The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-31
TARDY OCEAN MAILS.

ETFEcr OF INFRINGEMENT IN THE Hn1IisH
NAIL sERvIcE-rHE DELAY AND LOSS TO
AMERICAN IMPORTERS
Up TO the LIST OF January last tho Cupard and nmsn
lines OF oceau steamers under contract with the
British government 10 transport the American mall
from Queenstown. Unacr the arrangement made
steamers sailing from Liverpool Thursday stopped
tho next day At Queenstown and took on board tho
mail bags from London the evening previous on
the last mail train by way OF Holyhcad, thus allowing
merchants bankers several hours to make up their
correspondence alter tho timo Of sailing from Liver
pool As the hour departure from Liverpool ID gov
BY tho tide the delay at Queen In waiting
Tor the mails the following day varies from five to
eight hours aud usually adds day 10 tho time required
10 mako the passage the ocean. The steamship
companies were paid &, SO for every time thcy called
n Queenstown undor the contract, but since 1t cx
pired tho government has, a q matter OF economy,
adopted the American system Of paying only the
ocean postage the amount OF nail matter taken
board. BY this new arrangement the steamers stop.
ping at Queenstown for tho service sum vary
ing from $500 to $70O, which they consider entirely
inadequate. In consequence the steamers Of the
lnman and White Star lines tho latter acting In the
service OF The formcr) have declined TO act ms carriers
and result is great and loss TO importers
In this country occasoncd by delay IN receipt OF their
correspondence
rnx cAusx or rAx rRouBLE
Mr. John q. Dale, agent 81 tho lnman line, made the
following statement regarding the matter 10 IA HERALD
reporter yesterday Their company had received ire
quent complaints from importers stating that the
freight brought over by neir steamers often arrived
days ahead Of the mails containing the in
aud other papers necessary to pass the goods
through tho Custom House, anu that consequently
they we're not only kept waiting but put TO the ex
pcnsc Of carriage IN the public warehouses
their goods IN the Interim The American exporters
In Liverpool have protested strongly against having
their Invoices sent By Tho slow stcsiners For in-
stance, tho steamer which sailed from the other side
flO Vvh iIo fhn
bills OF laaing ana invoices o. nor cargo, Thlch
came by tho steamer carrying tho mails, dd
SIX o'clock in tho evening, ana consequently
not delivered until Monday the 2lst, delay OF
more than week; ING goods nad meanwhile been EEL,
consignecs because they did not have the papers 10
pass Them through the Custom House The steamer
which lett tho other side on the 18th arrived here
the I'D while tho mails containing tho papers relating
her cargo did arrive until the 24h SO that tho
importers were again compelled 10 wait two days for
their goods anu burdencd with the expense OF
storage Again. the steamer which sailed Tor This port
on the 10Th arrived the 2Sth aud tho consgnees
necessary to obtain their goods. The loss accustomed
ny this condition OF Affairs not alone the expense OF
carng and storing the goods, but that entaeu by tho
delay IN their delivery
WHERE TIN rAuLr Lies.
We are not to blame IN The matter, as we are per-
fcc,iy willing to carry the mails while we can do so
without loss TO ourselves The British government
had adopted the American plan In incomplete form,
which subjects ITS mail carriers to great delay and n-
convenience While tue New York Post Office author
tiles close their mails FOR Europe IN accordance with
the sailing schedule furnished by the steamship
panies the English officials set up an nHcxibIe sched
ue, having regard Tor time tide, aud require the
carriers conform 10 1t. In this way the steamers
are frequently compelled to lie ut Queenstown IRON
FIVE eight hours the ARRIVAL OF the mail ran and
thus perhaps be delayed whole day In thoir voyage
through missing tide.
Now" continued. Mr. Dac, ''if have
four five hundred passengers on board,
you easily imagine that during u delay
OF that kind II would cost rs much TO feed
them the government now pays for the mail
service. We usually mako stay Of only twenty
minutes for passengers when we have no mails to
carry Tor agents are informed by Telegraph Of our
coming and send out tue and their luggage
on tugboat 10 meet US. Wo have been ccnsured for
carrying tho mails ny many people who do not
derstand the circumstances We offered to carry tho
mails from Liverpool aud 20 open private mali bag
for the accommodation of merchants, but the offer
declined the ground that would decrease by
much the receipts OF tie companies now bolding
the contract. IL Is penny wise, pound foolish ar
rangement by which the British government Is at.
tempting 10 coercc the steamship companies into call
ing nj Queenstown