The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-01

appear, 1t Is not so In reality to trade ana COM
meroe If cheapness Is attained at the sacrifice OF
quick aud regular transmission.
HOmewnrd American Mails.
The following letter. which has been addressed to
the Postmaster General, has been forwarded to US
for publication
To the Right Hon. WILLIAM MONsELL, NJ. p, POST
master Gcneral:--
SIR-ln reference to extracts IRON the United
states press. winch have lately appeared IN many
British newspapers, staIlng that the Cunard Com
pany had recently submitted TO the Unlted States
postmaster General an oner 10 convey the home
ward mails to Queenstown Tree or charge appears
tous exponent that the circumstances connected
with such offer should be made known, and we
therefore beg leave to relate them to yOu:-
The nOmeward American mails were conveyed
Tor many years by the steamers OF the Cunard Com.
pany. and large portion OF them were continuing
80 to be conveyed III the rate or twenty cents per
ounce for letters, when, upon the 24h OF December,
1863 and without previous lutinati0n, our New
York agent received ieiter from the UnLed States
Post ONCE, stating thai tne rate OF sea postage Tor
letters conveyed across the Atlantic, on ana alter
LIST OF January, 1870 VIII be SIX cents per ounce"
and intmating that 'lor all letters transported by
foreign steamships this department can only allow
as compensation this reduced rate OF sea postage.n
Tne revenue accru'ng 10 US even at the higher rate
was comparatively small and was certainy not an
Has M 5s fy &a RsI
.S9a Slannary clrcumstaiicea Z s9ala barely
safe US tor the bare expenses directly cQnsequept
upon carrying mails, and which would be Incurred
IN MAINTAINING service creiita0ie alike to the
company and satisfactory TO the mercantile com.
munites on both sides OF the Atlantic. Under these
circumstances, therefore, we nad no course but to
decline the transportation Of these nomeward mails
ON the terms stated TO US, ana accordingly our
steamers ceased, on Dist December, 1869. to carry
Inem. Shortly Thereafter The United States govern.
ment made contract with the GuiOn Company by
whose steamers the mails leaving New YORK on
wednesdays have since been conveyed, but the re.
peatod expressions or dissatisfaction on part OF
chambers OF commerce, mercantile firms ana others
In regard 70 the late delivery OF letters by The Guon
AQr " rAn a mi cnnh
service for mail carrying purposes is altogether
adequate for the require Of the times, aud re-
markabiy siow comparatively, as the following alb
slract or passage shows
ABSTRACT OF AGES, NEW YORK TO QUEENS
TOWN. or THE CUNARD AND GuIoN STEAMSHIPS
ls7O.-Cunard Company-Aversge passage during
the year. days, hours, ~ minutes; iulon Com
pany, dO 10 days, Is hours. II minutes; Cunard
Company'S passage during 1870 shorter than GuiOns
by day, 10 hours, 81 minutes.
ls7l.-Cunard Company-Average passage during
the year. 0 days, Z hours, 81 minutes; GuIOn Com
pany, dO 10 days, 20 hours, minutes; Cunard
Company's passage during 1871 shorter tnan Gulon's
by day, IL nunrs, IL minutes. Cunard Company's
average passage, over two years, shorter than
Gulon's by day. IA hours, "a minutes.
Almost immediately after the commencement OF
the GuiOn contract and, subsequently. we were
again and again Appealed to by influential mer-
chants both AT home and in America, to effect II
possible, some arrangement whereby the Weanes.
day mans could be more rapidly conveyed. The
disparity In speed between the Cunard and the
Gui0n lines produced the effect OF letters being
made up IN parcels, and surreptlti0usly shipped
board the Cunard steamers, an irregulariiy Which
did our best to detect and prevent and notified
the facts 10 the BRUSH Post once, asking for In
strucuons. With the view Of removing all cause
Tor such q practice, ana, III order TO meet the
strongly expressed desires OF our constituents,
rendered TO the United States Postmaster General,
early as upon the 2ith oil May, $780, an
offer 10 carry the Wednesday mails at cur.
rent rates. but II was declined. Having, however,
ascertalned that the Guion contract was to ter
inmate on the 3lst OF December, 1871, we, on the
18TH OF that month"; again minated 10 the United
states Postmaster General that our vessels were at
III In
Kingdom at sucn rates as ne could give US. lnat
oller was rejected, and renewal OF the contract
with the Gulon company was recommended ny the
Senate committee on postal matters; but 90 willing
were we 10 meet the solicitations OF the mercantile
community that our New York agent considered 1t
right Immediately TO make the offer or free convey
ance. This proposal was likewise rejected, and we
understand that the Guion contract has been re-
newed for a term OF years.
Prior TO 1869 the whole arrangements for the
transmission OF mails between the United Kingdom
and The United States. nOmeward as well as out
ward, we're In the hands OF the British Post ONCE.
ann all our former contracts made with mat de-
partment provided Tor a mail service potn WAYS.
Under such contracts remuneration for the douue
eeivIce was made to us by the British Post once,
bul there existed an arrangement whereby the
United States Post ONCE certain amounts OF
postage on the mails conveyed, ana thus
as as Disbursement on sa'' the part "e Of
The British Post once, correspOndlngy and con-
executed between the post ofices OF the two coun-
tries whereby each nation became bound to provide
and pay for the despatcn oil It's mails to the other
nation aud under which Great Britain conceded the
power to arrange Tor the conveyance Of the home
ward mails, and at the same time agreed to foregO
The drawback she had hitherto In the form
Of postage money from the United States Post
Omce. as explained. That Convention came into
operation on Inc list of January 1869 upon which
date likewise our present British contract COM
mencod.
In negotiating the present British contract we
had at tue time 10 take into account the altered
circumstances under which, wnie the British POST
Onice required an outward service 0f the highest
nerati0p Tor q homeward service. Tie contract re.
CURED fast and valuable vessels, whose heavy run
ming ex penseS would be incurred on the return
voyage with or without mails, 10 pretty mucn the
same extent as on the outward voyage; but II was,
yeyance Of homeward mails, and thus
In some measure meet these expenses;
and FOR some time we did obtain tins
toned, II became afterwards question with us
whether at q sacrifice, we should offer TO carry
mail bags free. There could be no douot tnat the
QUICK and regular transmission OF letters which
would Chus be secured would be OF great mpol-
tance In tho interests OF commerce, and resolved
to DO all in our power TO promote the object view,
more especially considering our connection with
the conveyance OF the BRUSH mails. Inc effect,
Great Britain has entirely lost the contro OF the
homeward mails which TO this country are prooa.
oily OF greater importance than tho outward malls
and the arrangement has ultimately led to the re-
tardng OF the former mails by nearly two days. In
conclusion we beg leave 10 add That the reduced rate
vi postal compensation allowed by the United
states government cannot be regarded as an IN
ducement III Itself Tor any steamship company 10
MAINTAIN a service OF high class vessels with the
regularity and speed Indispensable In the transmits
sion OF mails so important as those between the
United States OF America and Great Britain and
leland; ana we have no hesitation IN SAYING that
adequate state remuneration IL necessary Tor the
reliable and regular continuance OF rate OF speed
higner than IL required Tor the ordinary pur-
poses OF conveying passengers and merchandise,
ana that the superior class OF transatlantic vessels,
which can alone be depended upon TO make rapid
messages throughout the year with the steady regu-
iHrty necessary Tor efficient mail service, are all
,sseis paid for services rendered) by governments