cial interests hope Is entertained that this sub
iect will be found TO descrye favorable considern-