Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-05-01
THE RICHMOND TIMES.
Tie Collins Steamers.


been debated at great in the United States Sem
ate, and is still under consideration in that body
The subject is ore of national Importance and
has attracted large share of public attention. A
statement of some of the facts elected in the
of the discussion may not therefore be unn-
teresting to our readers.
In April 1849, the Government entered into a
contract with Mr.. Collins, and others, to build
certain number of steamers of a specified power
and capacity. These steamers were to perform
twenty trips a year between New York and Liv-
erpool and for this service the propretors were to
receive the sum ofS365,000a year, Or about &c.,
600 trip. Itappears, however, that this compen-
sation is wholly inadequate, and that unless Con-
gress shall consent to enlarge it, the Collins line
must inevitably be abandoned The proprietors
show that during the last year they have incurred
loss amounting to 1888, 900, or about $17, 900
trip. 1t is therefore proposed by the Finance
Committee of the Senate, so to modify the con-
tract as to increase the number of trips year,
from twenty to twenty six, aid the compensation
from 1885, 1000 to S858,0OO. The causes of the
losses sustained by the Company are explained as
! follows by Mr.. Miller of New Jersey:
at has been asserted that these losses are owing to
travagance; that the ships larger and splendid
and costly than tn company bound to build Nv the
contract 1t is true that these ships of superior
character in STYLE SIZE and power those
by the contract but ought to complain of that? The
company may, in their laudabe ambition to surpass
their foreign rival have expended money than was
required by their contract but surely ought not to take
advantage of this and object tother doing more for the
success OF this great enterprise than they bound
by law to do But sir the most of these losses arose
from other causes-trom circumstances which they
OF
the part of the company owing the fact that the
enterprise entirely one in this country-so
new that when they commenced buildnr their first ship
was found that the machinery and tools necessary
the construction their powerful engines not to be
found in the country These implements of construction
had to be either procured from England made here at
great expense; and rye ofmoney necessarily
expended IN experiments upon this preliminary machine
~ required IN the constr ucon OF the ships.
But that is not the principal cause oter losses. BY
the contract Collins Co. We're nos bound build ships
OF the size and p1wer of those they have constructed
They might have merely fol owed in the wake of the
Cunaid line taken their ships models and initiate them
IN size and model and been contented with their 81 eed
But they felt every American citizen felt that this was
great interchangeable it was national contest-and
Ill competing with Great Britain upon this subject of
ocean mail steamers they desired to produce the coun
try and to the world steamers little superior those
built by Great Britain, and with which she then comman
ded the trade ofhe world In accomplishing that they
nave made great SACRIFICES but they have by doing put
aioat ships far superior to those of the Cunard line in
power and speed. For this they have expended large
sums OF money, and sustained great losses upon their
capital
Another why they have lost money that the mo-
men their ships put aoat they witha vigorous
and active competition in England backed by the influence
OF the English Government 1t struggle be-
| tween Mr.. Collins and Mr. Cunard. 1t was not mere
struggle between the enterprise of American citizen
ana subject OF Queen Victoria standing upon their ndi
vldual capital, talent, and enterprise. No. sir it was
contest with the English Government The moment the
Collins line was established it became national concern
with the people and government Of England to put down
the Collins line by extending encouragement the Cnnard
Inc. AT the time, of theiirst trips made by
and diatal
was raised IN Europe, and especially in Great Britain
that they Were not safe consequently refused
to go IN them and they made many trips in which they
sustained great losses account of this alarm"
But whilst the Collins Company have been
losers it is argued that the country has been
gamer by this enterprise. The first effect of it
was the negotiation of Postal Treaty with Great
Britain, under which the Government already re-
celves ocean hostages amounting to 100000 an
nually. This sum is increasing at the rate of
about 100000 year, and in two years more the
revenue from this URGE will be sufficient to de-
fray the expense of supporting the Collins line
1t is further argued that if we had never received
cent OF postage we should be amply compensa-
ted for the money we have paid by the increasing
skill we have acquired in the building of Ocean
steamers:
"Agan: thesbuldng and running of these ships have
produced to the country class practical engineers that
it would not have had without this undertaking. 1t has
been school Tor young engineers These vessels
now every year training up engineers who are to take
charge OF our steamships of war; be employed in the
commercial marine. Thus the country is acquiring knowl-
edge atthe expense of the othe Collins line
We presume there can be little doubt but that
the proposed reliefto the Collins Company will be
granted The question is one that appeals strong
ly to the pride of the government and the nation.
The triumph ofthe new American steam-line over
its long established British rival on their first trial
CT strength, has challenged the enthusiastic ad-
miration of the people of the Union. This feel
ing is by no means confined to the inhabitants of
the Atlantic States, but pervades the entire coun
try, and is shared by thousands and hundreds of
thousands who tasted salt water nor set foot
upon the deck of vessel.
The honor of our flag is felt to be in some mea-
involved in the struggle, and the withdrawal of
the Collins line from further competition with its
naughty and arrogant rival would be universally
regarded as an acknowledgment of British supre-
macy on the seas. The people of this country
will be slow to make this Notifying confession as
long as it can be avoided by the expenditure of a
few thousand dollars per annum.
TIE speech Of Mr.. Miller, of Now Jersey
on this subject, contains interesting facts re-
lating to the ocean mail system of Great Britain.
We quote an extract
In advocating the policy of Government sustaining
these steamers wish to call the attention OF the Senate
and the country to what Great Britain is doing upon this
subject otocean isteamers,ot only with regard the
Cunard line but III regard to many other lines She has
established live great OF ocean mail steamers do
not speak OF her inland steam postal arrange
She has under contract with the Admiralty sixtv
three ocean mail steamers every OF which may be
these steamers is twentyn THOUSAND hundred and
twenty horsepower their tonnage is sxy-one thousand
three hundred and forty eight they annually steam one
million five hundred and seventy five thousand miles; and
the aggregate amount paid by the Government for mail
service periOrned these "a