The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-02-16

providing tOI thc az. ciuif1SAs VI sooA
tn, second section Of that act made il the duty Of the
Ssreary Of the Navy ito accept the part Of the gov
eruneut OF the United States the proposals Of Mr.. Collins
ana his associates for the transportation Of the United
stats mail between New York and Liverpool, and 10
contract with the said X Collins and his associates for
the faithful hlmen Of the spulaons therein contained
and ID accordance with the provisions Of that act The third
section Of which declared shat the steamships 10 be EN-
poyed BY the said Collins and his associates IN the
transportation OF the United States mail between New
York and Liverpool shall be constructed under the inpec-
ton OF naval conductor In the employ Of the Navy De-
parmcnt aud shall be constructed 70 render Them
eonyeribe a. The least possible cost into war steamers OF
AT the time this contract executed between the gov
eminent and M Collins the largest CanArd ship was only
l400 tons with 50OhOrse power Soon as the energetic
action Of this became known Cunard laid the
kee Of the four ships America Europa Canada and Nj
agara each Of 500 tons.
sumed determined do his part in vndieang the ability
OF the American people compete with the citizens Of
Great Britain and he therefore applied TO and received
from the proper department carte blanche 70 ouiia
ships 1000 tons larger with corresponding increase Oh
motive power.
By this increase in the steamships capacity ii requires
but little calculation determine that the running ex-
penses increased TO the proprietor fifty per cent
By the original contract ID stipulated that they
should run twenty trips and back at $50 per trip
They were then required the trips twenty
the rate and the whole allowance for the whole
service fraction 100000. With all the care,
prudence economy and the additional advantages OF in
creased speed il found the propretors sinking
meney and while the mail service performed faith
fully and to the benefit of the postal revenue the finances
Of the rapidly coapsng and the whole bush
the point Of dsconunuance The Congress of
1852 thoroughly sed the whole subject They found the
then existing contract losing concern TO the propre
As legislators, they unwilling, even the abii-
iy Of the would allow that the service should be
continued loss. The alternative brought directly
before them il is Shall the American steam
ship line to Great Britain stop or shall it go on The an
found in the act of Congress OF the 2ls July 1852
in which IL is declared as follows:
For additional compensation for increasing the transpor
taton the United States mail between New York and Lv
erpoo the Collins line of TO twentsix trips per
annu such times shall be directed by the Postmaster
General and conformity to the last annual report to Con-
gres and his letter OF the November last the Sec
Rotary Of the Navy commencing said increased service
the lt January, s52 the rate OF thirty thousand
dollars per trip lieu Of the present allowance the Of
hundred and ,hrysx thousand five hundred dollars
Prosed That it shall be in the power Of Congress at
time the 3st day OF December 1854, terminate the
additional allowance herein provided for upon giving six
months notice
What effect did this legislation PRODUCT By giving the
increased compensation Of Sl3T5o per trip and making
the aggregate for each trip equal to 30o0 the total for
the service raised from rising 100000 TO Ss3s0o0,
and the increase continues until the LIST of January 1865
After that period unless you interfere by further leg
islaton the original contract which extends to the LIST Of
April 1860 viii leave the do the service at the
Of S50O50o with the enormous loss which they
necessarily suffer even If they have the ability TO go
with the service.
Now, all the world knows that the rates Of living and
the cost in department Of the mechanic arts have
risen hundred per cent since the original contract
made and that they have been augmented fully fifty per
cent since the increased allowance by the law of 1852
This ofself would be unanswerabIe argument against
any attempt at reduction, by failing up the
spirit and purpose Of the Law Of 1852 But what advan
tages have not resulted from the establishment of this
American line, in addition the national reputation
have acquired upon the seas Previous its organiza
ton the maritime genius OF rival had trumphed
But in this herce competition American skill and genius
have brought the great ailments together than
they have been brought before The reduction of the
OF freight light articles has been nearly hundred
err@st a ,Ynff rnr tv-csx
of passage; reduction Of one-sixth Of the time in the
passage OF crossing the Atlantic The cheap support
Of war ships ready al moments warning TO pass from
the hands OF The present those Of the govern
and perfectly capable Of taking equipments Of bat
terry and iron material should the exigencies of the
vice require it, withs officers and seaen trained by dis
ipne and experience in the science of navigation cons
tute element Of strength in time Of and
cai facility 10 time Of peace which place them far beyond
all competition.
Are all these advantages positive and direct not only
TO the city hich have in part the honor represent
but the whole Union TO be sacrificed by disconsnusnce
of that enlightened policy which has always given the
United States the palm Of victory in struggle for the
commercial supremacy Of the seas
Mr.. LEfCER said that he considered it better have
this service rendered for three hundred and eighy-odd
thousand dollars than to require the government pay
eight hundred aud tyodi thousand dollars Ii was not
only the duty OF the Of the country have
the business OF the government well done but to have it
done upon the very best for their constituents His
friends might consider such democratic but
appeared to him like great many other things done by
Mr. L. then made illusions the course pursued by
the gentleman from Tennessee
Mr.. STANTON, of Tennessee. hope that the gentle
man VIII not msrepresent and attribute
ing things which have never said
Mr.. LETCHER did not desire msrepresent his friend
DE believed that the gentleman consistent his course
especially in voting for liberal appropriations but if he
should before his people in the valley of Virginia and ex
hibit TO them record similar that OF the gentleman he
should expect TO bid aaieu forever to public life
Mr.. STANTON OF Tennessee replied that he had been
before intelligent constituency the banks Of the Mis-
sssippi several times and he had experienced any
difficulty Of that sort II that he had met with
OF ell shapes but the intelligence and liberal
ity of the people had always prevailed against them
After some further remarks with respect the Memphis
navy-yard,
Mr.. CAMPBELL called the gentleman to order He said
that resolution bad been adopted combining all debate to
questions under consideration except during
ming sessions He mad good many outside remarks to
make but he expected TO make them in the night
Mr.. LETCHER | accept the gentleman's question OF
order suppose the gentleman wishes do his work in
the dark, because his deeds evil
On motion, the committee then and reported its &C
ton TO the House
Mr.. CUTTING asked unanimous consent TO submit,
resolution closing all debate the bill in two hours after
the committee again resumes its consideration Objection
made
On motion, the House then adjourned
PETITIONS.
BY Mr.. ROBBINS; Several petitions signed by VIM T.
HoPpel IhCs Woodward and fifty citizens OF Phade
phA requesting Congress to make appropriation for the
erection Of building tor the accommodation courts
Of the United States the other public build
ings in the city Of Philadelphia
on or TuE kSow-SorHNe rDrroRA--The Boston Post
makes the following announcement: