The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-06

to eitnerpo3t department under the practical work
ing OF suoa system would be- more tnan comp sa,
| The abolition or intricate and vexaous accounts
This principle has already been adopted In the con
ventons with some or the countries with which tn
United States has direct postal relations, and 1t u
hoped that The post departments OF others will als'
see the propriey or adopting H. IS q means OF sim
| changes.
the excess of collections in the United States ovcr
the postaQes collected In Europe upon the letter cor
respondence exchanged with Great Britain, th'
| North German Union, France, Belgium, the Neither
lands. switzerland and Italy was S374924 sxty-twt
per cent OF the entire international postage cnarge
having been collected In TINS country. Tolls result I
owing mainly 10 failure TO prepay hostages abroad
The excess Of like collections during the previous
| year was S4T4.020 These excessive collections Of
postage in the United States cause heavy balances
terly accounts with the respective fore IN posG oe
partments. Daring the last ascal year the aggregate
OF such balances amounted to SlS5 1856.
The steamship lines employed by this department
In the transportation OF the mails TO Great riiain
services from New York. weekly service IRON Que
bee IN summer and Portland IN winter, and three
salion the sea hostages on the mails conveyed
The earnings OF the respective lines amounted to
me sne SUN M, q s,Sd. 2o1, a. follows
trips from New York 10 SOutha npton... $50, 431
The Cunard line, for fity-two trips nom New
York 10 queenstown. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. lists
The Hamonrg- American Packet company,
Tor hfty-two trips 70 southampton, so. 'es-
timating fourth quarter at $50, 1oa 500
The lnman line, Tor fiity-twO trips from New
YORK to Queenstown. ...................... 1860
The Canadian me, Tor dny-two trips 50
the Baltimore and Liverpool steamship 49,
Company. for three trips from Baltimore
10 Liverpool. Observation-Disclosures. A
nMsking total of.......................s $3.50 2,T
Tue cost of the United States transatlantic mail
steamship service for the fiscal year 1857 was $55
and for tho year 1885, $42 774the iuced rates OF
sea postage established oy the present postal con-
venton with Great Britain having boon Ia operation
during the last SIX monlhs Of the year 1883.
The United states pOseages on the mails conveyed
to and from the West Indies amounted 70 Sss . a.
and the compensation paid Tor their transportation
was k69,S0
There was also paid to the owners of steamships
conveying mails TO and from Central America Mex
leo, Nova Scotia, &C.. under the provisions Of the
general law lmlting the compensation to the post.
penditure for ocean mail transportation under tho
general law Of S4lS BAL Adding the special appro-
and Cnina, 60 Brazil and to the Hawaiian ISLANDS
wnch amount to $,25.0O0. tho total cost Of the
United states ocean mail service for the year 1860
was 81 49, 41. The tabular statements in the ap-
pendix furnish detailed Information OF the opera.
lions Of the foreign mail service during the year.
year by The steamers Of inc Japan and CHINA line
the regular monthly service required by law having
been commenced IN the month OF August 1858. and
subsequently maintained without interruption the
attention oil Congress was called by my predecessor
IN mis- last annual report TO tue expectancy OF pro-
vidng for an increase OF service this line on
oompletl0 Of the Pacific Railway across our cont.
nent. This great national highway has been opened
San francisco IN direct. speedy and certain commu-
nicatlOn by rail Win the commercial cities OF the At
lanto lseaboard and the period IS not distant when
CHINA will require the employment OF additional
steamers on TINS route. Tae question OF providing
for increase OF mail service to selnl-mOnthly, on
such terms WILL under the circumstances, be just,
well 10 tho Contractors to the government, Is
respectfully submsJei to the dIscreOn OF Congress.
the necessity OF some legislation to encourage the
ree5taO. t5hmsnt OF American lines OF transabiantlo
steamers Is apparent IRON tne fact that OF the many
nr atnatp NJ mr. nj m vpl N a
carrying trade between this country and Europe,
there not one steamer bearing tue American nag.
only that our vast commerce with Europe Ii mono
p0lized by foreign steamship lines but that even the
mails we send abroad have TO be transported under
the protection or foreign governments
The experience OF the last lew years clearly de-
monstrate6 that sailing vessels can no longer sue
cessfuly compete IN the Carrying Trade 0l the word
with vessels propelled BY steam. This iact admitted
IL follows that some legislation Is required to
courage American ocean steam Navigation. and TO
revive the great marGIme interests OF the country.
The subject occupied the attention OF Congress at
the last session out the mu.upiiciy OF steamship
terests seeking governments aid prevented any ap-
Propositions have been made to this department
by parties represented as responsible and expert
once IN ocean steam Navigation to contract for the
conveyance OF the United States mails to European
ports by American steamships Of the nrst class an
equal speed to the fastest steamers now carrying
the mails, at q compensation limited TO the amount
OF posfages upon condition that the department.
should bind itself Tor long term Of years. subject
in connection to Xix the rats OF sea postage at
two cents per half ounce But as the general law
relating to contracts ior carrying the mails ON tue
to o term not exceeding two years, have declined
all proposals to contract Tor a longer time, not de-
slrng any manner to forestall the action OF Con-
gress upon q subject OF SO mucn Importance.
II 1t be possible, l snou greatly prefer such
legislation by Congress would SO far revive and
encourage our own shipbuIdng interests as to
enable American builders and mechanics enter
into active compettlon In the construction and
m and
mechanics OF other countries. II, however, 1t
should be decided that this cannot De done, then
would respectfully suggest the propriety OF 80
modifying our navigation laws as to authorize the
issuing OF American registers to such foreign built
cisizens Of the United states under contracts with
TINS department In the transportation Of our foreign
mails.
Should either of these recommendations 90 adopt.
ed, and authority given to the Postmaster General
to contract for the conveyance Of mails by sea for
term OF ten or fifteen years, at compensation not
to exceed postages 1t Is believed that lines
OF first class American steamers would be speedily
established for the conveyance OF our mails and
fregnts across tbs Atlantic aud that taerepy great
benefits would inure 70 the commercial ana other
interests OF the United states.
An additional article to our postal conventions
with Switzerand aud Italy, respectively has
ecuted, which mobiles the rule Of accounting I'M
changed in the malls with each OF those countries,
Copies thereof are annexed
convention with Brazil regulating the reciprocal
exchange OF correspondence with that empire by
means OF the subsidized line OF mail steamships
plying between New ork ana Rio Janeiro, have not
boon attended with the success anticipated A mod
lied projet OF articles has recently been submitted
| by this department. through the Departments OF
State, which 1t Is hoped Will DO accepted BY the
governments OF Brazil.
Inc present postal convention between the United
States and France was concluded on March g. 1857.
IL establishes combined rate OF International post
age at fifteen cents per quarter ounce equal to thirty
cents per half ounce higher rate than 10 charged
upon correspondence between the United States and
any other civilized nation with which we are In direct
communication. II IL incomplete In that 1t makes no
provision for the exchange Of mailabe articles
other than letters. 1t adopts an exceptional stand
ard weight OF oneqnarter ounce for the single rate
OF letters, dierlng from the uniform standard Of
one-half ounce established with all other countries.
The postage charge for letters is exorbltantly high
compared with the cheaper rates recently adopted
practical operation II IL very unequal, giving unfair
EEan falIa