The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-08-06
A NOVEL STRIKE.

The Pacific Mail and Other steamship Com
panies Refuse to Carry the Mails, which
Causes the Postmaster General to Stat
Some Plain Facts.
WASHINGTON, August Five Ameri-
can steamship companies-the Pacific Mail,
San Francisco to Australia: the Red D.
New York to Venezuela; the Clyde, New
York to Turks Island; the New York, Ha-
vana & Mexico and the New York and
Cuba, lines have declined to carry the
United States mails after to-day. In con-
menting upon this action Postmaster Cen
eral Villas said: Certain American steam
ship lines, probably under the lead of the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company, entered
into combinai on with the purpose Of
forcing the distribution among them of the
$500, 900 appropriated by Congress for mile
age compensation for carrying the mails.
Some Of them wrote to the Post-office De
partment, desiring to know what terms
would be given l proposed to each of the
companies to 90 to the full limit that the
law could allow, and award to 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 across the Atlantic, and it is
probably in most cases all that should be
paid for carrying the mails. The companies
were still acting in concert, and in cOnse-
Quence Of their combination, Tefused to ac-
cept these terms, which were SO liberal as
compared with those they had had. They
feel, ] suppose that they car drive the Gov
eminent out of the position II had taken By
refusing to carry the mails for the cOmpen-
satiOn offered The companies seemed TO
think that if they refused TO carry the
mails, there would be no ether course left
TO the Government but TO make contracts
with them and distribute the money, $780,
600, accordingly. A complete schedule for
the transportation of mails has been or
ranged, and they will all &c with very little
difference in point Of time to the point of
destination. A statement has been
made in the newspapers to the effect
that the United States Government is
not as liberal as Great Britain in cOmpen-
sating steamship lines. In point of fact,
the rate which has been offered to our lines
very much exceeds the rate paid by Great
Britain. The rate we offered is about sixty
three per cent. more than British lines re-
ceiVe from their Government 1t was a
rate unjuStifiably large, more than ought TO
be paid out. The Government deemed il
fair To 20 TO the utmost length which
law and reason allowed. In order TO avoid
any difference with the American steam
ship companies until Congress should meet.
The department has made such arrange.
ments that the public suffer no inconveni-
ence worthy of mention in respect TO carry
ing the mails and in some caSes-nOtahly
the Cuban-mailS W II be expedited The
Superintendent of the Foreign Mails said
the American companies had refused an
offer of SLIGO per pound for carrying the
mail. This Is what is known as the COM
bined
INLAND AND SEA POSTAGE,
and is equal to SIS, 200 per ton that they re,
ceive at the present rate, or A cents per
pound The Postmaster General has di-
rected the following changes to be made in
the dispatch of correspondence for foreign
countries, 10 take effect OR the 1st of An
gust: Mails for Cuba. heretofore dispatched
by sea from New York, to be forwarded 10
Key West, Fla. via Tampa, Fla, for
dispatch from Key West to Havana by
steamer, which leaves Key West for Havana
every "Wednesday and Friday. Core
Spondence for New Zealand and the Aus
tralian colonies heretofore included in the
mails made up at San Francisco, for dis
patch to those colonies, TO be forwarded .eX-
clusvely via Great Britain in mails made
up at New York as well as San Francisco.
There being only one dispatch during
August next, on the LIST proXimo, from San
Francisco for China and Japan direct, CORE
spondence for China. Japan and the East
Indies to be also forwarded until August
90, via Great Britain, in mails from New
York, as well as San Francisco mails, made
n, at New York, to contain all registered
correspondence for destinations above
named.