Morning journal and courier., 1891-07-16
THE NAIL LETTINGS.

In Accordance With the Provisions OF
the Postal Aid Bill Passed by the
Last Congress the Postmaster Gen.
eral Invites Proposals for Carrying
American Mail to Foreign Countries
in American Built Vessels.
WASHINGTON, July 15.-The postmaster
general to-day issued the advertisement of
the mail lettings under the postal aid bill
passed by the last congress. 1t invites
proposals from steamship companies for
carrying the American mails to foreign
countries in vessels of American build,
of the best construction and of the high
est speed in their respective classes,
over routes infinitely described. The
postmaster general has at stated inter
walls during the past three months held
consultations with representatives of the
principal American steamship lines and of
the principal coast cities, especially in the
south, where it might be possible to en-
courage the establishment of new lines,
and the advertisement is the result.
At present the United States has no
power to compel the transportation of
any mails to foreign country. No ship
owner or ship master is obliged to receive
or carry American mails. When ship
owners or ship masters do carry them
they fix their own time of depart
ure and follow whatever sailing
course they choose. Only very
small portion of American mails is
carried in American bottoms. In many
cases the service is slow and irregular, BY
whatever vessels it is performed, as the
payment allowed being incondsiderable as
an item of earnings ship-owners necessarily
gave more attention to picking cargoes along
devious route than to the expeditions de-
livery of mails by direct courses In
the fiscal year ended July 80, 1890,
Just sixty cents were earned by the Amer.
lean ships in carrying United States mails
to Europe, and during the same period
there was paid to foreign ships $780,
66S.40 for conveying mails to Europe
The postmaster general seeks, by the
this unfavorsble showing by put
ting a frst-class, rapid, weekly ser
vice on to transatlantic routes
one to Great Britain direct, and the other
to continental port. He seeks also, by
similar means, to expedite and make moro
frequent and reliable the mails to Central
| and South American ports and to Austria
liza and Asia The details of these arrange
ments appear in the advertisement.
By the provisions of the postal aid bill
the postmaster-general is empowered to
make contracts with American citizens
during aterm of five to ten years for the
| carrying of mails in American steamships
between the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific
coast cities and such foreign ports
as will best develop Ameri-
can commercial interests. The most
| important requirements are that
only American built steamships construct
ed after the latest types and with all the
modern appliances shall be employed; they
must be owned and differed by American
certain proportion of American citizens.
the first three shall be of iron and
steel, wooden steamships being allowed
in the fourth class only. The tonnage and
not less than 5000 tons and 20 knots,
5000 tons and 16 knots, $500 tons and
IA knots, and 1 500 tons and 10 knots
Vessels of the first three classes shall be
constructed SO as to admit of their prompt
and economical conversion into naval
cruisers, capable of carrying at least four
six-inch rifed guns, and to that
ly inspected by competent naval
officer and approved by the secretary be-
fore they are accepted at the department.
The advertisement provides that in accord
ance with the provisions of the act of
congress, proposals will be received at the
postofice department until p. m. Mon
day, October 26, 1891, for conveying tho
mails by means Of steamships, ETC., etc.
The contracts are for ten years, except
where otherwise particularly specifed