The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-06

Americans will stand as fast by theirs Every effort then
was made 10 break dowa The Collins line Freight.
which was Is per Ton in the Cunard line, came down.
when they went into operation, 10 "a per ton. More
than hat have SEEM by the advertisements that when
Cunard ship was to sail from Liverpool, and there was
no ship oil the Collins line there, freight would up TO
81, and when one OF the Collins line there il would
run down to Ca and even lower In many instances
freight was transferred from Hayre TO Liverpool free OF
charge, Tor the purpose OF getting II IN the CunaTd line
Collins and his associates, then have contended against
this opposition and when they have accomplished vastly
more Than was promised by the law when II was passed
they are hercey encountered in the Senate Of the United
States with those words SO potent, economy" and
= monopoly"
Sir, know but little OF Mr. Collins but understand
that this is not monopoly with him; that any gentleman
can purchase stock IN the enterprise who chooses To do
III and that II has been losing business with him
further, from official authority that he has
produced four OF the finest ships that float the ocean
know besldes--and know il from English testimony
that he has succeeded in distancng English ships upon
the and in producing better vessels which have
greater speed and saeiy-which, 10 my mind, is
consideration OF great importance. know these 10 be
facts and for them, he is charged with being monopo
list. he would be very differently treated il he
Eng shman and had accomplished such victory over
any other rival power that which America, through
his means talent, and capital. has accomplished the
power that has claimed, for ages past, be the mistress
OF the There would have been man in Eng land
who would have charged him that he lived ns particular
section; that he had fine mirrors in his ships; that he
would have been man in Parliament who would have
charged him with any OF these things No. sir but there
would have been men there to have heaped honor and
distinction upon him. for having at an immense cost TO
himself will show. maintained the honor and repuia
ton OF his nation against the rivalry OF strong company
supported by foreign government
But, say gentlemen, 1t Is a monopoly. Well, sir, II
going into monopoes this would be just such one
as would like 10 keep out Of All had chance TO 90
into it. All had right to come forward and endeayor to
obtain the contract, and risk their capital in it, But il
seems that awaited themselves OF It but Mr.. Collins
and his associates. The ships Of the Collins line have
made VOYAGES Dsi W en- Dew OK and hy
whole expense of running the ships amounts to $780,,
52s and the whole cost of the ships to a944,l42 The
entire amount of money which has been expended is
81 1851 They have received per voyage $4s2se; or
in ALL for passagemoney, freight, and mail pay, ST. 04
o23 So so that they are left upwards Of 2oOooOo minus
in their operations This is sort of monopoly which il
10 nae they need not be very thankful to Congress
for having conferred upon them.
II has been said that they have not complied with their
for war purposes desire. from official documents. to
prove the contrary read, in the first place, from what
Commodore Perry said in $780, before the vessels com
menced operation:
actually been commenced under the contract with E. X
Collins and associates, and A. G. Sloo, may be chiefly
factories in the city of New Yoik-he demand for steam
machne having been greatly increased by
growing out OF The accession OF territory 10 the United
Saos and probably the manufacturers,
the construction OF engines OF such maenitudesome of
power ia any part OF the wordmay have miscalcuated
the time that would be required to complete them The
of the engines Such have been put operation reflect
high credit on those who constructed them.
twill appear, from the reply 70 the first question: that
of the vessels contracted for have been what
larger than probably contemplated by contracts
have thereby s, the
poaton of the mails for purposes The Of the
fifty five TO seventy dollars per ton according 70 the value
OF the materials and manner Of construction =" Commo
dores Perry and Cunningham l2fh June. 1850 p. IL
Capt William Skiddy, January 81, ls49. says:
T. and
the call for much less than has been executed
snah as iron diagonal framing only one way whereas they
boted 70 imbs.s and Ivesd iogether also the filing in
with many other additions.
" The dimensions of ships length OF keel 274
feet deck 2so feet beam, 10 ret; depth 81
feet; between decks sfeet; mddle deck, feet inches
oroP, feet and tho cuslomhoose tonnage about 2700
GREETED that live oak could be procured their entire
frames as they mostly bolted with copper throughout
Co.. and p Allsrs & Co. are for each ship two On.
gnes OF 80 inches cylinder with feet stroke equal 800
"Thcse skps great baoyancy, fat broad floors ex-
tending well forward and aft with sharp ends and are con-
"Thcy have spacious deck ROOM and could carry guns
OF The largest csibrc on the gun or middle deck They
"These shi ps ALL Of be converted
into They would by law be received by
appa,semen on their original cost and their efficiency as
The necessary alterations included would cost the gov
to build or purchase ior the occasion
SIN case OF war there would be no time to build and
these the only ships Of sufficient strength and size In
tho United States that could be converted into
with two or three exceptions" fr.H..H#t f#.rstN.
Commodore Perry, January 80, 1919, again says:
"The contracr OF Mr.. E X. Collins and associates in
Paciic nearly quite ready for launching. and
their boilers sufficiently advanced for
mencing the of putting them board Great pains
have been taken make the engines of these VESSELS as
well those OF the Geoga and Ohio, worthy the high
reputation OF the respective establishments al which they
are being constructed.
As the contract with Nr Collins does refer to any
particular vessel guide for TIE model OF con
his ships. he has awaited himself OF the best
materials at command and OF his well known ud gneut
and perience Ia ship building, in producing very
peror Tho devsiions from the provisions OF
his agreement In some respects that his vessels
according the taemcnt Of Captain Skddy, better fast
ened than contracted for and Instead of OF di
rect action he also has Preferred the sidelave engine
These will be, of nominal power, about nine hundred
horses but OF sufficient capacity work conveniently
higher rate. sh 8s t-7t. ~ 1fH aA T
The several provide that all these steamers
shall he constructed be easily converted into
vessels should The government exercise iis right of taking
them into the public SERVICE under certain stpustions
So lar respects their suitableness for converby,
be remarked that view of the service which they
expected perform TO their present In the
they will be i,ted with cabins above
deck. These most of them, would be cessafly re-
novrd for the reception OF ermsnnont and tho requisite
crew OF vesseof and 1t would sso be necessary 10
arrange shell rooms, sholockeTs, and other
ock-np places in the hold for which there would be
ample space.
'Ssaners are easily armed than sail vessels, pus-
much they have deck for heavy pivot
which decdedy preferable for vessels OF this de-
scrpion possessing they do grsster facilities OF notion
a nd consequent choice Of position Very lue time would
be required In armug and equippug them for service
nothing mo be than removal OF
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