The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-02
Memorial

| " T.. X. Collins and has Associotss 10 The Senate
and House Of Representatives. Of the United States
| af America.
| The undersigned, contractors for carrying the
| United States mail between New York and Liver
pool, beg leave to call the attention of Congress
the annexed letters of the Postmaster General and
the Secretary of the Navy, in regard to the In
| crease OF the Atlantic mail service, and the pro-
posed additional compensation for the same.
In making this communication, your memorial
ist5 beg leave to present brief statement of wha
| they have accomplished, the circumstances which
compel them to solicit additional assistance, and
tho puoc reasons which sustain their application
| We have built four steamers Of an aggreyat.
tonnage OF more than III 900 tons. These Incrs
have made twenty eight Voyages, with average
speed greater than has ever before been attained
surprising that OF the Cunard steamers, which
have been built subsequently to ours, expressly t.
maintain The maritime supremacy OF England
| Our steamers have been built at expense
which was unavoidable, in view Of the great enter
| prise to which We were committed To excel the
| English lines 1t was Indispensable that shou i'll
construct larger vessels, with improved machinery
From the start, therefore, were involved in OK
perimcnts; for We could borrow neither the mod
els. nor the machinery, nor the workinen, which
were necessary to accomplish object. Eng
| land had done her best. and we thrown upon
| our own resources for doing better.
Our original proposition contemplated five
! steamers Of 1000 tous and of one thousand horse
| power each. Asccrtaining that could not
| compete successfully with the improved English
| mail service by vessels Of this desc rption, I'VE
have built steamers Of larger tonnage and
power, without regard to the calls of con-
| tract or the additional expenses involved. Rely
| Ing on the national objects in view, and the
| tional character OF the enterprise, have not
been content to regard it commercial specu.
htion, but have considered ourselves embarked in
contest Of maritme skill and superiority. In the lat
tor view we have been eminently successful. The
Postmaster Geleral in his last annual report,
takes official notice of the "unriva!led qualities
and the speed'' Of the vessels of line and Of
the very satisfactory manner in which have
performed the service; establishing, in his judg-
inent the "superiority Of American skill and en-
terprise in tho construction Of ocean steamers"
and emitting us to the most favorable considera-
ton of Congress.
by the most liberal outlay, without reference to
the stipulated compensation for the proposed
vice. Hence it has ensued that our enterprise,
on its present basis, must involve all who have
engaged In 1t In heavy losses, unless met
10y Congress- in national spirit, responsive TO
that by which We have ourselves been actuated
Nearly one half of our present annual compensa-
ton for the mail service ia expended in cfiecting
insurance on our ships, the cost of which has
been much enhanced by their immense tonnage,
and the expensive improvements without which
we could not have competed, with any hope Of
success, with the greatest naval mower in the
world.
The advantages which have resulted to our
country from the prosecution of enterprise in
the manner TO which We have referred, and which
could not otherwise have been secured, may be
briefly enumerated. We are now dividing with
England the carriage of the Atlantic mails and
passengers; business of which she had monop-
oily previously to the establishment of our line.
The Government OF the United States has now at
its CONTROL and subject to is disposal for any pub
lie purposes. whether Of peace, the four
largest and swiitest steamers in the world sup
ported meanwhile at little present expense to the
treasury, and with safe prospect, not only of re.
imbursng every dollar of immediate outlay, but OF
contributing not inconsderably to the public
nue. 1t Is proper that VIC should satc in this
ion the facts which Ike il reasonable to believe that
the Government will not only be reimbursed for all
its expenditures in its ocean all service, but will
ultimately derive a revenue from it. The amount
accruing TO the Post Office Department from the
postage of the ocean steamers, for the year which
ended 3Oth June, 1851, and during the quarter
which ended the S0th September, 1851, S 49,
10 81. This sum would have been paid to the
British steamers, and would have aided in keeping
ailoat provisional British navy, had il not been
for the policy of competition wisely adopted by the
Government Of the United States. 1t ia Just 90 as
sumo that this sum will be increased every year,
and with the increased number of trips of the
American steamers the American proportion of the
hostages will be augmented without reference to
the probable augmentation Of international com
munication. This ia, of coursc, daily extending,
leading TO daily extension OF foreign CORE
spondence, and consequently to receipts from
ocean hostages. The increased aid, then, that we
solicit, and which is indispensable TO the continued
prosecution oil our enterprise, will impose very
inconsidorabe present burden the treasury,
and, taking the whole term of our contract, no
charge whatever.
Your memorialists appeal with pride to the
strength. size and speed OF their ships not merely
in view Of the advantages which the country de.
rivss from them in their pacific mission of trans
uniting intelligence and passengers from one con-
tnent 10 the other, but also for their capacity Of
usefulness in time of the transport Of troops
and supplies, OF agents and dispatches, n well As
Tor all other naval pur poses. And when in addi-
ton to all this, consider their Inexpensive inter
mediate support while they are thus in readiness
and preparation for such public emer gcncies, we
cannot permit ourselves to doubt that Congress
will regard our enterprise with reference TO its
great public advantages and national ends and
grant us such additional facilities may be found
indispensable to its further prosecution and the
maintenance of our present admitted superiority.
We make this appeal with the greater conf
dence from the fact that the rival English line is
sustained to every extent by the English govern
ment, end that in national competition we can
not doubt the willingness Of the American people
To grant all reasonable and just assistance to their
countrymen. We ask nothing beyond il, and we
know not that we can better manifest our own dis
position in this matter, and better prove that we
arc actuated by national and not personal mo
lives in our appeal, than by sdpuatng at this
time that, whatever increased facilities may be
tended 10 US by Congress- we will readily transfer
ship5 at cost, with our contract, to any persons
who may be acceptable TO Government, and capa.
bic in their view Of carrying out successfully M
enterprise Of such vital interest and importance to
the American nation.
K. COLLINS,
For himself and associates.