The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-07-15

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TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
SAILING PACKETS.
| New York gained her maritime supremacy by the
establishment OF regular lines Of packets. which sailed
at stated times for the principal cities Of Atlantic Europe
These ships which first Of from four hundred to
five hundred gradually increased TO the enormous
dimensions Of from thousand i've hundred TO two
thousand tons register The advantages Of their arrange
ments their speed their Injurious accommodations and
regularity of sailing continued to make them popu
lar and to secure for the favor Of the shippers
Almost the trade of Europe was carried by these
| vessels Even foreigners gave them the preference
Several American and European cities strove emulate
| the New York system, but failed They could not com
pete with the symmetrical beauty of the New York
ships nor with their magnncence and organization
New York had the prestige Nevertheless British capt.
talsts, jealous of our maritime growth, and unable TO
cope with the packet rivalry, made strenuous efforts
to outdo us by Innovations The little steamer Sirius
which twenty eight years ago led the van followed
by the Great Western and in time by several other
steamers but with no better success than that attending
| the pioneers Company after company organized
and sunk their capital remained for Messrs Cunard
backed by the British government to establish the
successful transatlantic line and to give the quietus to
| our boosted packets Some of the packet lines still
exist freight vessels than passenger convey
ance-freight which will not pay steamers 70 take.
CLIPPERS PRorEILERs.
British constructors, bafed in their efforts TO pc
with packet shpbuders turned their attention TO
another innovation, iron shipbuiding These vessels
could be built with sharper lines and have greater buoy
ancy. II about this time that shpbuders
ceved the idea of clipper ships for long voyages These
ships of great speed comparatively little carrying
capacity immense wear, tear and depreciation. They
| failed is could not be otherwise. They have dsap-
aud half how nlapf har nlar
clipper ships stimulated transatlantic friends to
action and brought forth their propellers Au fat in
the art of iron sbpbuding 1t required only the appca
ton of steam and improvement in the lines of the
vessels to give them the supremacy. Very wherever
steam and sails competed for passengers the latter gave
way the former; matter how fast clippers
puted be- steam, and certainty of passage had the
ascendancy.
AMERICAN LINES OF TRANSATLANTIC STEAMERS
The first New York and Lv erpool line of was
that commonly known as the "Collns Line" It was
backed by the United States government the
of $s5s 900 per annum for twenty six round trips
rate of $50 900 per round trip This line ended
in 1883 The steamers built at enormous cost
and took fabulous sums to them. This line was in
auguraed with grand ourshes Of boasts, predictions,
contemplated trumphs &c. The line made short pas
sages. but sunk capital fuss and feathers in the
beginning, and muto fdco in the end The Pacific and
Arctic lost the Adratc sold abroad the Allan.
tic and Baltic were laid up The two latter steamers
were chartered 10 the government pending hostities
and now figure In the American Lloyds' line Of steam
shiRs
United States, HERMANN Franklin and Washington
were also subsidized by the government Some Of the
vessels lost, others Sold the line disappeared
This line received yearly subsidy Of $1,000
The Vanderbilt Havre line-vanderbilt and Arie-did
well. The former a very fast boat. This line dis
appeared their owner having more profitable employment
The last OF the United States Oceanic lines and 10 our
opinion the only American one cxtant, the New York
and Havre line, composed Of the Arago and Fulton,
withdrawn at the commencement OF the The
chartered to the government for transport
purposes. AT the termination OF the war these two
popular vessels repaired, reed and renewed their
trips to Europe But during their retirement powerful
the Hayro ana New YORK line
The Arago and Fulton continue to have their full
share o. passenger THIS s in measure due 70 the
up 70 the times They too small too SLOW and have
age against them. Tho Havre line needs rcorganixng
par parenthcss should DO commanded and oHcercd by
American captains and sailors. by who have been
citizenship The captains should be accomplished
learned gentlemen, convcsant with other languages
than their own This accomplishment win secure for
commanded by their countrymen. II secures better
sene eordiai and better appreciation Of their wants
There is another line flying the American Gag which
plies TO European ports. refer to the North Aner-
There is singular contradiction about this line which
needs explanation. The Lioyds advertise In the
Atlantic, 5000 tons; Baltic 5000 tons; Western Me-
tropois 1900 tons Ericsson, 22oo tons; Mcrrmac,
1900 tons. and the I ais,ssIpi 1900 tons
tnue to be advertised as forming part OF the New
Orleans Star Limo Of Steamships" They there
toned Of 1000 tons This varied statement caused
to seek in the American Loyds for the tonnage and
rates Of these vessels found them follows
;1 Western SH a. 1s AZ Ene oD'
1902 tons not rated Merrmac, 1891 tons, Al; Misss-
II Is said that the Baltic and Western Metropolis are
the only two vessels actually purchased and paid for by
the Lloyds that the Atlantic Is heavily morgaged, and
vessels belong de fdcto TO this line cannot say II Is
important information, hear that the agents and
directors have applied TO the government for subsidy
srRsrprgs-1Hr rosrxAsTER GENERALS OPINION
II Ia evident from the Postmaster Generals report OF
last years mail service that he prctends 10 be bitterly
opposed TO substituting steam lines. He says:-'sThe
argument In support OF heavy subsidies TO
make American lines compete successfully with British
steamers loses much OF it, force when IL s remembered
tnat the postage earnings Of the British packets
on the mas which they convey retained by the gov
| Post once The british portion Of the postage,
see and inland, upon the mails exchanged with
lines d1na the ps weary 10
s456 000 TO this sum be added the postage mails
carried 10 and from the North American colonies Of which
this department has Official data, but which must
have been quite large, IT will DO found that the actual
bonus paid 70 that line in OF the postage earnings
WA bmeii, aitnouRn tue nominal SUBSIDY u dl1o,dW
II seems to me thar tho Postmaster Generals argument
should induce Congress TO subsidze transatlantic
lines viii use the Postmaster Generals figures 10 prove
that II will cost government only nominally small
sum 10 protect and American shipping interests
and will use his argument prove that Great Britain s
not loser BY the subsidy granted 90 the Cuhards The
report states that he aggregate postage sea- inland and
| foreign, upon tho correspondence exchanged with
i Europe amounted 20 81, 4lo $50 7on
"fhe amount Of United States postage sea and inland
was with Great Britain and the continent Of Europe
$3.50, 156r
The cost Of the United states transatlantic service
performed by steamships receiving the postage only
was t40S.sIp OF this amount the Dale line received
e2l335o; the Canadian line s7i 106; New York, south
ampton and Bremen line, s70273; New York, South
ampton and Hamburg line, s47 1850 These are all for
cgn lines which rcaed the harvest OF American postal
remuneration. The Postmaster General Is thus protect
ing foreign shipping while In his opposition 70 subsl-
Dies he WORKS against the shipping interests OF his own
country
Did 4 ever 70 the Postmaster General that sub