The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-04-27
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OF HON. ,. w. MILLER.

oly,rsd in ls Senate, Apra 90 1852 Ia relation TO the
Collins itns of steamers.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill TO
,uppy deficiencies IN the appropriations Tor the service
o2 ihe fiscal year ending June 30, 1852.
Mr. MILLER Mr., President. was one OF the ma
iorY Of the Committee on Finance which agreed to
cot this amendment The subject had been recommend.
Ii 10 Congress by the head of one Of the departments,
snd general estimate made, which produced before
e committee by the honorable senator from California,
iMr GwMl The question presented by the amendment
,,v 10 which not only the parties to this contract but
msny OF the great interests of the country concerned
In he year ls49 contract was entered into by this gov
srnmenl, through the Navy Department. with Mr.. Col
lns 10 build certain number oil mail steamers,
giving description OF their general power and capacity.
and specifying the purposes Tor which they We're to be
used By that contract the steamers were to perform
twenty trips year--that is, monthly trips during 0ur
monl6s of the year, and monhy trips during eight
moDths OF the year, and for which service he 10
receive the sum oil $3S3.000. Z.
view in entering into this contract were of national
character They were, in the fret place. 10 secure the
speey and cheap transportation OF letters to and from this
country to Euope. In the second place. the government
and capacity that might IN case oil an emergency, be EN-
Moved BY the government, IN war Other collateral aud
public objects were taken INTO as the
transportation OF passengers OF light articles Of freight
and specie-which that time under the control Of
Enssh steamers These the objects which induced
Congress TO pass the law authorizing the contract
w. u
which shall make this occasion, that all these
tonal objects have been accomplished; that Collins & Co
have built four ocean steamers OF great power and supe
Nor speed that they transporting the foreign mails in
less time than was ever accomplished before that the
government may al any time, in OF any emergency,
command the service OF four Of the splendid steam
that were ever built surYassing in speed in power,
and in tonnage any ships of the kind aoat that by
means OF the establishment of the American line
saccessfully compete with and even surpass in speed its
great English rival the Cunard line that the American
oluop
contemplated by Congress al the time the contract was
made and that every obligation the part of the con-
tractors has been faithfully performed BY them But sir,
performing this great enterprise, so advantageous to
The country the have sustained great losses
They their loss during the last year TO be $685. 57
other words, that in every trip which they performed
during the last year they lost $l6.92s 10.
Sometime during the last autumn the Cunard line OF
having been ordered up TO weekly service the
year round the Postmaster General deemed il his duty
direct Mr. Collins to increase the trips OF his line from
twenty to twenty six per year. and to commence on
The first of January last, with OF additional
compensation TO be made by Congress
This arrangement appears by the letters OF the Post
master General and the Secretary OF the Navy. which
will read: e1
Posr OFFICE DEPARTaKNr
WANT r. yf November Is, 1851.
sIR BY their contract the propreiors Of the ins line
aware, required TO perform only twenty voyages per
,nnum-that is. monthly ups during -four months, and
% as At piesen. with the sIesmers o. ,he canard line
informed by Mr. Collins that. by the first of Janu
Daext his will have m ade seventeen trips
tang only three voyages be performed from the Ist
hhuary the 9Th April. The end Of the conuacf year.
The Cunard ne has now been ordered npip .ky
vice the year round and deeming Il highly important
therefore, that the trips the Collins line should be
creased from twenty TO wentysx year, have already
given Mr. Collins the that II he shall fit
the additional trips, 10 alternate pres
en with the British lines through the year, and will look
10 Congress for pensation, will nd Con-
gress the allowances of pro rata such additional pay
hefeor shall be considered fair and under The cir
cumstances.
cannot doub ed that il is for the ineres, Of the Uni
ted States afford such aid to The Collins line as will en-
able il 10 compete successfully with British lines
ming In connexion herewith and beg leave TO call your
attention the subject in the hope that YOU will unite with
such Congress as will secure the
increase OF the service Of the Collins line from twenty to
txeny-six trips year as a pc rnanent arrangement
have the honor 10 be- respectfully your obedent
servant, N. X HALL,
= E- r#Et .r.E. Postmaster General
Hon. W A GRAHAM, Secretary OF the Navy.
Navy DEraRrnKNT, Nov. %, 1851.
Sra, Your letter OF the 25h Instant in relation further
mall service for your between New York and Liv
erpoo, has been received.
You are Informed, IN reply that ths department eon9n'
uonai service by the mail from New York Liv
poo expressed by him in hi. letter 10 this department
Of which you have been fu rnshed with copy.
You viii, ihereore be pleased 10 furnish schedule OF
the days Of sailing OF the Liverpool mail steamers OF yos
The subject reang 10 compensation will be resrred by
The Postmaster General for the OF Congress
l'm' very respectfully, your o0ed,sn, ,v,, servant -
EDWARD X COLLINS, ESQ.,, and assoc iates, New York.
The Postmaster General, in his annual report also
resay refers to this subject and recommends that sp.
preparation be made. will read part OF what he says
"The contrast with the Collin, line Of mail steamers be-
tween New York and Liverpool require. the performance
buttweniy trips out and back during the year For
purpose, however, Of arranging weekly trips in American
steamers, alternating with those OF the Canard
which depart weekly from this country and Eogsnd these
steamers have made departures each slernse week and
have thus completed weekly line OF American steamers
from New York IL these trips continued
there viii have been performed In the present year three
more trips than provided Tor in the contrac, and
continue the weekly trips thereafter win require add
uonai uips per year.
"A, the English government had made new arrange
menu, by which the weekly trips OF the Cun,rd
wsreo be continued through the year. deemed highly
important to continue the weekly trips OF the American
uesmefs also Under those MIR. Collins
sqaesed 10 continue his trips every other wsek and
assured that the payment by Congress OF pro
peassion would be recommended IL is claimed by the
pon sa o these extra mips. in the winter season, will
o.Iuy indemnify them and II the extra trips per
sa, y h earnestly recommended that pro rata com
oleuon, with such addition II any bc
give he oontractors fair and liberal for
o e.us ssfvce be- authorized by Congress Tho anri-
Qualities and speed of the ships Of this line. and the
susaeioy manner in which the service has been pcf
establishing the superiority OF American sk and
ooaepnse In the construction OF ocean and Ia
lne most favorable and doubt that
OVO%eswih make the appropriation recommended"
Here Is the recommendation from the head OF depart
menl which is called for by senator's There aso
~ estimate made by the department and submitted TO the
.Vyhm'tee This estimate was confined 10 the pro rata
..oWance mentioned by the Postmaster General No
uma'e OF course, could be made by the department for
@ 'uon additional compensation as Congress might think
Popei give Tor the purpose OF sustaining this enter
we ! therefore submit that this amendment is not
suoleot 70 The technical objection made by the senator
% non Arkansas, tMr BoRLAsD] We are not obliged TO
artt N, fho fnf tho nxf,p