Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-02
DOMESTIC NEWS.
Washington Notes, from Cur own Corre-
sp0ndent.


that the continuance OF the existing line OF
steamships running between San Francisco,
the Sandwich Islands, New Zealand and
Australia is seriously impeliled by the charge
| of about $780, per annum made by our
Government for the transportation OF the
Australian closed mails across the continent,
and he is therefore actively interesting him
self to induce Postmaster-Generalk Key to re-
duce this charge for transportation, and If
possible, to relinquish it wholly. Davis, for
this purpose, is drawing up letter in which
he expects to be joined by all the
other members Of the Pacific coast delegation,
setting forth the great present ana pros
pective benefits to our country of the trade
and travel induced by this line, that would
be cut off i'll a great measure by its discon-
tinuance, and calling attention also to the fol-
lowing fact, which as yet are by no means
generally known: 1t appears that the
British Government, viewing with Jealousy
the profits derived by our people, not
only from the transcontinental travel, but
more especially from our trade with Austria
LA and New Zealand (which now paws us a
cash balance of about S., 000, 900 per annum)
has already taken steps to divert the travel
and trade to England, via Suez Canal. For
this purposea fast steamship line has been SUBJ
sidized, touching at Ceylon and carrying the
English mails via the Suez Canal and Brindisi
Italy (no mails being sent now via the South
ampten steamers) and the rate of postage by
the new line has been reduced to seven-pence
with prospect of further reductions, and as
an additional means of detaching New South
Wales and New Zealand from the support of
tie line to San Francisco, and thereby break
ing it down, the English Government makes
our heavy charge for continental transporta-
ton a subject of persistent complaint to these
provincial Governments, and threatens to add
it to the heavy burden which they already
sustain in the payment of S450,000 annual
subsidy TO this line, which is more perhaps,
for our profit than their own, as we derive
the largest share of benefit from their
trade and travel, and pay nothing
whatever to the steamships for car
rying our own mails except the beg
carly amount of the sea-postage. 1t is
believed that Postmaster General Key, in
view of his recent recommendations for the
establishment of ocean postal lines by grants
of liberal compensation, will regard this fore
Swallowed suggestion with great favor, es-
pecially at there seems to be no reason to
doubt that the present governmental charge
for transporting the Australian mail across
the United States is largely in excess of what
it really costs.
General Ben. Simpson, of Portland. has
been appointed Special Agent of the Post
office Department FOR Oregon, Washington
Territory and Idaho.
W. D. Harrow, Collector of Customs at
for an allowance OF drawback ON ali
tin used in the manufacture of cans
whether the solder be composed of
imported lead or not. 1t appears that draw
backs are not now allowed if native lead is
used for this purpose. and salmon packers
are therefore compelled to use imported lead
at high prices, or else forego the benefit of any
drawback on tin. Alsub- committee of the
Ways and Means Committee of the House
have agreed to report favoraby' on the pro-
posed bill.
Ex-senator Mitchell is here, representing
the Oregon Railway and Navigation Com
pany in land matters before the Secretary of
the Interior, and also as its counsel in some
cases pending in the Supreme Court.
Pacific nail Steamship Company New
Departure.
Especial to the REcoED-UNIeN.I
New YORK, February 1st.-The -Times
says: The Pacific Mail Steamship Compa-
ny's Directors held meeting yesterday after
noon in their Office, and agreed upon the fol-
lowing form of a circular, which is to be sent
out to shippers at once.
NEW YORK, January 90 1880.
To Shippers of Freight TO Cal fornia-Dear sirs
You hereby notified that on and after the Ilth
of February this company will be prepared to name
the rates OF freight from New York to San Francisco
VIA the Isthmut OF Panama, and contract for the
same with shippers for term of twelve months
from that day. For rates, freight and other in
formation, apply to II. J. Bullay, Superintendent
at the office of the company, foot of Canal street.
North river, New York. BY order of the Board
No definite schedule of freight rates was
decided upon, for the reason that the vessel
sailing on the 10th is already full. Between
now and the 18th another meeting
will be held and the extent OF
the reduction contemplated will be
determined. The new schedule which will
then be drawn up, will apply to the vessel
sailing on the 10Th, which will either be the
Colon or Crescent City, probably the former
1t was decided yesterday, however, to cut
down the fare Of steerage passengers So more
below the amount previously stated. The
rates will be S75 for first class and s35 for the
steerage from here to San Francisco, and
these go into effect at once. The fact that
the company expresses a willingness to make
contracts for twelve months ahead was
pointed to yesterday afternoon by one of
the officers as proof of their unalterable
determination to carry on to the bitter end
the war now begun with the railroad
companies. The existence of such con-
tracts would, he said, leave no loophole
for compromise, and merchants there.
fore can rest assured that the days of
extortion for them has passed forever. The
Directors of the company were, he asserted,
firmly convinced that this was the only
remunerative course for them to pursue
Under the old contracts with the railway
companies the steamship company was
allowed 600 tons of freight per vessel. To
get around this the railway companies were
In the habit of sending lots of scrap iron and
other undesirable stuff, and if the steam
ship company refused to carry the material
claim was set up that it had violated its
part of the agreement, and when it sought to
get the money under stipulation, it was re-
fused. Disputes over this question were con-
slant, and the result was that the steamship
company was glad to compromise for what.
ever il could get. Under the contract
with the Panama Railroad Company the
steamship company pays the latter
the fixed sum of $4,000 per month for
the San Francisco business, and conse.
ouentlv it will cost no more to transport
across the Isthmus 1000 tons of freight and
100. 900 passengers than it would five tons or
Eve passengers. Should, as is expected, the
new order of things result in largely in
creased business, the.company has prepared to
meet it by entering into a contract with j Ohm
Roach & Sons, whereby these gentlemen
agree to furnish all irst-class vessels, equal in
size and appointments to the City OF Para
and Rio Janeiro. that such increase NAV
make requisite. During the past year the
Chinese traffic of the company has largely
increased both ways, and on the last "trip OF
the CITY of Peking the total receipts were
s1S3. 600. Of which $4,000 was net profit.
The Australian business has also more than
doubled, and the Indebtedness of the corc-
pany has been decreased, so that it now
amounts all told to less than 81, 800, 000 of
switch 81, 400, COO is due to the Panama Rail-
road Company. a proposition is now under
discussion to fund this Indebtedness, and thus
lift the bill of sale on the property of the
company, given to the Panama Railroad
Company at the time of the purchase OF the
vessels of the Panama Transit Company.
The Frcedman's Bank Investigation.
WASHINGTON. February 1st.-The Senate
select committee on the Freedman's Bark are
still taking testimony in regard to the affairs
of that institution, and viii examine addi-
tional witnesses at series of meetings
throughout the present week but the inves-
tigation has now drawn nearly to its close.
The committee. it is understood, will regret
that, in consequence of the deaths of some
persons responsible for the banks bad man
agement, and the present impecuniosity Of
the remainder, nothing can now be done for
the further relief of the depositors, except to