Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-02-03
WASHINGTON. Feb Q 1871

To tbs Editor Of TIE Star:
British Monopoly" is the answer to a cues
ton Propounded in your paper one day las,
week, wherein you stated that" The postal
authorities of England and France have yery
re'ently agreed upon the terms Of new Dos.
tai treaty or arrangement. between the two
governments, the purport of which is to charge
less English and French postage on letters car
RED FROM and to this country by the Cunard
steamers than IN those transported on the
American ships We are satisfied that such
an arrangement has been entered into between
those two governments. What does il mean {,
What has given rise to it,
What 1t means is, that the British Govern.
ment intends to r,ouopoltes the ocean mail
business, and pursues a policy which must,
unless met by vigorous effort on the part of
the United States Government, make her ef.
forts successful. Prior to this new postal ar.
rapgement there was a difference of 6 cents
In favor Of letters between France and the
United States, carried by the Cunard limo
The postage was cents TO the United States
Government for inland hostages. and IS pence
or 20 cents for the British ocean and inland DOS.
tage, and the delivery in any part Of France.
BY the Collins line letters for France psy the
United States Government 81 cents, and the
British and French postage eight pence or SIX.
teen cents, thus making the postage 81 cents
by Collins line aud 81 cents by Cunard line.
The new postal treaty reduces the postage
oy the Cunard line to 81 cents, including 5
cents United States inland and Sd. or l6 cents
British aud French postage, whereas the post.
age by the Collins line is cents United States
inlard and OCEAN postage, and ii or 10 cents
British and French postage: thus making a
letter by the Collins lie to France 81 cents,
but by the Cunard line only 81 cents. The
effect Of this arrangement, will lie to draw all
the French letters to the Cansrd lire
The postage on O letter TO France by the
United States line direct to Havre is 20 cents,
United States inland and ocean postage, an i
the French Government collect Il cents on all
letters Of bounce ard 81 cents for all letters
OF ounce, so that the postage on a letter O,
tounce by the United States line to Havrc i,
"a cents
Let US recaTitulate The postage by the
Cunart line is Il cents 70 any part oe France
by the Collins line, 81 ceuis by the Hayre
line, a cents.
You ask what has given rise to this state O!
alfaire?
Tho reason is obvious. The British gov.
eminent arc determined to sustain the Cunard
the Collins line--the only line that has sue.
cesstuliy competed with them-and thus mo-
nopolize not only the mails, but the passer
gers and freight between the United States
and Europe, and build up an ocean steam rla
rine by the same means, that must necessarily
drive American steamships from the ocean.
Inc remedy Is In the hands of our Govern
nent Steam lines to Europe must be- estab-
llshed by our Government with sufficient con-.
pensat'on to enable them to compete success.
fully with the lines sustained by the British
government. This being accomplished, a la v
should at once be enacted requiring OF our
government promptly to reduce the Price OF
postage In American steamers TO the price
charged in the Cunard line. That il, lat No.
body undeJsell or underbid US and this being
done then demand Of England and France .
postal treaty which shall place the three ma.
TONS on footing of perfect equality
AFREQrEST CORRESPONDENT WITH UAyes