The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-07-08
Tha C0IIlna Line.

Office and Post Roads In the Senate OF the
United States, made June 10, 1852, upon GER
tain memorials in cOnnexon with the system
of ocean mail service, we extract so much as
relates to the line of mail steamers between the
cities of New York and Liverpool;
Your committee desire to have it Understood al
the outset that, regarding the ocean mai service
the offspring of the wants of all Of the produc-
ing classes of the country, they have not felt at
liberty to consider the propositions which have
been presented to them in any other point OF View
than as co Injected ,cih and sbsuient to the general
policy Of the Government ,chich embraces alike erery
section of the country, and cannot know nor recog.
misc any personal local influence. This point
being settled, it will not appear strange that the
applications of individuals or companies, however
respectable, have been regarded without reference
to the personal sources whence they emanate, and
entirely with respect to their adaptation to the pro-
motion of the general welfare.
The system of ocean steam navigation was
adopted by the Government for the joint purpose Of
extending and advancing the commercial and other
great interests Of the country, and at the same tims,
providing marine force tohich might be easily
made available for the protection Of Amsrican
rights, IN the suent Of collision tDiM foreign pOto
rs. The attain :nent Of this double object the
motive which, in the opinion of Congress, iusi-
fed the advance of public funds in aid of private
enterprise, inasmuch it was calculated to insure
to the country the acquisition of powerful means
of maritime defence, with little expense,
eventually, as the money so advanced was to be
reimbursed in money or in mail service at the OPP
ton Of the parties concerned, while commerce and
the arts would be promoted during the time Of
peace. This reason, and this reason alone, could,
in the opinion of your committee, have sanctioned
any interference, however indirect, on the part OF
the Federal Government, with an undertaking
which, under ordinary circumstances, should have
been left entirely open to private enterprise.
At the time when this system was commenced,
the ocean mails along our whole southern coast
were in the hands Of foreign carriers, sustained
and encouraged by the British government, I'M
der the form OF contracts to carry the British
mails; while the Cunard line between Liverpool
and Boston, uia Halifax, constituted the only me-
dunn Of regular steam mail communication be-
tween the United States and Europe In this rdH
the commercial interests of the United States ,DTe,
on the one hand. entirely at the mercy Of British
atcamers tohich piled along southern coast en-
tering our ports at pleasure, and thereby acqulr-
ing an intimate knowledge OF the soundings and
other peCu laritles Of our harbors-n knowledge
which might prove infinitely injurious to US in the
event of u war with Great Britain; and, on the
other, of foreign line of ocean mail steamers,
which, under the liberal patronage Of the British
government, monopolizcd the steam mall postage
and f-eights between the two countries. Under
such state of things became necessary to choose
whether American commerce should continue to be
thus tributary to British maritime supremacy, or
an American medium of communication should be
established through the Intervention of the Federal
Government in the form of advances of pecuniary
means in aid Of individual enterprise. II had been
found to be impossible for our merchants to con-
tend successfully; sitgle handed, against the
joint efforts of the British government and British
commercial influence. Our noble lines OF packet
ships, which had far outsripped the sailing vessels
of all other nations in point OF beauty and swift
ness, had been superseded by the introduction OF
steamers, the power and capacity of which recon-
mcnded them, the best means Of intercommunl-
cation b. mail, and of transportation for lighter
and more profitable freighs. and American inter-
ests becoming every day more and moro
tributary to British uscendency on tho ocean.
Under the circumstances above stated, it was
impossible for Congress to hesitate for moment
winch course to pursue, and il was deter mined to
adopt policy which, while it would be in strict
accordance with the spirit OF our free institutions,
should place the country IN .ts proper attitude,
and render it's commerce and postal arrangements
independent of all foreign or rival agencies
OF the correctness of this deter animation, expert
ence has furnished the most ample evidences in tie
resuta which thus far have attended the prose-
cutiou Of the system. The line between New
York and Chagres ria New Orleans and its
auxil,aries, have, by their superiority in point
Of swiftness and accommodation, already super
seeded the Britiah steamers which had prevl-
ously piled along our southern maritime iron
tier and the United States mails for Mexico South
America and our possessions on the Pacific are no
longer in the hands OF foreign carriers, but are
transported in American steamers Of the first class,
convertible, at a very small expense, into war
steamers, should occasion require, which have COM
manded the admiral ion Of the world by their fleet
ness ana the elegance of their accommodations Tor
the ravelliDg public. Our southern ports are, con-
seqlenty, longer trequented dy British steamers,
commanded by officers OF the British cro'cn, whose
legitimate business it is to collect intelligence re-
specting the approaches TO and defences OF the har
bors which they visit, to be made available Tor
their own purposes in the event OF the existence
Of hostile relations.
A similar result has, to a certain extent, attend
ed the establishment of the American, or Collins q
line, between New York and Liverpool Previously
to the commencement Of this line, the transporta-
ton of the United States mail matter, as well %
the finer and more destructible descriptions of mer-
Chandise, requiring rapidly OF transmlsslon 10
and from Europe, had been monopolised by the
British Cunrad line; and the Brtf'h government
had, within the short space of six years, from me
postage on this route alone derived q clear income
of no less than pe million ttoo hundred and eighty
thousand eight hundred dollars, after 4ed"ettns me
amount paid TO the concern under the contract 10
carry the mails.
Since the establish mt Of the Collins line, not.
outstanding the combined efforts of the British
government and commercial interests to conhne
their freights and hostages to the Cunard nne,
United States has amounted to several hundreds OF
thousands of dollars per annum, whilst large pro,
portion Of the money for reights has been received
by American citizens The effects OF this inca
cause the trips of this line have been but twice
i:ionh while those Of its rival have, for a consId-
cradle portion of the time, been weekly. During
the intervals between the trips OF the American
line the postages and freights must, OF necessity
euurc to the advantage of the British, and consc
auently the evil referred to has been but partially
remeded.
Ii may not be out of place here to remark,
that the in which Mr.. Collins and his asso-
ciatcs have complied with their contract speaks
for itself, and rebounds much to their credit
Their ships are, coniessedly, among the best oil
the kind nfoat, and have already surpassed their
rivals in speed. They built in the most SUBJ
sta tal manner, and up to the present time no
serious accident, involving injury to persons or
property, has occurred. If they have cost more
money than was originally anticipated by their
owners, or the Government. the excess OF expense
appears to have been caused by laudaole amoi-
ton on the part of the ptoprietors to render them
superior to all others with which they may be
brought into competition-an object which, 1t !;
believed, has been fully attained. This Increased
cost is moreover, to be attributed, i'll the case o.
the line in question, well as Of other ocean maj
steam lines TO the enlarged tonnage OF the vessels
employed and the increased power OF their en-
gines. with view to speed snd security, together
with the well known fact that. Mt the period wher
they were commenced, there were no machine
shops in this country in which castings
tho o;ze reouircd could be made, nor were there