The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-19


and from Hamburg, s5,67l 81 Total received, sos,,,
GIL 49, Total hostages collected in tho United States,
] Great Sly
collected in the United States, 1907 l0l "a.
Total hostages for the from the New York, Apn
wall and California lines $500 TAI AZ from the Charles
ton and Havana line, SO, 1875 AZ and from the New Or
leans and Vera Cruz line - 1863 81.
/ regret that, since the expiration of the cou-
ocean mail steamship service to Europe has not
been established on any permanent basis The ships OF
month OF February, 1855 and no service has been pee
formed under the Collins contract since that tme This
contract being with the Navy Department. the Postmaster
General had no control over IT, and oil course no power
either to enforce fuhlment or to annul for repeated
ialures us IN the case OF ordinary man contracts Inc
temporary contracts for service to Southampton Bremen
ana Havre expiring on the LIST OF June last was very
soictous either that the trips upon the Collins line should
be resumed or that the contract should be declared at an
end that by neH arrangements could secure the full
number of weekly trips, by American vessels, neces-
sary alternate regularly with the ships of the Cunard
line. Hence, after the adjournment Of Congress,
| sought to ascertain whether l could depend
on the resumption of service under the Collins
tract but it was not until quite late in the summer
that could obtain any reliable information on the
subject AT length proposition was made TO resume
Portland instead OF New York the American terminus of
the line This proposition declined by the Navy De-
partmen and the contract sti, remaining force IL
Of my power engage other than temporary vice
by the single trip that line, authorized by provi
sion the ra section Of the act of last session making
appropriations for steamship mails This delay and
uncertainty in respect TO this line had the effect ALSO indie
pendenty Of any other cause, TO prevent the making of
permanent CONT for the other lines necessary to
furnish the full number Of trips required and the result
has been that all the service performed has been entirely
of temporary character. Upon the Collins line up TO
the 3oth Of September 1855 nine outward and seven
inward trips have been performed for the postage
on IT,. the mails conveyed, at an average sum Of
the sea and inland postage, amounting to $I,l25
per trip. Upon the Bremen line, from June l,
ward and fifteen inward trips have been performed by
Coz neus Vanderbilt for the sea and United States inland
New York and Havrc line from June ], 1857 10 October
O. 1885, inclusive the old contractors have made sixteen
round trips on same terms averaging s7al per trip
The fourth section OF the OF last session.
ferred 10, provides that t shall not be awful for the
Postmaster General to mako any steamship other
contract tor carrying the mails the for longer
od than two years. for other compensation than
the and inland pcstaecs the mails transported
and the fifth Of confines the compensation
to the postage only, if the transportation is by TO
reign vessel Can the service be obtained on these termy
| believe il NAV be- II deemed expedicnt to employ
foreign vessels IL is certain that parties stand ready
TO take the mails for the sea postage. But shall
this service be relpqaished entirely. to foreign
steamers and If net, will American lines contract
under the existing law? Nothing is clearer Than that
il for the Of this government employ Ameri
n preference 10 foreign steamers for the conveyance
Of mails If they be secured on the terms author
lied by law but whether this may be done is matter
OF doubt Save during the winter months there would
probably be no difficulty in getting the mails carried
these terms; but for period short as two years
hardly probable that contracts with American lines could
be obtained TO carry regularly the year round To
cure their due share OF ths Iostages it is
essential that perfect regularity should be observed in
winter as well during the other months of the year
by at least weekly departure aud arrival either
side The want OF regularity heretofore has had the
effect to give the advantage 10 the British lines The evil
dence is before that Of the correspondence for
instance between the United States and Switzerland
Of 5000 letters SEQ were transmitted by British vessels
owing, II is believed, mainly to the circumstance Of
the known regularity Of these vessels in sailing given
day. Why may not the same regularity be established aud
maintained by American shp2 let this be done, and
good reason i perceived why they may carry IN
equai proportion Of the mails the postage which would
afford fair compensation for the service. THIS Is
ceptblc of demonstration For instance, the aggregate
amount Of and United States inland postage. the
mails by the different lines Of United States and foreign
mail packets between the United States and Europe for
the year ending June 80 1855, 81 ,2G6 500 THIS
semi weekly service, would give Of s2,lsl
the round trip or at the rite of s6 l34 per annum for
the weekly service desired from an American line
lines, with the prospect Of steady increase from
s,antly increasing trade and correspondence
As calculated to furnish the requisite facilities Of
muncaton between Europe and the Southern and South
western States the projected lines between Norfolk aud
England ami between New Orleans aud Bordeaux, in
France among the important be established II
unnecessary point the advantages these lines would
be certain 10 have developing the Of those
States They could not fail - bc otherwise than highly
satisfactory. The lines to Bremen and Hsvrc touching
southampton, should be continued aud, 70 pactc ,be in
creased 10 scm.monthy \ Bremen company are
now running fine steamers mimonthly between New
York and Brcmcnhaven, carrying the mails for the
hostages. II tins can be done by parties in Brcm why
not also, by enterprising citizens of the United States
and thus "A regular and permanent ky commg
ncationY Such arrangement would only afford the
best and cheapest the mission or the mails
between the United States and continental Europe. and
may be to and from the East Indies BY the way OF Trieste
hut would also be highly advantageous Ia commercial
point Of view. With reference 10 an American overland
communication to Iniia VIA Trieste, crcdibly
informed that negotiations are pending 10 this end
between the Lloyd Steamship Companies &c Bremen
and Trieste and the intermeiiate railroad compa
soon as q weekly line i es,abshei between the Init
and Bremen Il believed that this route will fur
nsh cheaper and better facilities o! communication than
But the compensation Tor ocean steamship service -
20 be limited to the postagcs canro, BE- expected that
parties will contract for short term two ycs,
ohleae themselves 10 carry during the winter months
would, therefore respectfully recommend that the law
be so far modified as extend ia. term Tor all such con
tracts TO period not exceeding ten years. the dscrc
ton of the Postmaster General
As regards line from some suitable port The United
States 10 Brazil, and the extension of tn California line
from Panama "a the South Pacific coast whch, for
megcal well as for mail purposes, II i so desirable
should be established, and the bne from New Orleans
vera Cruz, Is apparent that the pcs'agss TO be derived
therc.fom would deiray but . uiing portion OF the
sspcn,s o. me ~, serv n ras"a a. hshy
continued From the 1st Of July 70 the lst Of Novrm.
her q tbs year there mail uIon ,hi. line, snd
temporary service y performed of tr posagcs oniy
tie hoc that Congress viii Immediately authorize tn
making OF contract ~ a reasonable compensation. re-
gpcctfuy recommend this, and that the authority
&c granted respecting lines Braz aud The south Pacific
The contract the Charleston and Havana will OK
trc on the Both Of june next and this also il apparent
will require other aid thar What could b. derived from
the hostages 20 sustain H. The Vera Cruz and Havana
lines, - well as lie lines 70 California, should h chased
as cuastssc and, whether susceptible Of being sustained
from thu POSTAGE hot, should not my udgmcn, BE-
subject o. that restriction. but with r,lert to all lines
where this restriction u not imposed would respect
fully recommend that the Postmaster General BE- pro
hbted from entering into any contract, except under
advertisement, inviting proposals M the ordinary
way The objection heretofore urged against The
system % advertisement. that irresponsible parties
will underbi for the purpose n selling out for bonus
others who able TO perform the service, will longer
hold regards foreign lines, since the act u June ~
1sis prohibits the transfer of any Cor transport
ing tie mail to a foreign country
ms Last nm
ton Tor years extension of the mail steamship
the Pacific between Panama, san Fra8csco and
Astoria order that the service by the lines
tho Atlantic and Pacific sides of the lsthmus Panama
might terminate simultaneously originally intended by
Congress specific appropriation for this purpose
made in the act ~ June Ia 1887; bit the fourth
ton OF said act contains the provision also, above
toned. that the compensation under any mail
steamship contract shall be limited 10 the hostages the
mails Transported, the question Used ~ who
ther this provision intended by Congrcs % Apply
the proposed extension Of the Pacific mail steamship