The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-10
THE French Line or Mail Steamers.
To the Senate and House of Representatives in Con

THE French Line or Mail Steamers.
To The Senate and Hossse Of Repress atipes in Cos
gress Assembied:-
The memorial and petition Of the proprietors of
the New York and Havre mail steamers, by their
agent, Mortimer Livingston, respectfully shows =
That your nemorialists now perform the mail
service for the government Of the United States
between the ports Of New York, Havre, and South
ampton, in England; and for that purpose they
have constructed. and now own, two steamers,
the Fran kim Of ISL tons register, and the Hum
bodt OF lS2 tons register; the first of which, the
Franklin. was put on the line in October, 1850 and
| the Humboldt in May, 1851
And your memoralsts further show, that these
vessels have, ever since the respective periods afore-
SAID, performed their trips with such rapidty and
regularity as to command the entire cont ience of
the travelling pubic and the commercial commu-
nifty. They have met with neither accident nor in
/ terruptiop; they have not been Withdrawn from
service a single day for want of repair; and your
memorialists believe themselves entitled to the
merit Of success almost without precedent in the
history OF Atlantic steam navigation Your me-
morialists have thus fully performed the contract
| into which they entered with the government, and
they able still to do So If not disturbed or inter
fered with, But the facts which your memorialsts
about to state render it necessary for then to
appeal to the people of the United States for their
support, and to the government for its protection
if it is considered desirable to prevent this impor
tant branch Of our foreign mail service from being
crushed by the undue interference of English CAPT.
tai, sustained by the British government. These
facts are not generally known; but your memorial
lists believe them calculated to arrest the attention
not only of those engaged in the French trade,
but Of all who take an interest in the advance Of
this great branch of commercial enterprises of all
who feel just pride in the triumph of American
energy and skill
American vessels going into French ports lab or
under a disadvantage Of which the public is not
generally aware. English vessels entering the
ports Of France pay duty Of but one franc per
ton register, whilst American vessels pay five
francs The excess of duty paid in ono year by one
of our steamers over what English vessel of the
same size would pay, amounts to upwards OF six
thousand dollars. This difference, in regard to
which, though repeatedly brought to tho notice of
our government, NO relief has yet been obtained,
becomes very serious when it is borne in mind that
since the repeal of the English Navig alton Laws,
British bottoms are allowed to bring French goods
to this country free of all discriminating duty, and
consequently the capitalists interested in British
steamers find it profitable to transport cargoes of
French goods in them by the way of Liverpool to
New York. This is a direct and positive disad-
vantage under which the vessels Of your memo
rialists labor, and to remove which the govern
ment hos done nothing; but others of q more seri-
Gus nature exist
Fair competition is the life Of all business, and
especially OF commercial business. Commerce in
all its branches hoarishes most when least inter-
fered with. or such competition it is neither the
desire the interes. OF your memoriasts to COM
plain; but when competition is devised and en-
ployed with tie avowed obje,t of driving all rivals
the unsparing and unscru pulous use OF enormous
capital, backed by the governmental support Of
our most formidable commercial rival, it is be-
ievea that state of things is presented to which
one of correct notions can be insensible. Such
is the state Of things with which your memorialists
have to contend.
The wealthy and powerful English company own
ing the steamers known as the Cunard line, as
has been said find it to their interest to transport
French goods from Havre, via Liverpool, to New
York; and to secure this branch Of business to
themselves without interruption they have delibe-
rately undertaken, by reduction of freight far be-
low the standard Of remuneration, to break down
your memorialists' steamers, and drive them from
the trade.
Your memoralists have in vain endeavored to
induce the parties who control the Cunard line to
agree upon tariff of freight which should be su-
cient for ALL they have refused all overures of the
kind, and have, on the contrary, engaged in set
tied scheme Of warfare against this company,
thinking undoube dly, that being of recent origin,
less opulent than themselves and net so secure OF
government assistance, they could succeed IN de-
stroyiDg it.
The usual rate of freight from Havre to New
York, by steamers, before your me noralsts vessels
were put the line, was $40 per ton. Inc
Cunard vessels, the annexed extracts fro their
advertise ments show, have reduced the rate as low
ten dollars per ton and IN order to- carry out their
plan, they transport French goods in SIN all steam
CTS from Havre to Liverpool. This reduction, too,
is only made when one of your memorialists yes
sells, the Humboldt or the Franklin, IS about to
leave HAVE.
[ExTRAcTsl
Cuu,ard I'D, erfisenunf Haue, August, 1850
"shippsrs advised that the rate Of freight to the
United state, is sac per ton" 900
The same rate for September, 1880.
The Franklin left New York on her frat trip,
4th October, 1850.
CunGrd Advertisement, Haure, October Q, 1850.
Shippers advised that the rate of freight by this
line (the Cunard) will be twenty dollars per ton"
| The Franklin left Havre early in November.
Csnnd .4druHselaent HARE, 4th NoueHber, 1850
hat he to q
| the 9th November, will be forty dollars per ton
| The Franklin returned to Havre in Dece mber
| Ctpsc,d .adratsenent, Haore, I'd December. 1850.
Shippers are advised that for the month OF Decem.
Der, up the sth January, inclusive, the rate OF
| ileght will be ten dollars per TOM
And with little variation this course has been
| pursued throughout the year.
| In the advertisement of the Cunard line of the
last date. occurs still more striking proof of the
hostile character of the opposition to this COM
shippers are advised that goods for tbs Ameri-
boats (the Collins lineD leaving Liverpool in De-
cember will be transported by the Gunsrd steamers
from Havre to Liverpool free OF all charge to the
shippers"
tempt to turn the whole course Of iregat 70 .neir
own boats, by taking it at ruinous rate, that in
order nothing may be left for the boats OF your
nemoriaists. they offer to transport to Liverpool
whatever may remain, free of ell charge, thus also
creating the erroneous i'm preston on the minds OF
those engaged in the French trade. that both the
English and American steamers from Liverpool
were united against the Havre line.
If any further doubt can be entertained as to the
real nature of this competition, and its impiacaole
hostility to this branch OF our trade, ~ wlu pc re-
moved by the statement which your memorialists
hold themselves ready to prove-that the agents
Of the Cunard line have deliberately avowed their
purpose TO break down and destroy the business oil
your petitioners, and utterly drive them from the
iine that they have insultingly recommended
your petitioners to take their boats of the Havre
line, and send them to Bremen, engaging not to
hem however.
titK that they would not stop at South impton in
other words, being willing to allow us the tree
use Of the British Channel, provided We would not
touch On either shore, but resolved that the United
states government should have no direct line OF
mail steamers from New York to Havre.
This object, and the course by which 1t IS sought
to be obtained is neither wise nor just. 1t is hos
tile TO large class Of citizens, and ninica 10