The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-06

lrscted with company TO carry the mail between Liver
pool ana Boston al high rate OF compensation The
suit oil the opeaton OF that system 10 take all the
mail matter from sailing vessels, TO take all The travel
ling and considerable portion OF the freight OF light and
valuable articles OF merchandise and from calculations
made al The lime this law under discussion il ap.
peaed that the "Cunard line" as il is called moi ony
paid back TO the treasury the amount received ON the
contract but also the additional OF IS 2s6 $780, in the
shape oil net revenue 10 the government, within years
Mr.. HUNTER Will the senator be good enough TO
menuon his authority for that slaement | have fire.
quently heard IL made before.
Mr. RUSk. Ii is contained in the speech of Mr. King
member OF the House OF Representatives some years
ago, founded upon statements obtained by him from the
postmaster al Boston
MIR HUNTER | suspect that is a mistake called
at the Post Office Department this morning, and could
find nothing OF this kind. They have no data 10 show
the amount received by the British government,
Mr.. RUsK do not apprebend that there was any
mistake. That the amount dervabe from the single
Item OF postage aone and If the senator will reflect Tor
moment on the number OF letters which passed between
this country and England in the Cunard steamers and
the enormous sum charged on them for postage, he will
think, perceive that there could be very itle il any
mistake in the amount stated Mr. King Unrestricted
this subject very fully, and obtained all the information
IN his power relative to the number OF letters received
and despatched by those vessels That statement went
into arepot then, has since appeared in another report
has met with no contradiction from any quarter SO far
as know, and think il is to be relied on.
There was another matter that entered into the discus
sion this subject and that was. that the Cunard limo
had the monopoly OF all the travel, and of large por
ton OF the carrying trade between this country and Great
Britain. On that subject there is no mistake We had
no steam marine; we had nothing then that could be
compared with the Cunard ships in accommodation for
travellers and the result that every individual who
desired 10 go from this country TO Europe by steam paid
for bis passage in the Cnnard line and all who had
freight to pass between the two countries which required
rapid despatch paid for il at the prices OF that line By
these means we were furnishing active capital trans
porting from our own citizens to the pockets OF British
subjects, and At the time encouraging the latter in
the establishment OF strong steam marine But this
was not all The British government had that time and
had had for several years. contract with another COM
pany, called the "Wes India and Gulf of Mexico Com
pany" TO- which they were then paying, and have
unued to pay annually since, 81 900 per annum or
within 100000 Of the entire that pay Tor all
the lines tina. we have al this time. The ships OF this
line, built suitable Tor purposes strong and subsan
tla the best ships in The contract service visiting
our por!s constantly That line was to consist Of twenty
ships. hey visited Mobile, then Oreans and, Ia fact,
we were dependent upon them for intercourse with
the neghboring country OF Mexico. They visiting
our coasts constantly and who does not know that every
British officer and seaman, wherever he stops, is the
lookout Tor all The information which may be made avail
able 10 his country in lime OF war; What was our
condition then' Sailing vessel5 were beginning TO
ships referred 10 would have answered for war
purposes not thing is very cerain-their ceeri-
ty OF motion would have enabled them to keep out OF
DANGER and case OF any rupture between Great Britain
and this country-and defenceless condition would
have been the strongest nducemen such rupture she
had had any national object TO accomplishments would
city there would have been liable TO be burnt at the
shortest notice. This of affairs required that we
should put ourselves in condition for defence; and in
order to effect this had 10 do one of two things We
were obliged 10 strengthen our steam marine by adopting
the ocean mail contract system or by adding, at i'm
mense cost 10 our steam navy proper large additional
number OF steamships The experience OF Great Britain
the subject had shown that the contract system was
Ter than the construction of ships for the navy proper that
was less expensive and that, at the time produced
equally good perhaps BETTER vessels and furnished
"A lar IN bpr nj tphp cnulI ha
employed in managing vessels OF that description in time
OF war.
Under these circumstances this contract was made
Who at that time supposed, when the British had had
ten years the start OF that should be able within
two years after thus Collins and his associates made
the contract, even TO compete with The British line with
It's immense capital, its immense government pay and
years experienced Who imagined III No man was
found daring enough 10 hazard such an opinion The
man would have been considered as visionary then who
would have said that IN two years you would bear of
the palm from your adversary who has aways boased
being the mistress OF the and that she would
admit your victory so soon after you put this machinery
IN operation" say, such man would have been con-
sidered more wild and visionary than be in hazard
ing the declaration now, that twenty years will not have
passed before steam will have in great super
seded sails as the great motive power the IN
der these circumstances these entered into the con-
tract for the purpose OF establishing this line
know IT is said that they have not complied with their
contract and therefore should abandon IT, know IL
said that they have not built vessels suitable for
purposes, and therefore the enterprise should be aban
doned know il has been said that it is not econom
zeal measure THAT shall lose money out of the
ny III continue the system and that therefore IL had
better be abandoned.
AS economy is the order OF the day, suppose we take
up IN the hrs place. the financial portion OF the system
The Collins line has received in two years. $4,000 Ii
has returned TO the government in posages letters up
to the st OF March, 1882 1878 1877 so. know that in
some speeches made upon this subject believe in
made by the senator from Vgnia-the latter amount is
reduced to something like 00O by taking away three
twenty foubs OF the which, under the postal treaty.
goes TO Great Britain know the gentleman did not in.
tend TO argue unfairly BY the postal treaty. we are
titled TO five twenty ourths Of the hostages received by
the Cunard line which than offsets the amount paid
Great Britain by the Collins line out OF the 1878 600
Mr. HUNTER. l think the senator from Texas did
not understand me- S3I3, 900 the entire amount OF
the sum OF postage received for letters transported
by the Collins line. Dat Of that say, the Collins line
can only be fairly credited with two-tbirdsthai is six
to the United States for inland postage The Collins line
does not hat that is necessary for inland Transport
taon. Three cents each letter 20 to England for in
land postage The Collins line does not earn that All
that earns is sixteen cents each Ieter-tba is, two
thirds OF The whole amount which is all that should be
credited 10 them.
Mr. RUSk. Yes, sir; and with that very statement
we have. under the postal treaty, received from the Gu
nard line amount which more than counlerbaances
the sum paid to Great Britain for which no credit has
been allowed to the Collins line.
Mr. HUNTER We would not transport these letters
through this country for nothing. We must be paid
for H.
Mr.. RUSK. And how are the letters or the paw for
them received except by the Collins line and but for it's
existence we should not receive, do, part of
the earnings of the Cunad lne that far as that
matter concerned the calculation which the honorable
senator made falls and the Collins line is entitled 10
credit OF more than 1878 900 their letters Il mat
ter OF small moment, however. e#