The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-07

mail conmun caton with England be extended TO every
principal seaport town ia the Union.
BY The same section wss directed TO investigate the
facts in relation the contract 0f A. c. Soo. for The
transportation OF the mail in ocean steamers from New
York 10 New Orleans. Charleston. Savannah. Havana,
and Chages. and back per OF March s. lSs7 for The
purpose OF asceranng how far the contract corresponds
with the org Bai bids.
BY his bids OF 10Th OF January 1916. he proposed 10
carry The iaal Iron New York, Havana, IN Cuba.
to New Ofeans and back. week, for the annual
compensation Of two hundred thousand dollars" or
once IN two WEI ks for the annual compensation OF one
hundred thousand dollars he Also proposed 10 carry
The mail from New Orleans by Havana 10 Chaxres, IL
Colombia. and back, month"; Tor the annual com
peasaton OF ninety thousand dollars"
These bids, with one Tor the line from New York TO
Hsvr@. and extension 10 Bfemen, made upon The
condition that the United States should furnish hall
e iu"ds necessary 70 construct hs steamships TO be EN-
poyed the routes from New York to Havre and from
New York 10 New Orleans or either OF them, ii bat
should be awarded 10 him--say i've hundred thousand
dollars on each route and they think proper to rea
lien The vessels tor their security and Tor the faith
tu performances OF The service In his bid for the
route from New Orleans TO Chages were accepted, he
proposed thai then the U"lied States should advance
upon like condition. hty Thousand dollars to build suit
able steamship Tor the &C." The service all 10
be IN steamships of certain Dimensions, described nj icng III
IN me bid and " convertible into .hips-of-war
tie also proposed to carry the mail from New York TO
Hase, calling at Cowes, and from New York. BY Ha-
yana TO New Orleans, either 0 these routes tor
thereon, provided The Uniled States would furnish the
funds requisite 10 build the steamships necessary for tha
performances OF the service being understood that they
should he built by him under the supervision OF naval
Constructors to be appointed by the government, and that
all repairs snon!d be at his the contractors, expense
These aud various other propositions Tor inreign mail
o. The Post Odce Department, dated 4h OctoDer, 1915.
hnd all reported Congress in letter from
Postmaster General. Mr.. Johnson. under date OF OH
March, 1916; aud 10 this letter beg leave TO refer,
containing particular explanation at the bids
question. (Ses House documcn, No. 1872, 29.h Con.
gress, IL, sesslon)
AZ
men, OF line OF said vessels (steam shps) TO Chagres.
and from Panama to Oregon, will require from
tho treasury. and is OF doubtful policy It has been
thought most advisable TO submit the propositions Con-
gress, without an acceptance, that appropriation
may be made for IT, IT. ~ the opinion OF Congress- the line
should be established"
Subsequently. uader the act nf Congress approved
March 3d. Si7 tho present contract made at $780,
900 per annum, tor service from New York to New Or
leans twice month and back, touching al Charleston,
Ut pTaccab!e) Savannah. and Havana, and from Ha-
vana 10 Cnagres and back twice month.
On The last remaining question. "wheiher the ships
furnished under said built according lis
irrms applied 10 the Secretary OF The Navy under
direction OF which department the vessels
ed for the desired nfornaina and he has referred
executive docunen, OF the House of Representatives No
a. lrss session 32i Congress, es obtaining all the IN
ofmaon on the suoieci III possession OF that depart.
meat including 'lhe contract entire correspondence,
and he report OF the respective boards appointed
anime the Illinois, Georgia, aad OHIO, the oaly ve.aes
lhe says) accepted under The law OF March 81. lS47"
10 this document, therefore. take OCCASION also
specially to refer for authentic information on this sub
Jsct
The manner in which the mail service has been ne
formed Tor thu year ending June &c. 1888. will appear in
the report embracing statement OF failures and rregu-
af,ies in the transportation, and haes AMI deductions
from the pay OF contractors These hnes and dedDc
will be found to amoani in the aggregate 10 27 920 81
All our mail contracts provide for fines ann
for defective and omitted service Fne system is abso
lutey necessary for securing regularity and precision
carrying ani delivering the mails. There is always in
The department disposition TO encourage contractors,
no case IS detaction made without careful investigation
OF It's mes but every OF failure valid and sat-
istactory reasons must be shown therefor
A failure exact hnes aud penalties, disposition
to release them when exaced leads TO the grossest ex
ularitIes IN The service.
The subtuton of ia broad for coach service has in
creased tue demand for AL bags fully ten told During
the last fiscal than $4,000 mail bags OF all
sizes and kida. proc ned, more than onetbira OF
which CANVASS bags or Sacks nsed almost exclu.
siseiy tor tie transportation o printed matter.
Measures recently adopted and now progress TO ef.
iectuae the provisions contained IN the ls the
act OF 3lsi August, 1852, will doubtless tend check
sd abuse IA pfaneh oil the service but such
- the continued extension ul mail accommodations, i,
can handy be estimated that less number will be
CURED hereafter.
The extension OF the build ng occupied hy this Depart
ment has been strongly uended by my predecessors
and the reasons urged by them year acquiring
additional force The ncreas business Of the depart
dereat bureaus and the Auao.s Once ana the want OF
room tor important papers which have now to be placed
"a the halls and ceats subj 10 be destroyed by re
miiiew, require the original design 10 he completed.
Much dicul,y is experienced nding ab le rooms
especially distributing pos, Offices larger cities
Zoe amount Tor rent which can be taken out OF the
commissions, in many cases is not sufficient TO enable
buildings al all hsd Tor the proper
discharge OF the business OF their offices.
Ia order The better TO the public post Offices
be located the BUSINESS pads of toe different cities
where 10 be pas aod these the departmen
very frequently unable to allow. Ii Congress would
deen II OF eSged'en 10 appropriate moneys TO ena-
bic ID. department TO bay erect suitable places o
post Offices The larger cities OF the Unoa. much
would be ssycI To The department. and suitable places
could be permanently secured, aud the Pnolic thereby
much better accomlp odsied
My assistants aud chlei and other clerks. deserve m;
especial hsngs for their prompt and faithful attention "a
their aulies.
JAMES CAMPBELL
TO The PRHuprSr.