New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-15
QUEENSTOWN.
IA PORT OF CALL FOR THE DISPATCH
80 AMERICAN MAILs-THE POLITICAL
,vD IRISH SIDE-THE PUBLIC SIDE.


London December I.
- old and always numerous controversies
80, the carriage of the mails between England
,he United States have suddenly taken on a
S torm. Latterly they have been controversies
'...en southampton and Queenstown. The
.,,on now raised is whether. for the purpose
.uharbing and delivering mails Queenstown
sxist any longer. Ii is the Cunard Company
r., has raised the question in this form. And
:, nrobable enough that the Cunard Company
" ,houeh not avowedly. the spokesman OF the
r..vs star Line as we'll The two companies
... q monopoly. Each has contract with the
~.,oesce obliging each to call at Queenstown
=. the mails Each receives large subsidy.
!" ,oh will add is an instrument Of that yelled
,-,,ection which the English are supposed. and
.,oss themselves. 10 have renowned as II 1t
"a the doctrine Of Beelzebub; which many OF
Ann believe it TO be. The British Government
Is bounty to British ships in the form OF tolls
=. ,s,ter.carrying, just as the American Govern
-, navs bounty to the American Line from
x.v.york to Southampton: each payment being
49,. IN excess of the rates at which the mails
,.ht nroit bly, be carried. am not complaining
;, ,hs nolicy / think II right policy. But 1t Is
n.,.c,,on. and Protection In the one case just as
.,b as In the other. The difference is that we
.aon, and practise it openly; the British with
hypocrisy
=. 4. because the CuIard and White Star COM
,,,s. have joint interests in this queenstown
n.tter that I assume that they are probably
ting together and that II ore line ceases to call
:, Queenstown for mails so will the other. AS.
souever. the Cunard Company only has signihed
=. Intention Of taking this step. 1t will be con-
..,srt 10 consider the action OF that company
b. itself
r,s question is. in the first place. political and
has long been treated as such. ii Is an irish
,,.si,on. and perhaps the only Irish question on
rhich Irishmen of all parties unite. The pros
..,i,v Of Queenstown Is at stake. Queenstown Is
,.,nIv a port Of call II the great steamships OF
IN. White Star and Cunard companies pass IT BY
Queenstown will go to decay. That Is what the
rr,.b tell vou II is the local feeling ana II is the
General Irish feeling 1t affects the railway De-
,rAen Queenstown and Dublin, and incidentally
o.her railways If it be not to Queenstown her
60. a question OF life and death. II Is at least a
question Of diminished prosperity.
used 10 discuss this subject with Mr. raw
..,, when he was Postmaster-General. and after
x,,a with Mr. Shaw-Lefevre when he occupied
~. same djrnified post Both Of them always put
,,,,,h,e 10 consider the subject OF serdng Amer
iran letters by the fast North German Lloyd
steamships from Southampton. except with refer
.nce 10 the whole Irish policy OF the Govern
mon, That was when they were asked TO do no
more than send the American mails by iast ships
from southampton when the ships leaving Liver
mol the same day and calling at Queenstown
we're slow ships But TO divert single letter
Of oh
hg paid toll to the Irish railways and to the
Id,h porters who put 1t on board the tender
=, ouaanstown To start II on It's journey to
America via Southampton raised fresh irish
,y.vance II raised indirectly the whole Queens
tovn question. or series Of questions. No wonder
that An English Postmaster-General wanted 10
xa,h ha hands Of the whole business. Mr. raw
cst N, not a member Of the Cabinet Mr.. Shaw
hieye vas But apprehend that In both cases
Il hAzme Cabinet question.
The thing may seem absurd. but there is no
resumption against absurdities where ireland
soncerned No Irish issue Is ever determined
oafhe same grounds as II IL were merely Ehsnsh.
i,has TO oe considered with reference 10 irish
rkws and TO Iiish interests. or TO what the irisi
,,,nk Irish interests Besides Mr.. Fawcett and
Mr.. Shaw-Lefevre had very little real power
The Permanent Clerk had the power. he was
then Sir Arthur Blackwood, one OF 'he most
stubborn Conservatives ever known IN fos'o"i'e
administration. II became clear, AFTER u"ie'
,ba, missionary efforts with Sir Arthur Black
woods Parliamentary chiefs were OF no avail
\, was decreed that the American mails were 10
70 by Queenstown whether by fast or slow ships'
As 4, might please Providence or the steamship
comnanjes To determine On the Irish ground
and on the protective ground. the BRUSH POSI-
Office with the Cabinet and Parliament assent
!ns reaffrmed the Queenstown monopoly ana
made new contract with the Cunard ana "hi'e
Star comnanies. Neither company. at that time
possessed its present fee; The contract was
waste.ul and inefficient. but L closed lrish
mouths and enriched British companies at the
expense Of the Germans, and OF the bri'sh ahO
American public and that was enough.
Now, by the irony Of fate, or II you me "'
penalty for settling great commerciai ques-
ton In Difference TO party politics, ana III 'e'ioi
Of Irish complaints, the very company IN WHOSE
interest the contract was granted turns round
upon the Postoffice and refuses to call at Quee"s
town on the present terms. 1t must continue to
call Till the expiration OF It's contract anu ."e
contract is only termnabe a years notice.
The Cunard manager takes lofty views Oh HIS
relation to the public. and declines believe. 10
ay whether notice has actually been gwen. hu'
the announcement in the Cork Chamber OF COM
merce and in the recent speech OF the Post
naster-Ceneral, Mr. Arnold Morley, must DE
AIKEN TO mean one OF two things. Either 'he
cunarders will cease calling at Queenstown or
they will, exac, fresh concessions from the Post
once The whole question is therefore raised
airesh In its acutest form.
Its the increase in the size and speed Of the
mAl-carrvnr ships which makes their call at
Queenstown rksome. SO long as the Cunaru
fset was inefficient. II was profitable to perform
the service Now that the Campania and Lucania
have been put on. the conditions are changed
The passage between Liverpool and Queenstown
which once took sixteen or eighteen hours can
NOW he done T., ,.h or twelve IL the Lucania IL