New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-07

tho four mentioned with the Oceanic will be the
only ships capable Of making twenty KNOTS C'
more which the British Admiralty can always
control. The Oceanic owing TO hcr d'mens'ohs'
vii, have enormous coal endurance and in case
NJ need can steam around the world at half speed
without coaling. The utility Of this ship In
rurorean war or in an emergency OF imperial
d,fercc does not require demonstration
TRANSATLANTIC MAILS
The completion Of the new White Star liner
will enable the Posto:fice officials 10 dispense
with one Of the slow mailhoats which carry
the "Wednesday mails ard that VIII be great
g,,, N the business community each side Of
tho Atlantic A third Cunarder Of equal speed
., tho Lucania Is urgently needed for Saturday
sai,lnes Even with third fast ship for each
a, these lines the mail service would be in
ferior to that provided by the American Line
which employs four 20-knot ships but ii would
be better Than IL Is now. with fast ard slow
ships alternating from Liverpool. and with
only one rapid delivery month by each line
during portions OF the winter Every Wednes-
day and every Saturday an express train car
rIes the mails from London TO Milford Haven
a; sixty miles hour and a fast steamer takes
them to Queenstown. where they are trans
fcrred 20 an oceanic liner. but certainly every
other week. and sometimes three weeks out OF
four, ali these precautions are taken in order
10 put the mails on slow boats. which cannot
reach New-York In less than eight days.
What is needed is fast liner at Queenstown
tvic. week. even If a mail subsidy has TO he
paid in order to secure 1t. For mails carried
bv all White Star and Cunard steamers whether
fas; or slow. the British Government Is In the
habit Of paying double the rate per pound al
, ,.io for 81 rt1f ~
vice This discrimination in favor of The ma
tional has would be proper and justifable II
the ma! service did not suffer from it at least
one-hal: the time AS il is, the mails are de-
layed whenever carried out by a slow White
Star boat on a Wednesday or by SLOW Gu
harder on Saturday. when there may be a
fas. North German or American steamer leaV-
ing Southampton on the same day. Letters
which. are specially directed for the Southamp-
ton steamers are sent by them but these have
TO be posted In London on the evening preceding
thu. sailing Of the ship, and the postal arrange
ments are not advertised. If the P0stoiiice De-
partment instead Of sending mails by fast
trains and rapid night boats to Queenstown to
he placed on board slow ships like the Aurania.
the Servia the Germanc or the Britannia would
give warning to the public and provide special
mail trains to Southampton for fast ships at
the latest moment on Wednesdays and Satui-
days, there would be no cause for complaint;
but this is neve: done The malls are sent AL
ternately by fast and slow ships. and during
the winter New-York is not infrequently with
out an English mail for week OF even eight
days.
II Is a long time since the Savannah crossed
the ocean in twenty-si- days. and opered the
transatlantic race for record voyages. and II
was in the early fftles that the Washington.
record Of the Sirius 10 ten and a half days
II was as far back as 1870 tina. the record was
lowered TO eight days. and, in spite Of the prog
ress Of marine engineering and mechanical sci
ence these eight-day ships are now carrying
mails. not perhaps. every week, but still IRE
auently between England and America. The
business interests OF the two countries require
more rapid and trustworthy mail communica-
tions than are provided and mail sub
slides are justified by the necessity ard inn
portance of the service. and by thu increased
expense of operation and maintenance of fast
liners The mercantile communities on eacn
side OF the Atlantic are entitled 10 the same
facilities for rapid communication when the
richest and most luxurious travellers enjoy. ana
the Governments Of each country ought 10 pay
literally for the service. This they can well d.
ford 70 do. for this policy will enable them 70
obtain at low cost auxiliary nayies which Will
be Indispensable in any sudden emergency or
war l. y. +.