The record-union., 1891-10-27
POSTAL SHIPPING ACT.
BIDS OPENED FOR SUPPLYING THE
INCREASED SERVICE.
The Time of Voyages to be Greatly
Reduced-A Number of New
Vessels to be Built.
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.

Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.
WAsHIN GToN, Oct. 26.-By the bids re-
! ceived at the Postoffice Department to-
day for ocean mail lettings, for service
upon lines now performing the service,
the time of voyages upon the various
routes is reduced in amounts varying
from 10 to 80 per cent. This, of course,
necessitates additional ships, and, includ
| ing the four new routes proposed for it,
would seem that there must be not less
than seventeen ships built at a cost of not
less than Sl3,000,0 200. If all the bids are
| accepted, the amount Of subsidy required
| will be about 81 100000 when the full
service is in operation. The service un-
der the postal shipping bill will require
| about sixty ships, all told, carrying the
American flag. The department. has had
knowledge of negotiations in progress for
! other routes, upon which bids have been
| deferred for various reasons, notably the
| New zealand service, which difficulty
seems to be that the New Zealand author
tiles entertain the idea of improving the
| service between that country and this by
making concession to the Spreckels
! Company, but urging that some of the
vessels shall carry the New Zealand flag,
which would be contrary to the stipula-
tions Of the postal subsidy bill.
THE BIDS OFFERED.
| WASHINGTON, Oct. 26.-This afternoon
opened proposals for supplying the
proposed increase in the ocean
mail service under the Act of
| March 3, 1891. Twelve bids
were received, no two for the same serv-
! ice. The first bid was No. IL of the
schedule, Newport News to Rio, Brazil,
| by St. Thomas, Martinique, Barbados,
! Para, Pernambuco and Bahia; twenty
| six trips per year; contract for five years.
! The bidder was the United States and
| Brazil Mail Steamship Company. The
| compensation asked was 81 per mile for
vessels of the third class and Cog cents per
| mile of the fourth class. The Postmaster
| General stated that this bid seemed to
vary from the form of the advertisement
The second bid, No. Of the schedule,
from Boston to Liverpool to Queenstown,
once a week, fiftytwo trips year, yes
sells of the first-class. The bidder was
| the Columbia Safety Steamship Company
and the compensation asked 81 per mile.
The third bid, No. A, San Francisco to
| Panama, touching twice each month, GO
| ing and returning, at the following ports:
San Diego. Cal, MaZatlan, San Bias,
| ManZanillo, Acapulco, Port Angel, Salina
Cruz, Tolona, San Benito, Osos, Cham
perico, San Jose, Acajutta, La Libertad,
La Union, Amapala, Corinto, San Juan
and Punta Arenas. Three times a month,
| thirty-siX times a year, time sixteen days.
| Vessels of the fourth class for the first
three years, and the remaining seven
years once week, fifty-two trips year,
time fifteen and one-half days, the in
creased service to be performed in vessels
| Of the third class, the bid to specify the
! rate for each class. The bidder was the
| Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and the
compensation sixty-six and two-third
| cents per mile for vessels of the fourth
| class, and 81 per mile for vessels of the
| third class.
The next bid, No. AZ, New York to
! Colon, thirty-six trips per year, bidder
| the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, 81
per mile.
No. AZ, San Francisco to Hongkong by
Yokohama, once every twenty-eight
days thirteen trips per year, vessels of the
! third class; time sixteen days for the first
| Two years, and once in two weeks, twen-
] six trips per year in vessels of the second
| class for the remaining eight years of the
term. Time, thirteen days to and from
| Yokohama. The bidder was the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company at 81 per mile
| for vessels of the third class and 81 second
class.
aiNo. %, New Orleans to Colon, several
| Central American points, once in two
weeks, vessels of the third class. time
six days each way. The bidder was the
/ Pacific Mail Company, at 663 cents per
liiilt lOI NtoSGlS Vi bll6 1lIIIO CldSS. tine
Postmaster-G General expressed the opin-
ion that this fact invalidated the bid.)
No. 80, Galveston to Laguayra, return
ing via Carthagina and Colon, three times
| a month; vessels of the fourth class. Bid
! ders, John b. Clark and associates of
Chicago, at co. cents.
No. IL, New York to Buenos Ayres.
touching at Monteyideo, eighteen days
outward, once in three weeks, aggregat-
ing seventeen trips per year, vessels of
the second class, touching Rio and Santos
on their return. Bidders, w. III. Il.
| Hughes of New York, at 81 per mile.
No. 81, New York to Santiago, Cuba,
| via Nassau once in two weeks, vessels of
the fourth class, six days each way. Bid
/ ders, New York and Cuba Mail Steam
ship Company, at 66s cents per mile.
No. 81, New York to Havana, once a
week, vessels of the third class, three and
three-fourths days each way. Same bid
der, at 81 per mile.
No. 2i, New York to Tuxpan, Mexico,
via Havana, Progresso and Tampico,
returning via Vera Cruz, Frontero and
Havana, once a week. vessels of the third
class. Same bidder, at 81 per mile.
No. SO, New York to Laguayra, via
Curacao and Puerto Cabello, three trips
per month, vessels of the third class, six
days to Curacao. Bidders, Bolton. Bliss
] q Dallett of New York. at 81 per mile.