The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-12-07

the United States hostages collected by Great Britain,
was increased 70 ss4 $50 a. Dotwthsandns the dlnn
ished amount Of correspondence. Like results are OK
hibted in respect 70 the mails exchanged with Prussia
and Bremen showing thst under our postal arrange
Dents with those countries the principle OF optional
ment operates unequas against the United
States the expenses Of collection being chiefly borne BY
this Department. which net only collects Its own, but
also large proportion Of the foreign posages and
accounts Tor the same IN ali to the foreign offices with
The gross amount OF United States hostages mails
conveyed during The year by the Collins line, wAs S46,
HavIe line $SS 4S3 90. Deducting the United States In
land posages these mails the net revenue from ocean
hostages oy the Collins line 1888, 7s9 IA; by the
Bremen line, $50, 492 S. and by the HAVE line, ST.,
$50 IL.
The general results of the foreign mail service during
comparison vary materially in other respects from
those OF the recal year ending 3tth June, 1895.
Notwithstanding the unusual extension oil mail facilities
ncrease railroad service the number and
Of mail bags have been very considerably dimnished.
The reduction in this item OF expense amounts to
TO- or 81 per cent ess than the expenditure incurred for
Ills article In the preceding year Measures which have
been adopted TO check abuses and increased vg
and accountability in respect to this species Of pub
&c property. well improvements whi,h have been
Introduced In the System oil baggmg and distribution
believed to the principal crcums ianoes which have
tended TO produce this favorable result.
report win be presented TO Congress containing
specific statement Of the fines imposed and the deduc
made from the pay Of the contractors for failures
and ober irres uartes which have occurred In the
veynnce of The mails during the year. 1t will be
nA tDtse uneB ana QeouCuOnS nave announced 10 Tue
sum Of slo2.l4o 60 During the previous year they
amounted TO sl24,t30 6S.
on The passase OF the Post Once Appropra ION BILL at
III lssi tession Of Congress- the folio wing amend ment
was Inserted and became law:-"And be II further
enacted, That the first comptroller OF the treasury be
and is hereby required to adjust the damages due to
Eoward r. CarmioE and Albert & Ramsey on account Of
tho abrogson by the Pcstn aster General OF their
tract 10 carry The mail on the Vera Cruz Acapulco and
San Francisco route dated the 10th February 1853 10
ldu0ge and award to them acct riding to the principles
OF law equity and justice, the amount found due;
the rane to the said armick and Ramsey out Of any
money in the treasury NOT oane. wise appropriated"
append 10 this report copies Of thu cor es On
Ss 20 me ,,a pa on this subject From this w"
rHr ction OF Congress ~ Wv" 'n
III order TO enable the projectors of the rca q,
'Ia. was practicable and that the mail could be carried
within The time stipulated tie con,rsct ana tnus ~
rs adopsn by Congress their application
predecessor under date OF 18th March, 1853 authcrs
ne Posmaste,s Of New Orleans San francisco Syonts
~ KY ana san Iego 10 make up and MAIL by The
CIV "a ez ana Acspulco line, when the secend cormn
alcaon % open and the contractors ara ,.,.rsa ~
srry mail on the terms OF their con1ac' 81 pebru.ry
In communicating with the cossracs,
Q the postmasteIs, he ipfoi mea s I, ss su,S
'ven Win the express 0pdeYv ..ndtns ,hs, ne,,hsr
pw .vY-. r,s NE govern lent was 70 be in any
way holden Tor Any expenses attending such service
,ri Is provided in the cont act is to be LETT to Con
ress 10 determine wheth the contract 10 TO be sane.
Toned by an appropr alton TO carry i INTO effect the
pay any for saie service commencing only in accor
with the tev Of the contract namely from the
lime CtneresS should raufy the contract" Thus the
matter stood the 9Th of March, 1853 On the i6h OF
June Of thet year. the Department received the letter
erred 10 in my first annual report hsience had been
observed and the parties had gone on making
exp pdinres, without knowledge that us ratucaron
could he recommended 70 Congress, they might have
bad some pretext Tor complaint.
After careful consideration OF the subject the ccnclu
pion arrived that the route mpracticabe for
mail purpoees and that the contract could not meet my
appreciation. These berg my views, ! deemed IL Blu.
hey Accordingly communicated TO Them, ieavi6p
hem TO determ whether they would proceed in their
lie by Congress, wi.hou. the aid OF the
pepsrmert or abandon the attempt. SUCH the &C
ion Of ,he Department and The cause Of H. which oid not
ors Neither the order Of the Pcstma,ter General
n March Z, 1853, anpullsd.
the mail 10 and from San Francisco being g very i'm
porsnt oDe II deemed but proper thai the head o.
he DeIar ms should alone mine whether the
tractors bad provided The necessary means Tor lis sac
sinister, srd thai iLs power snouldno be Gnreserv
'oly ceiesGed; be Pcstmnsfcys ut New Orleans, "a
Monterey and San Diego were therefore direct
eport Tie Department for further Instructions" No
nt ci,tt required ny the Pos IN asters,
any rSsrtt ever mace By the contractors TO deliver
lie ais.
he only instance 10 which such request made vas
tat nisned tho letter Of E. IL. osrmck, Of New. ~
$50, IN ich he skr that an order may be given, per
riitirg - OF the contra ,'ors to carry mai
this rome from California leaving y optional With per
ons TO sena BY os way ara dssgnao me same on .ae
,iher bsIos, was not thought that reply
~es neccsfsry. In the same tprt and vhn
Germ paiicI lot TO interfere with the con
rsct or with anything my predecessors had
a. ne the istttr OF the 30lh Oh November 1853, 70
Wears Harri AID Morgan, was written Independently
sweyer OF these considerations, there no ootga
" n either express implied the part OF tue depart
meni 70 ala the contractors In the ratification OF their
contract by Corg'Css.
All the tsper sts incurred II the rhk Of the con
actors, voluntarily assumed BY them and II they could
shown that the route Was ~ practicable and expe
sitious - represented their contract would no doub
have been confirmed by Congress and the.eves amply
ndt npdei Their allegations in their letters 70 the De-
partnent that the read equipped and that they had
psced the commercial cities OF san Francisco and New
Orleans within ftetn days postal inellge OF eacn
htr could then have been corroboated and could such
been shown 10 be the case aid from the Depart
nent heceuary, and opposition that could have
mace would have prevented the ratification OF their
olract by Corgrefs and The paspase OF approp ston
carry into effect have the honor 10 be- very respect
ully your obedicnt servant, JAMES CAMPBELL
TO the r1slrEST,