New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-28
RAa a7a

II makes difference to the people Of this country
whether this subsidy Of "a $50, 900 per snnum paid
by the British Government for its carriage Of for
oign mails is In part repaid BY the colonies. Tho
essential fact is that the total paid fsr ths
veyance Of malls 70 countries beyond for pop
ulston Of some IS 900 900 Is greater BY r than the
amount paid BY tho American Nation Of 81, 200 900.
"The POST volunteers tho statement that these
man contracts let 10 the lowest bidder invariably
without regard to the nationality Of the competing
lnes This, IL Is said, has nothing Of nc character
Of . subsidy The ststcment thai these payments
"simply for services rendered. being exactly like
the payments to railway and stage lines for carrying
tho nails Is deliberate Misrepresentation, a. ]
shall show.
The most Significant fact Of all fl The total Silence
Of Tho Post" on the subject Of the suoventons to
merchant steamers for state purposes It Is stated
In tho ocih doc uments presented TO the Parliament.
1t is well known to all shipping men, though It
to have been ignored BY Tho POST that the British
Admiralty has heen making contracts with tho
steamship companies, whereby vessels Of the required
speed mot very HIGH since It includes such vessels
the Adnat:e, Celtic and Gsllfal and fittings are
held At the deposition OF that Government for pur-
chase hire a. the op ton OF the Admiralty, and
10 consideration OF these agreements tho Admiralty
agrees 10 pay TO tho company for the vessel YES
sells so provided annual sIbventon, payable half
yearly II the ratio Of fifteen shillings per gross reg
from Tho date which the vessels respectively start
their first voyage with the mails, and continue
yearly for . minimum period Of fvs years. (Seo sec-
ton Of the corcspondonca) OF course these
subsidies arc paid only 70 vessels British built and
manned
Under Section It Is provided that In tho mail
contract shah DO taken away from tho company dur
Ing the nveyears penod the subventon shall DO at
tho rate Of twenty shillngs per gross ton per
In Lieu OF fifteen ghllings" This Is done as a part
Of tho colonial and policy OF tho Empire; but as
viii DO observed, II IL done with vessels which are
carrying tho mails and II makes n0 difference, In
point OF fact, whether the money received by those
companies comes nom the rostotaco or Admiralty
BursuA
Let US consider the effect of this upon 0 vessel Like
the Scryla, for example, a5 old ship of ,3s2 TONS
At the rate Of fifteen shilngs per ton tho subvention
would amount TO s,S4+ pounds, and about tho
for the Aurana, whilo the Etruna and the Umbria
larger ships, command larger amounts Of what may,
wo think, fairly be called subsidy The Oceanic
Navigation Company has four ships under suck con-
tracts. Propositions are pending for q similar
ransement for line OF largo ships to ply Montreal
and supplementary line on the Pacific from tho ter
minus Of tho Canadian Pacific Railway to Hong Kong
With an annual subsidy for mail carriage alone Of
As might BE- expected, the British authorities TO
qure tier vast army OF officers, civil, military and
naval, stationed In different parts OF the world, to
aud aro allowed for this service compensation
peung line. would be glad 10 take for IL.
On the whole, let Us DO thankful 10 Tho Evening
POST for ta ing tho initiative In this matter OF for
ogn mail b.dIcs. II pursued, II will bring out
Somo useful Information. and tho advocates OF decent
compensation for mall Carriage American ships
hope The POST VIII keep up its end OF tho conro-
very II pretends that nothing prevents Americ ans
fIum running steamships on both oceans In cOmpeu
tlon with the British and Germans but the privilege
OF building and purchasing ships IN British ship
yards would like TO know how a purchaser Of any
ship. British built. Is TO maintain himself In compet
ton with these ships drawing s25, 900 per annum
cash subsidy from tho British Admiralty II vol.
untNerS the statement that the postage received
pays for the mail carriage all but OF the ~
mote colony routes. The idea OF carrying the malls
TO brazil Argentine Republic or Japan and China for
The ppstsgc money In tho present dimensions OF
correspondence Is childish dnbhle. There time
when the sea postage correspondence with Europe
would not have becn adequate compensation. Now,
III concentrated upon one or two steamships par week
u would BE- ample remuneration. So u may be with
thna or with south America in The course ~ time
but at prce"nt does not pay for tho actual outlay
IN nghtcr1g and cartng tho mails from tho ship TO
the several posoeccs, which the contracts require to
say nothing Of the room caro- and handling required
while on the voyage AMERICAN.
Washington, ID. C., Juno %, 1880