Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-10

be- once month; the price 10 be paid was one
hundred and ninety nine thousand dollars, and the
contract was 10 continue for ten years from the
first Of October, 1913. All the stpuaions re-
qured by the act of Congress are contained in
this contract Also which was assigned on the 18th
of November 1917, to William III. Aspnwall. On
the 18th Of March, 1851 the Secretary OF the Navy
aud the Postmaster General. in pursuance of a
law passed on the Sd of March, 1851, entered into
an additional contract with the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company acting by William III. Aspinwall,
by which the service from Panama 10 California
and Oregon was increased 10 twice month, al an
Increased price of one hundred and forty-nne
thousand Two hundred and fifty dollars, making
the whole cost Of the service three hundred and
forly thousand Two hundred and fifty dollars
The object OF Congress in The passage of this
act seems TO have been TO build up a naval steam
marine, which might temporarily be employed for
commercial purposes. In order TO enable private
individuals 10 build and equip these steamships in
the mode pointed out by Congress, sums OF
money were advanced 10 them, and 10 sustain
them until wanted for government purposes large
sums of money were paid them for conveying The
mails IL IN the progress of time, il is discovered
that these steamships are not suited for naval pur
poses, or that the large sums paid their owners
| Tor mail transportation have created monopoly,
| checking the energy and enterprise Of others of
our citizens, Congress, in my opinion, is called
upon 10 terminate their contracts, if il can do
consistently with pghted faith. By the terms Of the
aci and Of The contracts entered into between the
Navy Department and these companies in pursu-
ance of the act, il will be seen that Congress
served 10 itself the right to purchase the steam
| ships, and thus terminate the connection between
/ the companies and the government. When they
have been paid for their vessels, the sums fixed
i by the appraisers mutually chosen, everything has
been done which the faith Of the nation requires.
i Il is of course of great Importance to the com
| mercial and other interests of the country that
the mails should continue 10 be carried; but If
| these contracts are 10 be considered with refer
| ence 10 the transportion of The mails, the prices
paid are too high, and, if continued. all COMPETE
lion on the part of private individuals unconnect-
ed with the government must cease. High, how
ever, as are the present prices if the competition
on the New York and California line be driven off
by The and OF funds derived from the general gov
eminent, no one can foretell the prices that will
have 10 be paid after the expiration of the present
contract. If the present contractors do not wish
| the government 10 purchase their steamships, and
| thus 10 end the contracts, il will be for them 10
agree TO a reduction OF the present prices. Gov
eminent will then pay fair remuneration for all
the service which II receives, and the carrying and
passenger trade between our Atlantic and Pacific
coasts will not have become monopoly. In the
bids received under an advertisement issued 10
obtain information, required by the third section
of the act of Sd March, 1853, the Nicaragua Com
pany proposed 10 carry semi-monthly mail be-
i tween New York and California for a sum not ex-
ceeding three hundred thousand dollars or six
| hundred thousand dollars for a weekly service,
which is now required and this in my opinion, is
the highest rate pay which ought 10 be demand
ed. The present semi monthly service including
the sum OF Sis, 727 Oh paid for the isthmus trans
portatioR will cost this year the sum of $751; o77
U3. BY the act of July 81, 1852 the number OF
trips on The Collins line was increased 10 twenty
six, and the price raised from nineteen thousand
Two hundred and fifty TO ihrty-three thousand
dollars trip, making the yearly cost of this SER
wee eight hundred and ifty-eighi thousand dol
lars The section thus increasing the compensa-
ton contains proviso reserving the power 10
Congress TO terminate this additional allowance
nj any time after thrty-frst OF December, 1856 /,
upon giving six months notice.
While shall always take great pleasure in tes-
| tfying 10 the faithfulness with which these con-
tractors have performed the service, and in saving
| that the ships built under the contract reflect
| great credit upon American skill and enterprise
cannot resist coming 10 the conclusion that the
| sums now paid are TOO high, and that the notice
| should be given. Considering the size and cost
OF these steamships, and the speed with which
the mail is carried, the sums fixed in the contract
| may have been TOO low but however that may be-
the present rates are much too high, and such as
| ought not TO be paid. For the mail service be-
| tween Liverpool and the United States the En-
glish government pay the Cunard line the sum of
| one hundred and seventyihree thousand three
hundred and forty pounds, which, computing the
pound sterling al five dollars, will make the sum
! OF eight hundred and sixty-sx thousand seven
| service, the seven steamships which constitute
| the line running alternately between Liverpool
and New York. and Liverpool and Boston, and re-
eeiving sixteen thousand six hundred and eighty
six dollars trip. II is true there is difference
| IN the tonnage of the Collins aud Cunard lines
and that the American steamers make their voy-
ages IN shorter time; but the difference in the
| tonnage and speed Of the two lines does not in
| my Judgment. afford any valid reason why there
should be so marked disparity in the prices paid
| by the Two governments.
The steamships Humbot and Franklin of the
/ New York and Havre line, have both been wrecked
during the year. The former was lost in the
month OF December, 1853, and the latter in July,
| 1894 in consequence OF which the service on that
line has been irregular. Temporary arrange
| ments have been made 10 supply the places of the
| lost steamships until suitable steamships can be
built 10 replace them the line, and such vessels
are now in course of construction. Both on this
| and on the Bremen line one OF the mohthy trps
has been omitted. These irregularities materially
| detract from the efficiency OF our mail service
across the Atlantic.
| In september last the United States Mail
Steamship Company having withdrawn their di.
rect steamers between New Orleans and Aspin-
| wall, the mails between New Orleans and the
| Pacific have since been conveyed, according TO
| The original contract, by the way Of Havana. On
The Pacific line the company permitted 10 omit
| Monterey and San Diego by their ocean steamers
and thus expedite the through mails, on condition
of their supplying those Offices. together with
santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo III
practicable,) and San Pedro, sem-monthly by a
coastwise steamer from San Francisco in due
connection with the through route, without change
Of pay.
No progress has been made since my last an
nual report in the pending negotiations with
Great Britain relative 10 the admission Of France
into the arrangement as contemplated by the pro-
vision in the 18th article Of our postal convention
This article provides that the rate of postage
TO be taken by the British poet Office upon letters
arriving in the United Kingdom from The United
States, either by British United States packets
and 10 be forwarded through the United Kingdom
10 colonies or possessions Of the United Kingdom
or OF the United States, 10 foreign countries,
and Vfee Veysa, shall be the as the rate which
Is now or which may hereafter be taken by the |
British post Office upon letters TO or from such |
colonies or possessions or foreign countries, re. |
spectIvely, when posted al the port Of arrival or
delivered OF the port OF departure Of the packets
conveying the mails between the United Kingdom |
and the United States"
by this article similar privilege is secured 10
Great Britain in respect TO letters TO and from the
United Kingdom 10 be forwarded through The
United States; but letters and newspapers passing
through the United Kingdom @io and from |
France" are expressly excepted from the stipula.