Daily American telegraph., 1852-03-09
From the Savannah Georgian.l
The Collins Steamers.

From the Savannah Georgian
The Collins Steamers.
| 1t will be remembered that our government
already pays this steamship company the large
sum of 1885,, 900 for mail service. This nobody
alleges to be an inadequate reward for the labor
performed Collins himself, in his memorial to
Congress, is not bold enough to mention such a
suggestion. Indeed the price, considering the
service, is quite enormous. But the company,
having constructed principally, it is said, on a
| credit, and consequently at high charges, inn
| mensely expensive vessels, and fitted them up in
style of princely splendor and most lavish ex-
travagance, find, with all the aid they are recev-
| ing from the treasury that the concern don't pay
| In other words they can't maintain competition
with the less costly steamers of the Cunard line
| Hence they come forward and ask such "protec-
tom from Congress in the form Of an appropria-
| ton as shall enable them to compete with their
rivals
The allegation that it is the superior liberality
| Of the English government towards the Cunarders
that threatens to break down the Collins line,
| is without foundation Our government actually
paws to Collins more for each trip Of his vessel,
than the British government pays for each trip OF
the Cunard steamers The number OF trips en-
| gagged to be made to and from New York by the
two lines is the same-namely, twenty per annum'
For carving the United States mails these twenty
trips, Collins receive 1886, 900. For carrying
English mails the same number Of trips, Cunard
receives S35O,O0 The Cunard line undertook
to make an equal number of passages to and from
Boston, to wit twenty per annum, for which
thew were also to receive $35O,000. If our fig
uros then be correct the Collins steamers receive
from the American government just ST. 750 more
per trip than do the Cunard steamers from the
English government.
The Collins line, we are told, is losing SIT, 900
Il AAasxy
This loss it is modestly asked that the United
States treasury will make good.
But it will be said that it is important that we
shall have mail steamers between this country
and Liverpool, and that the government must do
something to maintain them. Grant all this
STILL it does not follow that the government must
give such bonus to steamers costing $500, 900
apiece as shall enable them to declare handsome
dividends.
We have it from good authority that there is
now a proposition before Congress, from one who
offers ample security for the performance of his
undertaking, to carry the mail between New
York and Liverpool, as promptly and as safely as
it is now carried in vessels of not less than
1000 tons burden, for about half of what is now
paid. But instead of saving one-half Of the ex-
pense of the mail service from New York to Liv-
erpool, it is proposed to increase it, if we are
correctly informed more than one-half So
much, briefly, in opposition to Collins's applica-
ton, on the general principles of economy.
But still stronger argument against the pro-
posed bounty is found in the injurious conse
quences likely to flow from it to the commercial
marine of our country. Collins asks bounty
of more than half million from the United
States treasury, to enable him to compete with
the English line in freights. Give him whatever
he may desire, and no doubt he can put down
freights twenty-five or fifty per cent, or what
ever may be necessary to obtain abundant car
goes But what becomes of the great mass of
our ship-owners, with their sailing vessels,
brought into competition with steamers sustained
as the latter will be by the money-power of the
government? Is it not clear that government, in
enabling the Collins line to underbid the Cunard
line, at the same time enables it to underbid and
most iniuriously affect the maritime interest of
the country? Surely there is no justice in this
and it is no matter of surprise that the ship-own-
ers of New York are protesting most loudly
against what is to injure them SO seriously.
Such, very briefly, are some of our views in OPP
position to any increase of compensation to
Messrs. Collins & Co. for their mail service.
These objections we must say, are not at all weak
ened by the unblushing impudence of the COM
pany, in bringing one of their vessels to Washing
ton, and, by magnificent entertainments given to
members of Congress on board of her, attempting
to influence their votes in behalf of her owners.
Well has Mr.. Buchanan said: Congress is now
importuned from every quarter to make appro-
priations for all sorts of projects Money, money
from the national treasury, is constantly demanded
to enrich contractors spectators, and agents. and
these projects are giided Wh every alturement
,chich can Be impaired to them By ingenuity and
talent"