Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-03-04
From the Philadelphia Inquirer
The Collins Line of Ocean Steamers
ITS TRfxp and Fall.


The Collins Line of Ocean Steamers--
Hts Rise and Fall.
The navigation of the ocean by steam was
first practically demonstrated on the z3d day
of April, 1888, by the arrival at New York of
two British steamships, the Sirius and the
Great Western-the former after passage of
eighteen days and the latter of fifteen. This
success, in spite of the declaration of PROBES
sor Lardner to the British House of Commons,
that he ''would eat the boilers of any steam
ship that would cross the Atlantic" led to
the establishment of the Cunard line by the
British Government, to carry mails twice
month between Liverpool and Boston, via Hal
flax, at an annual subsidy of 1928 900. which
sum was afterwards increased TO $4,000,
the ships to be of not less than twelve hum
dred tons burthen.
The success attending the Cunard line in
duced Congress to authorize contract to be
made with Z. K. Collins and his associates,
for line of mail steamers between New York
and Liverpool, the vessels to be of ''great
speed, ;" and not less than two thousand tons
measurement. This action of our Govern
ment was met by that of England, by increas-
ing the annual pay to S945 200. and by estab-
fishing another terminus at New York, thus
creating a semi-monthly line from each city to
Liverpool. E
The first steamship of the Collins line, the
H. 4
on the 9th day of April, 1850, and her per-
| Torrance proved the superiority of our yes
sells over those of Great Britain. The con-
tract with Collins, made by the Secretary of
the Navy, called for twenty-five trips per
| year, at $50 per trip. or S3S5,000 per
year. In 1852, Congress increased the pay
| to S22, 900 per trip. and the number of trips
to twenty-six per year, making total pay of
$S5S00O. The vessels built by Collins were
nearly one-half larger than required by the
| contract which was but two. thousand tons,
while their actual measurement was twenty
| eight hundred. The expense of running these
magnificent ships, prior to the extra allowance
| in June. 1852, averaged SEA, 900 per trip, but
| since that time it has averaged 5000, with
| an increase of thirty per cent. for repairs
| necessary in consequence of the increased
speed. --4- --.-s-.- a 81
During the year 1854 the Eastern passages
of the Collins line averaged eight hours and
| fifty minutes less than those of the Cunard
| line, and the Western passages thirty-seven
hours and five minutes less. In 1850, the
Eastern passages were twenty-eight hours and
the Western thirty-one hours less than those
of the Cunarders. In 1856, the Eastern were
twenty-nine and the Western forty-two hours
less. This great speed of the Collins ships
called out the Arabia, built by the Cunard line
expressly to beat its Western competitors, but
she proved a failure. The Persia was then
sent out To contest the palm, but, although
her trips have averaged less time than the
previous ones of the Collins vessels, she has
not yet made the Western passage in as short
a time as the Baltic has done. The Adriatic,
the last great work of the Collins line, and
without doubt. the most splendid model of a
! steamship that has ever been conceived, in con-
sequence of petty jealousies among machinists
and selfstyled engineers, has so far been but
| a splendid monument of shame; but that she
is destined eventually to surpass everything
that walks the water, her performances ON her
| first and only voyage have conclusively proved.
Such is a brief outline of the character and
conduct of the Collins ships, which as speci-
mems of naval architecture are an honor to
their owners and builders, and to the coun-
try.
Let us look now at the financial history
growing out of the Government contract.
The amount paid to the Collins line for trans
porting the mails for the two years ending
April, 1852, at 1886, 900 per annum was S170,-
0C0. The amount paid during the succeeding
five years, at SS5S, 900 per annum was S4-
100000; making total for seven years, end
ing April, 1857, of S5,060,000. To counter
balance this prodigious outlay, the Govern
ment received for hostages up to April, 1852,
the sum of S373,337. In 1853 the hostages a.
mounted to 1892, 3l3; in 1854 to S27474l; in
1855 to S454 ,6Sl; in 1856 to S415, S67; and in
| 1857 to Sl89, 456; making altogether for the
| seven years an aggregate of only 81 900, 1876.
| and showing deficit of So l59, 605l
Comments on these figures are unnecessary,
| but to what a world of reflections do they
| give rise! A year ago the Collins line was in
| its glory, and now where is it? This company
had capital of 81, 100000, which has been
employed ten years, and during this time the
stockholders have received 35 per cent in
| Hf.rfI IL hatnp md holf
per annum. The stock has never been sold as
high as par, and now the company is bankrupt
| the entire capital has disappeared, and the
| ships are mortgaged for more than they will
| ever realize.
The causes of this terrible reverse are tc
some extent unfathomable. The melancholy
fate of the Arctic entailed no pecuniary loss
| as she was fully insured; neither did that o.
| the Pacific; but the prestige of the line sunk
| with those ships. The number of passengers
transported by this line averaged more thar
by the Cunard line-the mail pay was nearly
double, and yet bankruptcy and ruin has be
! fallen it. What has been the causes Can any
one give us clew to this unparalleled down
fall, which is a disgrace both to the manage
ment of the line aud to the nation which S,
long and SO literally fostered it!
1t is to be feared that there have been too
many heads and too much management. Mr.
COlllns ulIlSSll, 81 lOllH ne uau the eHblT
control, proved adequate to the task. and tn
dividends declared during that period ar
evidence of his ability; but both he and hi
ships have fallen mysteriously into the hand
of certain New York bankers whose patriot
ism and enterprise centre solely in thei
vaults and strong boxes. Like the usurers 0
old, they want their 50 monish,' and so tn
Adr;atic and Atlantic are securely locked u
at the New York wharves, and the Balti
probably at those of Liverpool.
One of Mr.. Collins grand errors has bee
the indulgence of his magnificent ideas in al
the departments of his line. He is a tru
American, and his national pride was to ren
der the line under his charge superior in al
respects to any other in the world. He sue
ceedcd for time, but in conducting the RI
valry he soon plunged into the most rockies
extravaganza, and was only met with its nal
ural result.
There is one other view of the case tina
must not be overlooked. II we believe i
an overriding Providence and in retributiy
Justice, as exemplihed in such affairs as THU
we may, perhaps obtain the clew above aske
for. In our beloved country, the purity
our Legislators is one of the greatest saft
guards of our liberties. When bribery an
corruption enter our legislative halls. we ma
well say that the republic in danger. Ma
il not be that this company, as heretofor
boldly alledged, cannot show clean hands /
this respect, and is. therefore, but reaping
righteous retribution.