The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-07

several United States mail steamship lines and aero.s
the Isthmus Of Panama, Is as follows
New York to Liverpool, Collins ins twenty
six round trips. ss5s, 900 60
New York, via Southampton, to Bremen,
eleven round trips. ................... 1885 &c
round trips. ................. 1871, 800 90
New YORK and New Orleans to Aspinwail,
twenty. four round trips, including same
number Of trips between New York and
New Orleans, via Havana .............. $4,000 90
Astoria, via San Francisco to Panama,
twonty -four round trips. 33S,25O 90
Charleston, via Savannah and Key West, to
Havana twenty -four round trios.. 10000 90
New Orleans 10 Vera Cruz, twenty -four
round trips, emitting Tampieo. ........ $1,000 %
Aspinwall 10 Panama .................. 1927 %
Total ................... 81 o23 ole 20
BY the act of Congress approved the "a of March,
1s47 the President authorized contract for the
construction and equipment of four first class segong
steamships, TO be attached 70 the Navy of the United
states. by the second section made the duty Of
the Secretary OF the Navy TO accept the part Of the
Collins and his associates for the transportation Of the
United States Mail between New York and Liverpool
The steamships 20 be employed to be constructed
to render them convertible at the least possible cost
into steamships Of the first class. BY the fourth
section Of the act it likewise made the duty of
the Secretary of the Navy TO contract with A. g. loo
for the transportation Of the mail from New York to
New Orleans twice month and back, touching at
Charleston, practicable, Savannah and Havana and
from Havana to Chagrcs, and back twice month. The
fifth section authorized him to enter into contract tn
carry the mail from Panama to Oregon a month.
The sixth section made it the duty of the Secretary OF
the Navy 10 provide IN the contracts authorized by
act that the Navy department shall at a times exercise
control said steam hips and at any time have the
rig to take them for the exclusive aud service OF
tie United States due provision being made in the
tracts for the mode of ascerainiug the proper compeD
ation 10 the therefor On7he 1st of March,
1877, the Secretary of the Navy entered into
tract with r. X. Collins and his associates. The
contract contains all the stipuations required by
the act Of Congress; the service TO be performed
vas twice each month for eight months Of the
year, and once month during the other four months
The sum o be paid was three hundred and eightyhve
thousand dollars nineteen thousand two hundred
and fifty dollars trip and the contract to CONT
in force for years from the date Of the COM
mencement Of the service A. G. Sloo contracted
with by the Secretary Of the Navy ON the both of April
1S41, to perform the service mentioned IN the fourth
section The service was to be twice month; the
TO be paid two hundred and ninety thousand and
the contract to continue in force for ten from the
commencement of the service This contract likewise
contains all the stipulaons required by the act Of
Congress, and was assigned by A. G. Sloo to George
Law, Marshall o. Roberts and d. II. McIlvain ON the
third OF September 1S47 The contract to transport the
mail from Panama to Oregon was entered into with Ar
mold Harris on the 10th of November 1877 The
vice WAS TO be once month; the price to be paid
hundred and ninety thousand dollars and the
contract to continue for ten years from the first Of
October, 1S4S. All the stipuations required by the
act Of Congress contained in this contract also
which assigned on the 10th of November 1sl7, to
William II. Aspinwa. On the 18th of March 1851 the
Secretary oil the Navy and Postmaster General in
Of law passed on the Sd Of March, 1851 enter
ell into additional contract with the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company, acting BY William IL Aspinwa,
by which the service from Panama to California and
u
price Of hundred and forty mine thousand two hun
dred and ffty dollars making the whole cost OF the
vice three hundred and forty eight thousand two hun
dred and fifty dollars.
The object Of Congress in the passage Of this act
seems Ia have been to build up naval steam marine,
which might temporarily be employed for commercial
purposes. In order TO enable private individuals TO
build and equip these steamships in the mode pointed
ont by Congress Of money were advanced 10 them
and to sustain them until wanted for government pur
poses large Of money paid them for conveying
the mails II in the progress OF time it is discovered
nlfS Nal
that the large paid their for mail trans
poratou have created monopoly checking the energy
and enterprise Of others of citizens, Congress- in
my opinion is called upon to terminate their contracts
IL IL do consistently with plighed faith. BY the
terms OF the act and of the contracts entered into be
tween tue navy department AMI these companies in pur-
OF the act il viii be seenthat Congress reserved
to itself the right to purchase the steamships and thus
terminate the connection between the companies and the
government When they have been paid for their
sells tine sums Used BY the appraisers mutually chosen,
every thing has been done which the faith the nation
requires.
II Of q great importance to the commercial
continue carried hui II these contlac;s are 4, lie
considered with reference the transportation of the
rails The prices pail are tco high AMI If continued all
competition the part OF private individuals
nccrl with The gu crnment must cease. High, how
ever nte tho present prices if the competition the
New York and Cal sorn line be driven OF by the aid Of
unds derived ffoia the general government
oretcl tie that win have 10 be paid after the
p'ration ~ ihe present contract n the present
tractors 10 not wish the government 10 purchase hei
steamships, and thus 10 end the contracts. ID will he
ihrD reduction OF the prices. Gov
'rnln wiz hen nay fair remuneration ter all the
service III IL receives and the carrying nd pas
trade between Atlantic an. Pacific coasts will not
Rave c,oDlc monopoly Ia the bids received under
IN ADVERT cuent issued to obtain normaton requ red
by the third section o the act Of 81 March, 1853, the
Nicaragua Company proposed 10 carry semi monthly
mail between New York and California a sum not ex-
ceeing three hundred thousand dollars. six hundred
thousand dollars for weekly service which i now re.
CURED md this in my opinion IL the highest rate of pay
which ought 10 BE- demanded. The present scnmouhiy
service including tc al sil9 127 o. paid for the
sI5i 91 o. Nv the OF July IL 1857 tho number of
trips the Collins line increased 20 twenty six and
the prices raised IRON nineteen thousand two hundred
and Nifty TO thirty three Thousand dollars trip, making
the yearly cost Of lhi service eight hundred aud nfty
eight thousand dollars. The section thus increasing the
compensation con aims Proiso rese'ins the power 10
congress to terminate h- additional alio any
time after the isi 81 Dscenber, 1864 upon giving
months notice.
while slsD olway take great pleasure in testifyng
70 the iahulncss with which these contractors have
performed the service aud in saying that the ships bua
under The contract reflect credit upon American
ssii AMI enterprise cannot resist coming to the
elusinn That the paid too nigh, and that
". notice should he given. Considering the size and
cost of these Steamship md the speed with which the
mail Is carried the nStd IN The contract may have
been too low but however that may be- the present
are much 100 igh ana such ought not to be paid
For the mail service between Liverpool and the United
States tho English governments pay the Cnard line the
Of one hundred and three thousand three
hundred nd forty pounds which computing the pound
sterling at five dollars will mako the eight fun.
bred sxty-sx thousand scypn hn inbred do,fars Foo
MS sum they have weekly service the steamships
which constitute the inc rupnsg alternately between
Liverpool and NeN York and Liverpool ant Boston and
receiving sixteen ihpasand six hundred and eighty.sx
u"afs trp ~ Is tuc There y d,ers nee ~ the ton
Rage Of tho Collins and Cnnard nes and that the Amer-
steamers make their voyages in shorter time but
tho iicrence ~ the tonnage AMI speed Of the two lines
does not, in my judgment afford any valid why
there should be 80 marEtda disparity in the prices paid
by the two government.
Tie steamships Humboldt and Franklin OF the New
YORK and IavrC line have both hcon wrecked during the
year. The ormer lost 10 the month OF December
In puu ceof
which the service ibat line has bocD irregular Tenn
rnfa4y arrangements have been made to supply the
pics - ihe lofi steamers until stab.e steamships
he hHilt 10 rerlne, u the lin q and such vessels are
no" courso II crn8tsuction. Roth this and on the
Eesncn lnc - % the monthly trips has been omitted
These IRREGULAR il, materially tract from the efficiency
nl out mail sfryien across tie Atlantic
Ia september last. Tho United States Mail Steamship
COMPANY having withrnwn their direct steamers be.
tsesn New Orleans AID plnwa the mails between New
Orleans ana o cdc have since been conveyed accord.
ing - the orig nal contract, by the way Of Havana On