New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-12-08


the lsihmus trans oriaoD and viii make the yearly cost
20 The Government four I'VE hundred thousand
collars u 20 than the present.
Ills Of course rosl de.irnbe that the mean. Of comm
ricoiion between Atlantic and Pacac coasts should be
free and unrestricted possible, ana that the p'ss o.
freight and iassage should be- broushi a9Na - the Io"
terms The present prices Paid to the New ami As
Iinwull and the Pacific Nal Steamship lines almost ex
ciUce competition ana leave these COMPANIES amos.
monopoly Of the carrying and passenger trae between the
Atlantic and Pa lie coasts his state Of things nus De
Injurious to Atlantic States and INST deeply affect TIE
great and growing Interests Of Caio and or f4ene
territories and 20 demand from the Genera ,I)Vern
ment a withdrawal Of the fostering and sustaining an
which il has extended these lines. Viewed simply IN
connection with the mails the Nicaragua company would
GETTY weekly mail according 10 pro rata for mIca
ess sum than is paid the present mail and lsth ms
companies for carrying semi monthly mail more ire
quert communication BY mail most desirable and VIII
be in short time if not imperaively required and
when proposition il made, by which weekly line OF
communication be established for much less sun
than is now paid for eimcnhly line. II seems 70 me
that there should he hesitation the part Of The Gen
erBl Government in adopting II. -
For the carving Of the mail between New York aud
Liverpool but one proposition has been received The
New York and Galway Steamship Company VIII perform
&c round voyages per annum between New York and Law
eroo or such other ports Of Great Britain and Ireland
as may be directed by Congress- in AZ hours less time than
is accomplished by the present contraction for comlen'
saon be submitted to the discretion OF Congress The
retiiOn on this line owing to the great amount OF IN
yes;meut reaured cannot be great II the design OF Con
eess be 10 withdraw the Collins line the very large
appropriation which they receive the Postmlsteren-
between the United States and England liked sum Tor
each single trip the trips not to exceed given num0er
per week 1.-THE British Government could be induced TO
enter into an arrangement by which they should pay
given sum for every mail to the United states, while we
paid like for those sent to England without regard
10 the nationality Of the vessels that they should
be American or British, the strife which now exists be
tween the Collins and CuBard lines would be at an end
the whole would be thrown open to individual com
uetitiOn the facilities Of communication between the two
countries would be cheapened and increased and direct
nail communication with England be extended to every
principal seaport town in the Union.
By The came section directed to investigate the
facts in relation the contract of A. c. SlOo for the trans
poration Of the mail in steamers from New YORK to
New. Oreans, Charleston, Savannah, Havana and Cha
pres and back per of March lsi7 for the purpose
Of esoeranng how far the contract corresponds with the
original bids.
carry the mail from New York, vii Havana, in Cuba to
New Orleans and back, once week. for the annual
Compensation of 100000 or once IN two weeks ioI
"the annual Of 100000 He also proposed
to carry the mail from New Orleans by Havana, to Cha
gres in Colombia and back, month for the annual
condensation of 100000.
these bids with one for the line from NewYork to
Havre and extension TO Bremen, were made upon the
condition that the United States should furnish one half
the funds necessary TO construct the steamships 10 be
"employed the routes from New York to Hayre ana
from New York to New Orleans or either OF them, II
"bu one should be awarded 10 hm-say 100000 on each
route and if they think proper TO retain lien on the
vesses their security and for the faithful performance
the service In his bid for the route from New
Orleans Chagres accepted he proposed that nen
1.-THE United States should advance, upon like condition.
10000 TO build suitable steamship for the service
Tie service all to be in steamships OF certain az
mCnsions, described al length IN the Diu anu
" into ships OF war.
He also proposed to carry the mail from New York to
Hayre calling at COwes, and from New York by Havana
to New Orleans either of these routes for the post
aces on the letters and printed conveyed thereon
provided the United States would furnish the funds reu
site build the steamships necessary for the
of the service il being understood that they should be
hu bv him under the supervision Of naval constructor
to be appointed by the Government and that all repairs
should be al lls, the contractor 5, expense.
These and various other propositions for foreign mail ser
vice received at the same time under advertisement oil
the Post Office Department dated 4th October Il ma
were all reported to Congress in letter from the fos
master General Mr. johnson under date Of the 9th March
and to this letter beg leave TO REFER as containing
a particular explanation OF the bids IN question
See House No 169 10th Congress- Isl session.
In this report Mr. johnson said that as the establish
ment of line ofsaid vessels steamships to Chagresand
" from Panama to Oregon will require means from the
Treasury and is of doubtful policy has been thought
"most advisable submit the propositions TO congress
without an acceptance, that an appropriation may pe
made for it, it, in the opinion oil Congress incline Shooiu
" be established" ~,
Subsequently under the Congress approved March
O. 1897 the present contract made at S9ooOO per an
num- for service from New York to New Orleans twice
month and back touching Charleston, az practcablel
Savannah and Havana and from Havana 10 ChaSfes ana
back, twice month. ,,. -
nisbed under said contract built according 10 us
terms applied the Secretary of the Navy nnder the
direction Of which Department the vessels were construct
cd Tor the desired information and he has referred me TO
Executive document of the House OF representatives. No
o. first session Of the Thirty second Congress az contain
ing all the information on the subject ID possession OF ma
Department, including 1.-The contract the entire CORES
pondence and the report of the respective boards ap
pointed TO examine the Illinois Georgia AMI ono, me
only vessels le says accepted under the law OF aiAre D
lsi7 TO this document therefore, take occasion also
respectfully for authentic information on ihs
subject.
The manner in which the 1oa service has been per
Eom,d for the wear ending June 30 1888, viii appear in
the report embracing statement oiailure, ana IRE
tiles in the transportation ami fines aud deductions from
the pay These fines ana deductions VIII De
found TO amount in the aggregate 10 sS7,9sO 81
All our mail contracts provide for lines ana delncons
for defective and omitted service. The system i a9so
luoly necessary for securing regularity ana precision IA
carry ing and delivering the mails lheTe Is always IN tue
depament disposition 10 encourage contractors ana -
avoid carcous unreasonable penalties ana IN no case
il deduction made without careful Investigation OIL rs
merits but in every case OF failure, NaAd anu SATISFACTORY
reasons must be shown therefor
future to exact fines and penalties, or disposition u
rceqse them when exaced leads to the grosse irregular
/ tiles in tie service.
creased the demand for mail bags fully ten loi During
the last fiscal year than 5000 new mah PAGE OF al
sizes and kinds, procured more than one ,hd yl
which were bags sacks used almost eAciu'e!
/ for the transportation of printed matter.
Measures recently adopted and now in progress 10 si
fctuat the provisions contained in the first secoA OF tHe
act of slst August 1852 viii doubtless tend to cheek
waste and abuse in this branch of the service but such
i the continued extension of mail accommodations can
hardly be estimated that less number VIII be required
} hereafter 81, -, ~.
lie extension Of the building occupied by this Depart
ent has been strongly recommended by mypred ceso
and the re- cons urged by them every year
additional force The increasing business OF the Icphi
r,.n, he limited accommodations for the clerks IN the d
feret bureaus and the Auditors once, and ie "ah o
room for important papers which have now to be placed Ia
the halls ana cellars subject 10 be destroyed Dy hre OF I'LL
dc1r Tcoujre the original design 70 be completed.
Nu,h difficulty is experienced in hnling suiisol. rooms
esreealy for Distributing 0nces in our lsrger cities