The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-08-10
THE FOREIGN MAILS.
The Postmaster General and the
Steamship Lines.


lean steamship companies-the Pacific
Mail, San Francisco to Australia; the
Red ID, New York to Venezuela; the
Clyde, New York to Turks island; the
New York, Havana and Mexico, and the
New York and Cuba line-have declined
to carry the United States mails after to-
day Commenting upon this action,
Postmaster General Villas to-day said
" Certain American steamship lines,
probably under the lead of the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company, entered into a
combination apparently with the purpose
OF forcing the distribution among them OF
100000 appropriated by Congress for
mileage compensation for carving the
mails. Some of them wrote to the Post
Office Department, desiring to know
what terms would be given. 1 proposed
to each of the companies to go to the full
limit the law would allow and award
them both sea and inland postage. This
Is about three times what they had been
receiving for the same service during the
past twelve years. 1t is three times what
Is paid for carriage a geE es The atlantic
and pro53ass baby bly, in most cases all that
/ should be paid for carrying the mails.
The companies were still acting in con-
cert and in consequence of their combina-
ton refused to accept these terms, which
were SO liberal, compared with thos
| they had received, that they felt, sup
pose, that they could drive the Govern
| ment out of the position it had taken by
refusing to carry the mails for the COM
pensation offered. The companies seemed
to think that if they refused to carry the
mails there would be no other course left
to the Government but to make contracts
with them and distribute the $500 900
accordingly.
"A complete schedule for the trans
portatiOn of mails will be arranged, and
they will go with very little difference, in
point of time, to their destination. A
statement has been made in the news
papers to the effect that the United States
Government is not as liberal as Great
Britain in the compensation of steamship
lines. The fact is, the rate which has
been offered our lines very much exceeds
the rate paid by Great Britain. The rate
we offer is about SO per cent more than
the British lines receive from their Gov
eminent. 1t was a rate uniustifably
large, more than ought to be paid, but
the Government deemed it fair to 90 to
the utmost length which law and reason
allowed In order to avoid any differences
with American steamship companies
until Congress should meet. The de-
partment has made such arrangements
that the public will suffer no inconyeni-
ence worthy of mention in respect to
carrying the mails, and in some cases,
notably the Cuban service, the mails will
be expedited"
The superintendent of Foreign Mails
said that the American companies had
refused an offer of 81 60 per pound for
carrying the mails This is what is
known as combined sea and inland post
age, and is equivalent to $32 per ton.
They receive at present the international
rate, or A cents per pound.
The Postmaster General has directed
the following changes to be made in the !
dispatch of correspondence for foreign |
countries, to take effect on the LIST of |
August: Mails for Cuba, heretofore dis |
patched by sea from New York, will be /
forwarded to Key West, via Tampa, Fla, |
for dispatch to Havana by the steamer
which leaves Key West every Wednes-
day and Friday. Correspondence for
New Zealand and the Australian Colo
MES, heretofore included in the mails
made up at San Francisco for dispatch to
those colonies direct, will be forwarded
exclusively via Great Britain in mails
made up at New York, as well as at San
Francisco. There being only one dis
patch during August next Con the Ist
prox.) from San Francisco for China and
Japan direct, correspondence for China,
Japan and the East Indies will be also
orwarded until the 10th of August via
Great Britain, in mails made up at New
York, to contain all registered CORE
pondence for the destinations above
named.
A Challenge to the World.
DETROIT, July 31st.-The well-known
porting man, Ed. Fl. Gilman, issues a
hallenge to any oarsman in the world,
nd especially to Beach of Australia, to 9
ow Hanlan on the Detroit river any dis :
ance and at any time agreed upon, for
5000 side. Gilman will put up $500
r 81 900 forfeit with any reliable news
aper in the United States, and will put :
P the whole 5000 before Beach leaves )
if necessary. :
h