Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-08-03
LfNGHBttRG WRGINiAN.
THURSDAY MORNING, AUG. b 1854.
The Collins Steamship Line

tersthat when the bill making appropriations for
the Ocean Mail Steamer contracts comes mp in
Congress, the extra compensation allowed To the
Collins line by the act of 1852 shall be withdrawn.
We trust no such proposition will be fayoraby
entertained by Congress. 1t was shown salts
factorily in 1852 that neither the Collins nor its
great British rival the Cunard line. could exist
without the indirect appropriations they received
for mail service from their respective govern
ments; and hence a wiehdrawal of appropriations
from either line at this time would not simply Grip
ple,bat altogether impair its present usefulness.
This Is result which every one who fec's'aR in
serest IN the supremacy of the "stars and stripes
in promoting which none of our naval vessels
have done so much as the Collins ships--would
in the eud deplore. The British appropriations to
the Cunard line will be literally continued. No
idea is entertained of Withdrawing them; and we
doubt rot they would be doubled, ifthereby Brit
ish pride could be gratihed with triumph over
American skill and enterprise as illustrated in
the speed of their successful rival. The divct
appropriations 10 the Collins vessels falls far b-
low the SUN required for equal number Of our
Al aval steamships when on duty, bat the lntter,
many of themare regarded simply miserable
ful career of the former is constantly referred
TO as subject of Just national pride md gratu-
laiion. The appropriations 10 The Collins Com
pany may he too hgh--apd If -. they should he
curtaled but il will be grave error, and n
hiuyiing, illi,eral and ,npstriotc economy So to
limit Them as To impair che present efficiency of
those vessols II done, it will be under mistu-
ken conception, too, we believe. of an cnlighi-
cned public sentiment Moreover, no necessity
exists for such niggardliness. The nations means
arc ample 10 contribute 10 the mainainnnec of
the EuropeaP null and travelling facilities now
afforded by this line;and we submit whether even
additional appropriation for that purpose
would moi rather be admissible, by way of de-
plotting not quite empty treasury and thereby
improving "Lgisiatire morals We suggest it
to Mr.. Hunter and the Enquirer as a remedy To
be added for that purpose TO their LAND Bill
We quote the following from The baltimore A
merioan in regard to a withdrawal Of the extra
compensation allowed to the Collins line:
This would be equivalent to bi cnlling up this
noble line, in which the country justly feels Sc
high pride, at the moment of its greatest eli
cheney and success The unsurpassed achieve
ments of these steamers have already placed tho
United States ia advance of the world 30; iGr as
ocean steam navigation Is concerned aud il is
known at this time the Iroprietors OF the line
engaged in ettecting costly improvements IN the
motive power of the vessels from which the most
important results are anticipated. We earnest
Ay hope that Congress will tvincc lis berality
and patriotism 10y deoisiYely rejecting the propo-
sition should ii be offered To show how especial
ly unjust it would be the following facts ARE tu-
ken from a swarm statement made by the Compa-
ny.
The present average expenses per
voyage hom n y. To Liverpool
are s76,200I5
The same expenses were in 1851 65,215.6l
Excess OF expenses per trip under
the new arrangement Sl0,9s1sl
The original contract for each
voyage sl9250
PreseDtpay 1890
Increase ofpay per voyage &la95O
The increased cost of lahor is at least ten per
cent, since 1851, and Of coal seventy per cent
The increased cost of the fuel used has been
$500 for each shipper voyage
The increase OF postage per year since ls5l,
is equal TO thirty -four per cent The amountnow
derived from the Collins line is 100000. At
this rate of advance il will be IN ,S5i S65o,0UO.
IL the Collins line be withdrawn, the Reciprocal
Postage Treaty between the United States and
Great Britain will be at an end x the whole sum
received from the mail matter conveyed by
that line, will be transferred 10 the British Exehc-
quer. The amount which will thus be paid into
abe British Treasury from ocean postage between
the two countries. will be S4,0l9,lsI IL IN the
years 1854 and 1853