New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-29
OCEAN POSTAGE.

A PROBABLE CHANGE IN THE METHOD OF
TRANSPORTING THE FOREIGN MAILS.
THE TRIBUNE's Washington dispatches OF
yesterday alluded to o difficulty which has arisen be-
tween the Postal Department and the Cunard, Inman'
Bremen, and Hamburg lines OF steamers, ~Dch nave
heretofore carried the foreign malls Tho faes as stated
in the interest the steamship companies are as f0OWs
About two months ago tho General agreed TO
postal convention with Great Britain by which postage
between the two countries reduced from twelve 10
six cents per letter On the 23d OK December inc lines
now carrying mails from this port were notified that
after the LIST Of January 1870, they would only get two
cents letter. or six cents an ounce, Ior caIynS NY
mails and receipt OF this notification they lnInediae
The service The postofce authorities negotiating
with the man Anchor, and several other lines 10 carry
the mails. but the negotiations have not YET D9en c1n
cuded The amount paid TO the Cunard line alone Tor
tins service last year was sl67,OOO ,. ,ou,
the present contract expires on Saturday. January
l. 1874. this movement on the part OF the companies
forces the Department to take immediate action tney
wish 10 send of the regular mail next week Postmaster
General Creswell and Mr. Blackboard the superintendent
of Foreign Mails arrived In town last night ana they
others TO the best mode OF arranging the n"tlel,
charged by these steamers for rstclass freight Is
$40 per tun less thaa ro nan cSG6 rdS%Ires
less trouble than the mails they merely taken on
aud put or requiring no handling at all While on 3oaru
the past ten years been 90 cents ounce or 6s
per tun Following out his principal OF eheap postage,
Mr. Creswe has agreed with the English Government TO
reduce the postage required letters to six cents IN
stead of H. Al this time last year 1t was reduced from
"a 10 l2 Occasonng great increase OF correspondence
In order 20 balance In some degree the dlninutoh III
charges Mr.. Creswe decided To diminish also the ln-
freight paid these steamboats, 10 SIX cents per
ounce $50 per tun. The steamboat mOnopoes nav
ing refused to accept Government freight Oh THESE
terms or at two hundred times the price charged
private individuals, seem now likely 10 lose tIelr
lat Job altogether. What Mr. Creswe Intends to 90 we
are at liberty but lie says he determined tnat
foreign steamship mOnopOlics shall not interfere WIN
the grand future OF cheap postage 1t is hoped on al
sides that this occurrence, which shows now dependent
We are Oh foreign lines Of steamers may sur up he peo
pie 10 start an American steamship line. As to Govern
ment subsidies, this postage business alone when VIII
pay over SIPS per year for the transportation OF nVe
tuus Of Letters per month, would be subsidy OIhe BE
sides which Congress may become excited over TINS 'Jarp
trick which las been attempted on them, ana RNr iur
ther all 10 an opposition line under the America nag
And II the boys get at them," as Mr. CresV1 re-
marked referring to the United States Congress, they
Will make short work Of them" The plan upon which
the Postal department working is to agree upon
cheap international postage with all the nations OF Luz
rome possible, and to follow up by unlYer-
raj none order system which will greatly increase the
opportuutes Of the poor for INSTRUMENTATION, ana
consequently tend 10 increase engratlon as wen as u
the benefit Of the whole public