The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-04-20


OF article second and also irrespective OF and beyond the
rate upon such letters payable according 70 the stpu
lations Of article FIRST
similar nriyieoe Il secured 20 the United Kingdom in
respect 10 letters arriving in the United States from the
United Kingdom TO be forwarded through the United
colonies OF the United States
OF the United Kingdom those territories which ac-
cordug 10 the laws Of the United States beyond the
limits Of their established postroutes foreign
tries and rice IL IS under this clause that July
1851 the United States rate of inland postage letters
between Oregon California either and Great Britain
has been reduced from forty cents to ten cents the single
letter the rate the closed mails between California and
Great Britain via Panama Thy the British conveyance be-
tween England aud Panama. from seventy-hye TO fifty
cents the ounce and the rate on the West India closed
mails 20 and from England via New York from tbirtyone
and quarter cents 10 twenty-five cents the
But letters and newspapers passing through the United
Kingdom TO from France expressly excepted from
the spuations of this last-named article The two
tracing parties however agreed invite France
into communication with them, without loss of time, in
order TO effect such arrangements for the conveyance
letters and newspapers and closed mails through the terri
tories Of the United Kingdom of the United States and of
France respectively be most conducive to the in
terests OF the three countries"
The correspondence TO and from the United States and
France via England having above explained been
cuded from the advantages OF the treaty. our government
you doubt aware has from the date OF the
cuton OF the treaty 10 the present time nearly five years
been constant in its efforts effect the triple arrangement
contemplated hv the last clause above quoted of article
twelfth, which arrangement il agreed should be such
might be most conducive to the interests of the three
countries" Thus far these efforts have been in vain
The accompanying executive document, mo 81" pub
shed by order Of the Senate at its last regular session
contains the important parts of the correspondence
this subject II viii be seen that Nh. Bancroft who
negotiated treaty paft strongly objected 10 the
proviso excepting France from its operation and that be
finally consented to IL only being assured by the British
government that the treaty spuations between England
and France rendered its insertion necessary without it
the latter power would have of complaint against
the former But Mr. Lawrence, the OF Mr.
Bancroft was subsequently assured, il appears that
France then ready to negotiate once waving the
privileges which England set up in her behaf and iudg
ing from the pursued by the British government in
this matter well since before the treaty into
oper on there good reason believe that from first TO
last that government TO say the least has been quite
tented TO let things remain unchanged.
The United States proposed that the English transit rate
the French correspondence should be reduced to Cd
per ounce The price demanded by Great Britain Is
Id, (about 25 cents) This is the position in which Mr.
Lawrence appears TO have found the question his
in London in October l649 Nearly year had already
ranspred since negotiations reopened and mainly it
would SEEM through the delay Of the British
in replying to Mr. Bancrots communications satsfac-
tory progress had been made in the matter.
Mr. Lawrence at entered upon the negotiations but
from various causes many months more elapsed before
anything of Importance done and when, finally, on
the 18th Of October 1850 he to to Lord Pal
merston the proposition to reduce the English transit
charge to six ounce, it only to wait until
the 9th Of May following, nearly months longer
before receiving In this answer, without
formally declining Mr. Lawrences proposition, Lord Pal
merston states that the Postmaster General had been
authorized to conclude arrangement upon this subject
with the United States and with France upon the follow
ing termsnamely that the British Post Office should
upon the correspondence passing France
the United States through the United Kingdom, sh
ngs and eight pence per ounce when the letters shall be
conveyed the Atlantic by British packets and
shilling per when the letters shall be conveyed
across the A tlantic by United States packets
The postage for closed mails being the same in any
case forty cents ounce and not matter in contro-
versy II followed OF course that the shilling transit
rate offered reduction only of half penny
Zone cent the former proposal and still just double the
rate claimed by the United States During the whole Of
| tpai TIM cbarp
and receiving the postage all correspondence be-
tween the United States and France via England, sent
across the Atlantic IN American man packets precisely as
he carrying had been done by British packets and thus
this department having required in order TO its
postage this correspondence by United States steamers
that it should be collected in the United States the result
that double postage had to be paid by all cores
pondens who chose, in writing to from France, via
England, to paronize the American lines The necessary
consequence of this discrimination throw the
bulk of this correspondence into the British steamers by
which the single between the United States and France
OF course sixteen cents (sea posage lower than by
our vessels,
In May, 1851 by arrangement between the British
and French Post Offices the French mails for the United
States forwarded closed mails through England,
in which manner they continue To be received What
the terms of this arrangement am not advised but
it that the price which France is account to
Great Britain for transit postage not to exceed sh
ling twentyfour cents and for the Atlantic convey
shilling eight pence forty cents) ounce; and
by letter from Colonel Mabery to this Department. under
date OF odd August 1851 it would appear that in
lower price being afterwards agreed upon by the three
powers (the United States Great Britain, and France
the settlement to be made at such lower price accord
ingly.
To counteract in the injurious
quences United States Of this one-sided arrange
with respect France the late Postmaster General
Mr. Hubbard issued ORDER under date of Gath January
1853 requiring that letters and from France through
England the single of postage should be twenyone
cents such postage be collected and retained by the
United States.
The effect of this order it was supposed would be
render the postage and from France the by both
the United States and British lines. Before the order
could 60 generally into operation however at the earnest
solicitation of the French minister, Count de Sartges who
promised To communicate with his government urging n
speedy settlement of the matter just basis Mr.. Hub
bard the 10th of February suspended the order for two
months In the mean time, under date o. 18th February
last Col Mabery wrote this department stating that since
the middle OF 1851 provisional arrangement had existed
between Great Britain and France by which charge
made for the postage OF letters to and from France
of the st of May from Count de Sartges the further
PLANTATION given that the single Of postage
the United States and France by United States steamers
is SIX instead of sixteen cents higher than by British
packet and that this difference arises from the circum
that under the provisional arrangement above
erred to between England and France the latter pays the
former for and transit conveyance by the where
as the United States, being party the arrange
men collects OF course the regular postage of sixteen
cents EACH together with its inland rate of five cents
all letters conveyed 10 and from France via England in its
packets. From this it would appear that, far as
England and France concerned the transit prices
posed by England the basis of tripare arrangement
( govern in the settlement of the accounts between
those two countries
1t not purpose at present TO question either the
right of the contracting parties make this cement
The expectancy of their adopting it but it OPP