The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-29

X IHE OALfOhNiA MAIL SEHNICE.-Wc exulDlt-
ed the other day the Postmaster Generals con-
duct in opposing the Ramsay and Carmick con-
tract with the department, to carry q semi
monthly mail from New Orleans to San Fran
cisco, via Vera Cruz and Acapulco. 1t was
evident from the statement, that Judge Camp
bell was actuated by blind hostility to that
route utterly unaccountable upon any theory
Of common sense. We will not permit ourselves
to doubt that Congress will make the necessary
appropriation to carry the contract out, and
thus place California within sixteen days of the
Atlantic States. 1t is somewhat surprising that
the Sloo Tehuantepec interest should oppose
the Ramsay route, Il their pretensions Of having
better communication are at all true. We
have already quoted from the Sloo grant to
demonstrate that it required transfer Of all
mails and passengers at Vera Cruz to ves-
sells carrying the Mexican flag, which are
there to convey them down to the Coatza-
coalcOs river, thence across the Isthmus and
up on the Pacific side to Acapulco. This
does not present very hopeful prospect of
rapid mail communication. But granting, for
the sake of the argument, that the Tchuantepec
route, when opened will be the speediest, how,
then, are we to account for the opposition Of
the spectators in that road to the Ramsay
and Carmick memorial! If the Tehuantepec
route is what its friends claim, all that they
have to do when the route is open is to make
that fact appear, enter into bonds for the fulfil
ment Of contract to carry the mails in less
time than Ramsay, and, under the provisions of
the act Of 1851, the Postmaster General is autho-
rized to break the contract with the slower
route, and give it to the more expeditions one
The section of the act in question is as fol-
lows
Sec And be 1t further enacted, that the Postmas-
Ter General BE- and he is hereby authorized to .r
transporting through any foreign country the mails Of
the United States running from and to any point IN the
sh, b. made under The authority conferred BY this
section shall not be for longer period than four years
and that In making them the Postmaster General shall
be bound to select the speedest safest and most
nomcal route Provided further such contract shall
be subject to be revoked and aunued ~he any
road canal shall be cut opened aording spec her
more economical and equally safe means Of commu
destination Of the mail to be transported and that in
such fair indemnity be awarded to the parties
concerDed and provided further, that before masins
such contracts notice sha be given during sixty days
by advertisement In the usual manner for inviting pro-
posals for mail contracts. Approved March 3, 1851.
If the Tehuantepec route is not q mere sham,
why do its friends oppose contract which, if
Congress copcurs in it, establishes the fact that
increased mail communication with California
is necessary, and which must inure to their
periority over the Vera Cruz and Acapulco
route? Their pretensions are, on their face,
mere sham their advantages altogether illu-
sorry.
Being driven from the absurd cry Of the i'm
practicablity of the Vera Cruz and Acapulco
route, by the fact that If Ramsay and Carmick
choose to enter into contract, the terms of
which forfeited every dollar unless they per-
formed the service in sixteen days, it was the
strongest evidence Of the sincerity Of the cor
tractors, and the best guarantee that the pub
lie interests could have, the Tebualtepec
operators have hit upon another assertion to
damage, If possible, the route. They declare
that Mr.. Ramsay ham forfeited his grant from
the Mexican government to transport the
mails from Vera Cruz to Acapulco. We
are assured this cry is as baseless
as the former, and that Mr.. Ramsay
is ready to prove II to be utterly false
But it Is unnecessary to 60 into the considera-
tion Of such charge, because if the contractors
cannot fulfil their contract all the risk is with
them.
All that Is asked Is that Congress may make
one quarters appropriation for the carrying
out Of contract already made, STIMULATING for
the transmission Of semi-monthly mail
between California and the Atlantic States in
sixteen days. By the terms Of this contract
all the risk is on the side Of the contractors, as
they get nothing unless they perform the
service; all the advantages are on the side 4
the government, which only pays if the malis
are carried according to the schedule. is not
this perfectly fairs
FEMALE PHYsIcIANs.--There are several esta-
blishments in the United States where women
are educated as physicians, and the experiment,
which was commenced about five years since,
seems to have been comparatively successful.
We have received the Fifth Annual Announce
ment of the Female Medical College of Penn
sylvania, located in Philadelphia" The docu-
ucnt sets forth the course Of education, lee
lures, terms, &c. Last year there were thirty