The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-09-28
Thes0Scsrasua Transit Company.
LETTER FROM COMMODORE VANDERBILT.
aNfS GORDON BENsErr ESQ.,


JAMs GORDON BKNsErT, ESQ.,,
Editor Of the New YoRx HERALD:
Sr-My attention has been called to . notice In thu
money Of your paper othe Oath ins touching
state Of the accounts between myself and tho Ncagus
Transit Company, and am not disposed to qusstisu
that ths statement made in the nams Of the company
under date Of the 10th Of Jaly 1863 calls for fsw
words In explanation. To say nothing Of ths cowardcs
which, In my absence IN fsrsign country dictated the
calunnous statement referred II il the less
fortunate that it was utterly fslas.
On ths I'D Of July there was balance OF indebted
ress ON the part Of the company to NEON account Of
coal hulks, &c, sold thsm-of upwards of 438,0OO In
addition TO the 20 per cent Of the gross receipts Of the
Transit ROUTE which they had withheld from my agent
during my sb.ence under the false prsssnce Of my being
indebted to them.
The accounts of the agency, kept by Noses Maynard
Esq at my Office, were constantly subject to their in.
spection and the true stats Of them was 1 believe,
perfectly known to them at ell times. It is true
- am informed, that the company were in ths
habit Of applying to Mr.. Maynard for statements
OF disbursements made ON the Pacific rs we'll a.
ON tho Atlantic Ocean before the accounts could
socounts could os furnished them but Il
untrue that any accounts which could be rendered
ever denied them up TO the time OF my departure and
ever since books have been open to their inspection
Az the time sold the stesmships to the Transit Compa
1t part of the contract that the coal coal huks
and other fyturee, thcn amounting to aacertained
sum Of &l80000 and upwards and liable to be largely
increased BY the arrival Of cargoes of at various
ccai depots on the Pacific, which they have been
shipped should be PAID for out OF the earnings
the ships and that these earnings should directly
into my hands. need not ray that would not have
trusted the company for 30 large Of money upon
any other terms.
Notwithstandrg my right under that agreement to
retain the whole earnings Of the ships until amount
due for COAL &c psid at the Of the compA
ny, and to keep them anoat, from time to time ad
vancsd tbem large sums Of money, without ho
relnquishng my right to adhere strictly to the terms Of
the contract.
My object in accepting the agency OF the steamships
for tho year during which uncertook 1t chiefly
enable me to secure the amount of the compauys unpaid
Indebtedness to me- ard suppose do the n but justice
that their cole object In terminating agency
in my absence was IL possible, to avoid its payment.
am exceedingly adverse to this intrusion upon the
public Of private pecuuiary controversy, and very
much regret that the Individuals the time com posing
the direction Of the should not hare had the
gbod sense and Justice to keep their sanders out Of the
public prints. They may have felt themselves justified
upon the ground that their intention sim de-
ceive their stockholders, m0mentariy infse their
stock but such an excuse regard altogether uusas.
factory Ny rights against the company will be deter
mined In due time by the judgment Of the legal tribunals
to whom rather than to tbs public good taste at least
required that the company should have made their ap
PEAL Yours, very respectfully, G. vANDERBILT.
New York, Sept g. 1858