Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-04-30
OCEAN MAILS.

|
routes between the United States and Europe an
South America" &c.
This bill proposes ak routes: between Phialelph
and Southampton; between New York and IIavr
ria Southampton; between New York aud GluCl
stadt ria Plymouth, Havre aud Rotterdam; belwee
New Orleans and Bordeaux, RIA Havana Bernud
Fayal and Santapder; between Norfolk and Nante
and between Philadelphia and Para, ria Savanna
St. Thomas and Barbadoes.
The mail service is 10 be paid according to tll
number Of statute miles of the round trip, at the rat
of two dollars per mile, except on the last men'ione
route, where the rate will be two dollars and 6tt
cents.
Contracts for the conveyance of mails on the pre-
posed routes, ara 10 be made with citizens Of ID
United States, who shall undertake to transport In
mails at an average rate of speed during the year,
ten miles hour, in steamships built in the United
States for period OF ten years, and thenceiorwar,
until after twelve months nocs of termination ahal
have been given.
! The bill also fixes the amount of Tonnage required
for steamers each route. The new arrangement il
not to take effect until after the expiration of the
contract with ths Collins line. Heavy penalties ar;
TO be Inflicted for want OF pnnotuulity in starting as
we'll us for failures to keep up the required rate
speed all fines and fofeitures being subject to the
discretion Of the Postmaster General.
A monthly service will be required on each route
and government will have the power to increase the
number of trips on any route, by giving twelve
months notice, and paying at the previous rates or
the increased service
The mail steamers shall carry free Of expense msi
agents, bearers of dispatches, aud all books, maps
charts and scientific Instruments, imported for gov.
ernment uses.
The government shall also have the right to appro
pirate 10 its at any time all the steamships
employed III the mai service, at price to bs ngreed
upon between the contractors and the Secretary O
tho Navy.
Regular mail packets are granted some advantages
over all other vessels, none OF th latter being per
mitted TO report, make entry, or break bulk before
delivering their mails
The bill also set forth plan for the general regu-
lation OF mail conveyance by private vessels. The
postmastsrs receiving mails from masters or com.
manders, ere required 10 pay them liked commits
sion at the rate of two cents per halt ounce on all
letters received Postages fixed at ten cents the
are sent, shall not be more Than $500 miles from the
port of arrival departure aud at 20 cents if the
distance be greater. Masters Of vesssls receiving
mails by order Of the Postmaster General, are to re-
ceive the same commissions az when they deliver
mails TO postmasters as above mentioned.
The bill also contains stringent regulations against
the unauthorized transportation Of ocean mails.
Without pronouncing udgaItn nt on the bill be-
fore which we have not yet studied with sufficient
mnuteness to critiose AZ We would wish to criti.
oiae proposition of such importance, we take this
opportunity to call tha attention OF our readers 10 the
urgent necessity for come general establishment Of
mail lines which will meet the eIgences of COM
merce and avoid improper determination among the
interests Of different seaports. II il the duty OF
the federal government /" suppy with some eti-
cent means of mail communication. Ocean mails
can only be transported with proper regularity and
celerity, by means Of direct appropriations to lines OF
aesm packets, sufficient in amount to give the gov.
ernment an entire control oyer the time and manner
of mail conveyance. How Inuch New York has
gained by government patronage of this sort, and
how much might be done by n iudicious diatribnfiou
OF patronage for he general interests of commerce
may be partially gathered from iha following extract
from The Washington Star"
"STE,MING ACROss THE ATLANTIC. The fact thst
| the current voyage Of the Cannds which .faama,
should reach In!ifaS rersiplv 10 day, hna already
tended Ia fifteen day. trip between LverpfnI and
New York, reminds us thar the Coiua line of steam
| ers averaged eleven days and four hours, for five
years, in making their passages from Liverpool tc
| New York. While they were on the line the Cunard
era did their hest 10 compete with them as TO time
For the last six months, for which time ths Collin:
line has been compelled to suspend the trips of THEN
ships, the average Of the westward passages of the
Cunarders has fallen back 10 fourteen days and eish
hours! This increase Of time in making the passage
costs the business interests of the United States, in
interest on The cost Of the light goods they bring
hher and the shipments Of specie and bills of OK
change they carry perhaps far more than double the
whole expense Of The mail pay to the Collins line
while il performed ts late services TO the Govern
inent. The saving 10 the Cunard line by this in
creased time in which they have made the voyage Of
late, is about eight thousand dollars per trip, We sp
prehend when calculated according to the data with
which all steamship men are familiar.
"IpropOs-Anoihsr commercial disability result
ing from the suspension ftbe trips Of the Cons line
steamers s the fact that the Cunarders, for their nwr
convenience, doubtess too often start at hour ir
| the day too early to permit merchants 10 send by
them letters written alter the receipt of their morn
ing mails, instead of at noon, as when they had com
pstitors This change of hour s most embarrassing
to the business interests ct New York"
Before quit the subject of ocean mails, ws take
! occasion TO recall 10 our cizsns tho necessity o
some direct mail communication between Richmond
and Norfolk and the markets Of Sonih America -
With every natural opportunity 10 outstrip all com
petitors for The South American commerce, we have
not yet provided for the Grst necessity Of active anc
profitable trsde, a regular and drec, mail commnni.
cation.
49,
POLITICS OF ILLINOIS,