New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-07

ECCENTRICITIEs OF THE MAIL SERVICE
AMERICAN FINANCE - ELECTRIC
LIGHTING-MR. THOMAS HARDY
MR.. SYDNEY GRUNDY.
London. January u.

London. January ~
There is. 1 imagine, little or no use in saying
ANYTHING more about the American mall ser.
vice but I will mention the fact that the subject
has been discussed here almost daily for weeks
mast The discussion is sterile because II takes
all through a partisan or a political view. or
Chauvnst view. Queenstown and Southampton
have reviled each other to their hearts content.
The claims Of Ireland have been urged as II they
were paramount to that Of the two hemispheres
whose correspondence is concerned. Perhaps they
are The claims of England are urged In the same
spirit and the patriotic Briton cannot endure
tho thought that foreign" vessels should carry
letters to or from his British ports The simple.
common-sense commercial, or business View 6
the matter is ignored.
An Irish deputation has been received
the Irish Chief Secretary, Mr.. John Morley;
Irshmen Of all parties uniting on this question:
which rather makes one hope II will remain
question Their object. moreover, was In this
instance. a perfectly good one They want the
mail-service between Queenstown ana LONDON
accelerated, as 1t ought to be, and could be II
the Postofice-which means the Treasury
would find the money. 1t is, however, rather
striking to see a man like Mr.. John Morley. who
can when he chooses look at things broadly.
treat the question Of mails between Europe ana
America as one In which 1.-The material pros
peri,y of Ireland ought to be primarily con-
sidered He referred TO the effort which our
American cousins" are said to be making to push
SOUTHAMPTON by subsidies and other meanA
Then he said II for one, although strict econo-
mist should not be averse from meeting them
with their own weapons" How characteristic
OF the strict economist. He Is strict until the
moment arrives when theory is confronted oy
practical considerations; then theory. strict or
otherwise goes TO the wall.
Nor are we Americans any longer In po-
siton to reproach the English with patriouo
narrowness in encouraging their own marine. we
have tied our hands with contracts in favor OF
the American liEes just as the English nave
tied their hands with contracts In favor OK Eng
lsh lines For many years We adopted ana
carried out the sound principle OF sending mails
by the ship that would deliver them soonest.
We now send them by two ships carrying tho
American flag, because they carry the American
flag. and not because they will deliver their
letters soonest Sometimes they DO ana some
times hey do not The issue between Queens
town and Southampton turns In truth, more on
ships than on ports. 1t turns also on the effort
the British Postotfice makes. or omits to make
in each case to forward the mails. 1t turns also
upon the question of sorting. The malls ar
irving at Queenstown are sorted on their way
to London. Those arriving at Southampton are
rot; there is not time. 1t was. think, Ger
man line which proposed to the British fost'
office to put sorting staff on board their SHIPS
between New-York and southampton. Inc
proposal was declined. The German ships are
foreign" and the Department preferred to ds-
Law the letters and inconvenience the public
rather than encourage foreign" vessels.
Politics apart the mails which now go By
Queenstown ought TO go by Holyhead. There
was time when the Liverpool companies ana
the English Postofice were willing to arrange
for this service. There arose question VINO
should pay for clearing away a reef in Holy
head IIarbor which makes the entrance danger
Gus for big ships The Board Of Trade was APP
pealed to and ultimately. OF course. the Treas
ury. which stranges most Of the improvements
urgently demanded in the public interest. Tho
Treasury refused to grant the money, and the
Holyhead project fell through, and left Queens
town still in "A position TO talk as II she were
the natural centre Of the solar system She Is
useful but she is not quite that
Meantime. shipping-owners might do some-
thing in relief Of the service. They might ar
range so TO run their ships as 10 give the PUBIC
the chance. IL so disposed. OF sending their let
ters by the fastest ships. But they do not
Two White Star ships, for example, the Majestic
and Teutonc leave New-York on the same days
as two American ships. the New-fork ana Paris.
In the intermediate weeks two slow ships leave
and there Is good mid-week mall some
times, by another kind Of perversity. they con-
trive that there shall be no good mail for week
from this side The present week is an example.
when between Saturday and Saturday. the only
means OF sending letters to America are sup
nd
slowest ships OF the North German and White
Star lines respectively. Such arrangement
Is a credit 10 neither OF them. Instances might
be multiplied. but | prefer to quit subject
which | know TO be dry. 1t Is none the less OF
very great Importance to some millions OF per.
sons
The report that the Normannia was struck by
a tidal wave" which swept her decks revives
the question whether there be such a thing as a
tidal wave l once asked the captain OF an
Atlantic liner. "Oh. yes" he answered. we
keep a tidal wave for the passengers and the
newspapers. If you want TO know what II really
is. | will tell you. 1t is when powerful ship
is driven through head at such speed
that before she can clear herself Of one big
wave she is into second. The second and first
together are too much for the ship, and she
carries away a deckhouse or bridge or boat or
two That is tidal wave "
American finance continues to receive compu-
mens from the most unexpected quarters
Punch" publishes this week one or Sir John
Tenniers most ingenious and expressive car
toons. Outside poorhouse and Learning agains
the wall is row Of figures depicting John Bull.
King Humbert OF Italy. France, the car the
German Emperor. and finally Greece. racing
them is Turkey-the mere attitude OF the Turk
is a work of genius The motto Is waiting for
Relief" and the Turk says: "Hullo. You've all
come to Il. ave you? Why. I've been a casual
for years" Upon which The Times remarks:
but surely the United States. after all the IN
genuity they have expended In arriving az
deficit. were entitled to be included Ana per-
hans we were