The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-04-27

win now state 10 the Senate what will be the add-
,ionai compensation proposed by the amendment Under
year. and receive for them or s925o per trip
The SIX additional trips per year, under pro rata allow
ancc, would be l5500makng for The years service
the sum OF $500 500. under the present contract The
amendment proposes 10 give them at The OF $33 900
per trip Tor tweny-sx trps--making $S5S,000 year
This increases the compensation the hlty-two trips
1897 500 Si3730 each trip but from this increase
should be deducted the additional OF running winter
trips. In the statement OF LOSSES 10 which have refer
red there is given the cost Of their ships the actual
age cost OF every voyage and The amount OF capital IN
vested The cash cost OF the steamers ready for
slated at $2.0ls0 000a little less than So 0oO000. The
actual average cost OF each voyage 10 EDgand and back
is stated at $652l5 "a the average receipts Tor each
voyage at $4S.2s6 Shrinking deficiency OF $lo92S 10
on each voyage which, for twenty trips would amount
to $s3s 575 so, and on tweniy-sx trips Si4O,l4s-,
amount proposed by the amendment falls few thou.
sand dollars short OF the loss which may be sustained
upon the tweny-sx trips to be run under the new ar
now wish to call the attention Of the Senate to what
consider 10 have been the causes OF these great osses
sustained by the company has been asserted that they
owing to extravagance that the ships larger and
more splendid and costly than the company were bound
to build by the contract 1t true that these ships are Of
superior character n sye sze and power 70 those
Of that! The company may, in their laudabe ambition
to supass their foreign rival have expended more money
o aS OBJECT 10
more for the OF this great enterprise than they
were bound BY law to do. But, sir the most OF these
which they had no control One great cause OF extra
pendtnre the part OF the company was owing to the
fact thar the enterprise was an entirely new one m this
couniIy--so new that when they commenced building
their first ship it found that the machinery and tools
necessary for the construction Of their powerful engines
were not to be found in the country These implements
OF construction had TO be either procured from Engand
or made here at great expense and large OF money
were necessarily expended in experiments upon this pre-
minary machinery required in the construction OF the
ships.
But that is no. the principal cause of their losses By
the contract, Collins Co. were not bound build ships
OF the size and power OF those they have constructed
They might have merely followed in the wake Of the
Cunard ne taken their ships as models, and initiate
them in size and model, and been contenled with their
speed. But they felt as every American citizen felt.
conestand, in competing with Great Britain upon this
subject OF mail steamers they desired to produce
TO the country andto the world steamers little superior to
those built by Great Britain. and with which she then
commanded the trade OF the world. In accomplishing
that they have made great sacrifices but they have BY
so doog put aoa ships lar superior TO those Of he Gu
nard line in power and speed For this they have ex-
pended large OF money, and sustained great losses
Another cause why they have lost money is, that the
and active competitor in England, backed BY the influence
OF the English government II was not mere struggle
between Mr.. Collins and Mr. Cunard twas not mere
struggle between the enterprise OF an American czen
and subject OF Queen Victoria standing upon their IN
dvidusl capital talent, and enterprise No., sir il was
q contest with the English government lne moment
the Collins line established, il became national
concern with the people and government of England to
put down the Collrnsn by extending encouragement TO
the Cunard line Al the same time, OF the first
trips made By unfortunate and imme-
diatey the cry raised Europe, and especially
in Great Britain that they not saie-consequenuy
passengers refused TO go in them, and they made many
trips in which they sustained great Losses on account OF
this alarm
II may be true. stated by the senator from Virginia,
Mr. HUNTER that these gentlemen under such circum-
Stances expended money than they ought TO have
expended But yet all know the feeling which exists
a the mind Of every American for Brother jonathan to
beat John Bull n any enterprise OF this character.
Urged by that national feeling, and perhaps carried
to exavagant extent, these gentlemen may have
pended money than necessary TO fulfil their
contract but surely they not 10 be sacrificed on that
account.
In accounting for the losses sustained by the Collins
ne is necessary also to compare the ships OF his line
with those OF the Cunard line BY this comparison II
will appear that this government enjoying the service
OF ships far superior in size, tonnage powe and speed
to those OF the Cunad line and at less compensation
upon their relative costs and power OF service have
prepared comparative statement OF the two lines which
| here submit TO the Senate:
COLLINS STEAMSHIPS.