Washington sentinel., 1855-03-06
VETO OF THE mAIL-sIAmER BILL.

VETO OF THE MAIL-sIsAMER BILL.
10 The House Of REPRESENTATIVES.
1 return herewith to the Huse of Represen-
tatives, in which it originate the bill entitled
An act making appropriations for the trans
4 portation of the United Stas mail, by ocean
steamers and otherwise, durg the fiscal years
/ ending the thirteth Of JuneSne thousand eight
hundred and fifty.fve, and TO thirtieth of June,
\ one thousand eight hundreand ffty-six," with
brief statement Of the resons which prevent
ITS receiving my approval.
| The bill provides, anon other things, that
the following sums be and the same are
hereby, appropriated, to e paid out Of any
money in the treasury no otherwise appropria-
ted, for the year ending he thirteth Of June,
one thousand eight hunfed and fifty-six:
| For transportation the mails from New
York TO Liverpool and hck, eight hundred and
| fity-eight thousand dollrs, and that the pro-
viso contained in the irst section Of the act
entitled An act to supply deficiencies in the
appropriations for theservice of the fiscal year
ending the thirteth of June, one thousand
eight hundred and fifytwo, approved the TWEEN
ty-first of July, one Thousand eight hundred
and fifty-two be- AMI the same is hereby, re-
pealed: Procided, That Edward X. Collins and
his associates shall proceed, with all due dill
/ SSuSSJ W uulucI III dCCOIu-
ance with the terms Of their contract, and have
the same ready for he mai. service in two years
from and after the passage of this act And
lift said steamship is not ready within the
time above mentined, by reason of any neglect
or want of diligence on their part, then the said
Edward X. Collins and his associates shall
carry the United States mails between New
York and Liverpool from the expiration OF the
said two years, every fortnight, free of any
| charge to the government, until the new steam
| ship shall have commenced the said mail SER
| vice."
The original contract was predicated upon
the proposition of L. X Collins of March 6,
1916, made with abundant means of knowledge
as to the advantages and disadvantages of the
terms which he then submitted for the accept
ance of the government. The proposition was
in the following terms:
"E. *. Collins and his associates propose to
carry the United States mail between New
York and Liverpool twice each month during
eight months Of the year, and once month
during the other four months, for the sum of
three hundred and eighty-fve thousand dollars
($3S5, ,OO0) per annum, payable quarterly. For
this purpose they will agree to build five steam
ships, Of not less than two thousand tons
measurement, and of one thousand horsepower
ChSi, NulSii NroStls Sudli Dt Dullb Slcdi
speed, and sufficiently strong for war purposes.
-Four of said vessels to be ready for service
in eighteen months from the signing of the
contract The fifth vessel to be built as early
| as possibly practicable, and, when not employed
in the mail service, to be subject to the orders
OF the government for carrying dispatches, for
which service a fair compensation is to be paid.
Contract to be for the term of ten years. 1t is
also proposed to secure to the United States
the privilege OF purchasing said steamships
whenever they may be required for public pur-
poses, Mt a fair valuation, to be ascertained by
appraisers appointed by the United States and
by the owners.
"EDWARD K. COLLINS.
"WAsHINGToN, March 6, 1886"
The act Of March Sd, 1917, provides That
| from, and Immediately after the passage of this
act, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the
| Navy to accept, on the part of the government
Of the United States, the proposals of l.. K.
Collins and his associates, of the city of New
York, submitted to the Postmaster General,
and dated at Washington, March sixth, eighteen
hundred and fortyrsix, for the transportation Of
the United States mail between New y York and
| Liverpool, and to contract with the said L. X.
Collins and his associates for the faithful fulfil
ment Of the stipulatons therein contained, and
in accordance with the provisions of this act y
ard under this proposition and enactment the
original contract was made.
| According to the terms of that contract, the
parties were to receive from the United States
| for twenty round trips each year, the sum Of
nineteen thousand two hundred and fifty dol
lars the trip, or three hundred and eighty.fiye
thousand dollars per annum and they were to
construct and provide five ships, of stipulated
size and quality, for the performance of this or
other service for the government.
OF the ships contracted for, only four have
been furnished: the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, and
Baltic, and the present bill proposes to dispense
entirely with the original condition of a fifth
ship, by only requiring the construction Of one,
which would but supply the place Of the Arctic,
recently lost by peril Of the sea. Certain minor
conditions, involving expense to the contrac-
tors, among which was one for the accommo.
datlOn and subsistence OF certain number of
passed midshipmen on each vessel, had pre-
yiously been dispensed with on the part Of the
United States
BY act OF Congress Of July q, 1852, the
amount of compensation TO the contractors was
increased from nineteen thousand two hundred
and fifty dollars 10 thirtythree thousand dol.
lars trip, and the number Of trips from twenty
to twenty-siX each year-making the whole
compensation eight hundred and fifty eight
thousand dollars per annum. During the pc
riod Of time FROM the commencement of the
service Of these contractors, on the 9th Of
April, 1850, to the end Of the last fiscal year,
June 30, 1854, the sum paid to them by the
United States amounted to two million six
hundred and twenty thousand nine hundred
and six dollars, without reckoning public
money advanced on loan to aid them in the
construction Of the ships; while the whole
amount of postages derived to the department
has been only seven hundred and thrty-four
thousand and iifty.six dollars; showing an ex.
cess ofexpenditures above receipts Of one mil.
lion eight hundred and eighty-six thousand
four hundred and forty dollars to the charge Of
the government. in the mean time, in add.
tion to the payments from the treasury the
parties have been in the enjoyment Of large
receipts from transportation Of passengers and
merchandise, the profits Of which are in add.
ton TO the amount allowed by the United
States.
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