New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-11
have good line Ct Mail steamships hence 70 rxv.
erpool, why establish or support rival lins 10
Soutbap,nton Rr;stoI Hayre Antwerp Breupsa


Hamburg, &C. How seldom do letters sent By
these rival lines reach their Continental destina-
tons sooner than they would If sent by Liverpool
Suppose a second-rate line were running from Nor
folk or Charleston TO some European port how
many would send letters thereby when they could
demonstratedly send them moro speedily and safely
by way of New-York and the Collins or Cunard
linel One frst-rate line eastward across the
ocean. with railroads to bring letters swiftly from
all parts of the country to its American port and
the like facilities for the collection and distribution
of letters on the other side of the water, must be
more efficient and far less expensive than many
second-rate lines
III. II it were an original question l should b
ayerse to running Mail Steamers to Europe at AZ
except at profit. If the conveyance Of letters
across the ocean can be made a source OF profit.
our Government should secure its fair proportion
of such profit otherwise, why run steamships to
Europe' Our trade with that continent Is con-
ducted AZ disadyantage-that il, we send Europe
Cotton. Rice Flour, Beef Pork, Tobacco, and re-
ceiye Fabrics in return. This sort OF trade always
tends TO impoyersh the ruder and enrich the mora
artistic and skillful nations. The country which
exports heavy cargo of Food and receives in pay
ment for it a bale or two of Silks or Gauzes, Is
always running behind, always falling in debt.
Such trade is like selfrgh teOusness-the more you
have of it the worse off you are. Every line Of
steamships tends TO increase trade between thu
countries thus cOnnected; aud l consider an in
crease of our trade with Europe to be deprecated.
five are TO establish lines OF mail steamships
with an eve to the extension of our trade, let us es
tablish such connections with nations ruder and
less advanced in arts than ourselves. Let us runa
monthly line of small steamships orswitt propelers
10 Liberia, or 10 Carthagena, or to Para and Rio
.Janero; or let us establish one from San Francisco
or Panama to Honolulu and to Valparaiso; or lot
us stretch boldly across the Pacific to some Chinese
port BY such means we might open new avenues
of profitable trade, or greatly enlarge old ones.
Such lines would sensibly hasten the march Of
civilization and give an impulse to the progress Of
enlightenment.
III But whenever it shall henceforth be deemed
expedient to establish new Steamship Mail, We
trust an earnest effort will be made to render it
selfsuppOrting. Let fair offer be publicly mada
to any capitalist or company that will establish
an ocean mail on specified route, carrying it 80
often and making the trip or passage in SO many
DAYS. shall be guaranteed tho exclusive privilege
of receiving letters from and delivering them to the
United States postoffice, and shall be paid 50
much for each letter transported and so much per
pound for all printed matter. This offer might
stand open for months, or even years, subject to
acceptance by any one who can give the requisite
security.
". AS to the California Mails no matter on
which side of the Isthmus before the expiration Of
the present contracts they should be advertised for
new contracts and let to the lowest responsible
bidder. Allow time enough before the contract Is
TO commence for building the requisite vessels,
and let the contract run long enough to wear them
Out but let the lowest bidder who prOfers ample
security have the contract. This would Obviate
many heart .burnings and win support for the sys.
tenn.
V. Ii the Government is to build war steamers
and to maintain large force of well-paid Naval
Officers, I see no reason why those war steamers,
those officers, should not be employed In time OF
peace in carrying the Mails. Why not Not half
of them now have work; yet Gen. Cas- has just
noticed bill to increase their number. Their pay
is liberal. think the better portion of them
would be glad to find themselves doing work Of
such sensible utility; and if there be portion who
would prefer to do nothing, or something less vu.
gar and more pretentiOus than letter-carrying,
think their choice may very fairly be Overruled.
True the enterprise might not prove very profitable,
nor the execution equal in celebrity to tho ten-day
passages across the Atlantc but the exhibition of
Naval force would be as emphatic and saulutary as
at presents while oil the receipts for Mail-carrying
would be so much clear gain.
These hints may incite others more apt and
practicable; throw them out in the hope that such
may prove the case. Before another Ocean Mail
is established, trust system will DO elaborated
which will preclude fayortism, increase efficiency
and render our Ocean Mails in good degree self
supporting. Now is the time to mature it. II. G.
From Our Own Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Saturday, Feb. Q, 1856.
Much interest is felt in high quarters here for tho
arrival Of the two steamers now due, as the dis
patches by them will probably inform the Govern.
ment of the action of the British Cabinet upon the
demand for Mr. Champions recall. This presump-
ton is predicated upon the suppOsition that Mr..
Buchanan did not fail to inform Lord Clarendon
Immediately of the tenor of his instructions on that
subject. 1t must be remembered however, that
on q former occasion he assumed the responsibility
of holding portion of Mr. Marcys correspond.
ence in his hands for more than three months, and