The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-02-24
LATEST FROM WASHINGTON.
cclal kilograms to the Dispatch.

Special kilograms to the Dispatch.
WASHINGTON, February %, 1870.
The Mediterranean and Oriental
Steam Navigation COn,pany-1ts OBJ
Eects-fts Officers Visit the PreSi.
dent-EAe Approves Of their PLANS.
4 number of the officers and members of
the Mediterranean and Oriental Steam
Navigation Company of New York to-day
had an interview with the President. Mr..
.Tewett, manager of the company, informed
the President that the object of the visit
was to state to him that q steamship COM
pany had been chartered in New York by
the name of the Mediterranean and Oricn-
tai Steam Navigation Company, the objects
Of which were to establish lines Of steam
ships between the southern portion OF Eu-
rope and New York, Norfolk. Charleston,
and other ports, to cultivate trade and COM
mcrcc with those countries, and also to
promote and induce immigration to this
country from the countries bordering on
the Mediterranean.
The President said he appreciated the
importance to our country of the restora-
ton of its commerce, and that he favored
any plan that would meet the views of
Congress in reference to giving aid to all
such enterprises as the one which the gem
tleman represented. He was of the
opinion that the very worst plan that the
Government could adopt to give aid and
support to our own steamship lines would
be better for the country than none at all.
Mr.. Clarke then went into details as to
the prospects and intentions of the COM
pany.
Mr.. Steiner, the chief engineer, also cx-
planned the plan Of the ships the company
proposed to build. They are to be con-
structed SO that they can soon be turned
into formidable iron war vessels if neces-
sary.
Mr.. Burlis, of North Carolina. stated
that the laboriug classes in his State were
fast diminishing in number, and that it
was almost impossible to obtain farm hands
at any price. He said that within o few
months past over fifteen thousand colorcd
people had emigratcd from North Carolina
to States further south. To foster and pro-
mote emigration by this steamship COM
pany from the countries of the Mediterra-
mean to North Carolina would be national
blessing. Those people are used to the
same agriculture as that of North Carolina,
and it would be of mutual interest for them
to come.
The President said he was aware Of the
emigration Of laborers from Virginia and
North Carolina to States further south, and
knew of no better plan to fill their places
than by emigration from these countries in
southern Europe.
Mr.. Loring, Of Massachusetts, said he
knew Massachusetts would endorse the Pre-
sident in the opinion that any plan adopted
to aid this company and all other similar
companies would be better than no plan at
all.
The President said he thought the money
obtained by the foreign steamship lines for
freight and passengers, besides the carry
ing of our mails, was too much for our
country to lose, and he was decidedly in
favor of something being done at once to
establish our own steamship lines with the
whole world.
Proposed Reduction of Letter Postage.
MIR. Bowen, of the Independent, appeared
before the House Postal Committee to-day
and made an argument in favor of reducing
the letter postage to one cent. He presented
some statistics concerning this matter
whereby large reduction of the expense
for carrying on the Post Office Department
can be secured. He also stated that there
were capitalists in New York city repre-
senting 100000, 900 who are ready to per-
form the service Of carrying the letters at