Chapter 17

Of the Collins Company it is hardly necessary that I should speak. They have received much the largest subsidy from the Government; but they have had a most difficult task to perform. Their ships have never been surpassed in any country, whether as to the excellent style of their prime construction, their large size, or their very unusual speed. They have literally been engaged in a continual race across the ocean for seven years, determined at whatever cost and hazard to far excel those of the Cunard line. And this they have done most signally in all points of accommodation and speed. They have gained one and a half days the advantage over the Cunard line on their average voyages for the seven years. And this was no small achievement. By reference to Section IV. it will be seen how great is the cost of attaining and maintaining such speed with a steamer. The Collins ships, being so much larger than the Cunarders, the four present an aggregate tonnage nearly equal to the eight by which they run their weekly line. It is, moreover, not proportionally so expensive to maintain seven or eight ships on a line as four. The prime cost and repairs are by no means so great when engines are duplicated, or two sets built from the same patterns. Again, the general outlay in docks, shore establishment, offices, company paraphernalia, advertising, and innumerable items, is as great for a small as for a large fleet of steamers. The Collins line has to contend against all this. It also found the Cunard line long and well established, and inwrought into the public favor. It had the business, and most important of all, it monopolized the only freights passing between the two countries; those from England to America, which British shippers gave of course to British ships. They have had also to pay much larger prices for construction, repairs, wages, etc., than the Cunard Company; and not having so large a service and so large a fleet, they have not had so many reserve ships to fall back upon; but have been compelled frequently to send their ships off but half repaired, which of itself entailed immensely heavy expenses in ultimate repairs. There is very much to be said in favor of this Company, which has endeavored to build the finest ships in the world, and navigate them the most rapidly. If they have prominently failed in any thing it is in building larger ships, running them faster, and being far more enterprising with them than was required of the Company by the contract with the Government. Their disasters have been saddening and severe; and yet they have resulted from nothing which could have been controlled by human foresight. There is a great error in supposing that there are more marine disasters among American than among British ships. Such is not the case, as a careful examination of the lists will show.

Of the mail line belonging to Mr. Vanderbilt, between New-York and Bremen, _via_ Southampton, it is impossible now to say any thing. The steamers "North Star" and "Ariel," the one of 1,867-60/95 tons, and the other of 1,295-28/95 tons, have but recently commenced the service, on the gross mail receipts. Whether Mr. Vanderbilt desires to make the service permanent or not, I am not advised.

The service of the Charleston and Havana line has been performed with great regularity; and although the return from it in the form of postages has been small, yet it has been of essential service to the South, in opening communications toward the Gulf, and in establishing much needed travelling facilities between Charleston, Savannah, and Key West.

PAPER A.

LIST OF AMERICAN OCEAN STEAMERS.

The mail service has 8 lines, and 21 steamers in commission, of 48,027 registered tonnage. Much of this tonnage belongs to supply ships, as for instance those of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. (_See Section I._)

_Collins Line, 3 steamers, 9,727 tons._

Adriatic, 4,144-74/95 tons: Atlantic, 2,849-66/99 tons: Baltic, 2,733-1/95 tons.

_Havre Line, 2 steamers, 4,548 tons._

Arago, 2,240 tons: Fulton, 2,308 tons.

_Vanderbilt Bremen Line, 3 steamers, 6,523 tons._

North Star, 1,867-60/95 tons: Ariel, 1,295-28/95 tons: Vanderbilt[H], 3,360-54/95 tons.

[H] Independent, running between New-York, Southampton, and Havre, in connection with the Bremen steamers.

_United States Mail Steamship Company, 6 steamers, 8,544 tons._

Illinois, 2,123-65/95 tons: Empire City, 1,751-21/95 tons: Philadelphia, 1,238-1/95 tons: Granada, 1,058-90/95 tons: Moses Taylor, 1,200 tons: Star of the West, chartered, 1,172-1/95, (contracting for a new ship.)

_Pacific Mail Steamship Company, 13 steamers, 16,421 tons._

Golden Gate, 2,067-35/95 tons: Golden Age, 2,280 tons: J. L. Stephens, 2,189 tons: Sonora, 1,616 tons: St. Louis, 1,621 tons: Panama, 1,087-31/95 tons: California, 1,085-64/95 tons: Oregon, 1,099-9/95 tons: Columbia, 777-34/95 tons: Republic, 850 tons: Northerner, 1,010 tons: Fremont, 576 tons: Tobago, 189 tons.

_Charleston, Savannah, Key West, and Havana, 1 steamer_, the Isabel, 1,115 tons.

_New-Orleans and Mexico, 1 steamer_, the Tennessee, 1,149-1/2 tons.

The Coasting Service has 8 lines, and 23 steamers, of 24,071 tons registered tonnage.

_New-York, Havana, and New-Orleans_, 2. The Black Warrior, 1,556-1/95 tons: Cahawba, 1,643-1/95 tons = 3,199 tons.

_New-York, Havana, and Mobile_, 1. The Quaker City, 1,428-3/95 tons.

_New-York and Savannah_, 4. Alabama, 1,261-13/95 tons; Florida, 1,261-13/95 tons: Augusta, 1,310-61/95 tons; Star of the South, (propeller,) 960-1/95 tons = 4,793 tons.

_New-York and Charleston_, 4. Columbia, 1,347 tons: Nashville, 1,220 tons: James Adger, 1,151 tons; Marion, 962 tons = 4,680 tons.

_New-York and Virginia_, 2. Roanoke, 1,071 tons: Jamestown, 1,300 tons = 2,371 tons.

_Philadelphia and Savannah_, 2. Key Stone State and State of Georgia, each about 1,300 tons = 2,600 tons.

_Boston and Baltimore_, 2. Joseph Whitney, 800 tons: Unknown, 800 tons = 1,600 tons.

_New-Orleans and Texas._ The Charles Morgan, Texas, Mexico, and Atlantic, averaging 600 tons each=2,400 tons.

_New-Orleans and Key West._ The General Rusk, 600 tons, and the Calhoun, 400 tons = 1,000 tons.

There are also several propellers running: between New-York and Charleston, New-York and Portland, and between Philadelphia and the South. They are all, however, small, and irregular in their trade. The Calhoun is not a regular steamship.

Steamers lying up, 18. Registered tonnage, 24,845 tons.

Queen of the Pacific, 2,801-92/95 tons. Washington, 1,640-71/91 tons. Prometheus, 1,207-61/95 tons. St. Louis, 1,621-14/45 tons. Brother Jonathan, 1,359-52/95 tons. Oregon, 1,004-89/95 tons. Southerner, 900 tons. Herman, 1,734-45/95 tons. Northern Light, 1,747-91/95 tons. Uncle Sam, 1,433-44/95 tons. California, 1,058 tons. Northerner, 1,012 tons. Ericsson, 1,902-1/95 tons. Star of the West, 1,172-33/95 tons. Daniel Webster, 1,035 tons. Orizaba, 1,450-62/95 tons. Panama, 1,087 tons. Fremont, 576 tons.

The registered tonnage of these vessels was furnished me by Mr. S. P. Ingraham, of the New-York Custom-House.

PAPER B.

The following paper, prepared by Mr. Pliny Miles from the reports to which we have alluded, presents the British steam mail service in full detail.

"The following tabular statement gives the particulars of the ocean mail service of Great Britain, now carried on almost exclusively by steamships. The numbers in the margin, running from 1 to 15, will point out the different lines in the recapitulation at the close.

LINE OF COMMUNICATION, | CONTRACTORS, AND CONTRACT PRICE. | PLACES CONNECTED. ---------------------------------+-------------------------------- 1.--Liverpool and Isle of Man. | Liverpool and Douglas, Isle of _Mona Isle Steam Co._ Twice a | Man. week. $4,250 per annum. | | 2.--England and Ireland. _City of| Holyhead and Kingstown, near Dublin Steam Packet Co._ Twice a | Dublin. day. $125,000 a year. | | 3.--Scotland and Shetland. | Aberdeen, Wick, Kirkwall, _Aberdeen, Leith and Clyde | (Orkney,) and Lerwick, Shipping Co._ Weekly, $6,000 a | (Shetland.) year. | | 4.--England, Spain, and | Southampton, Vigo, Oporto, Gibraltar. _Peninsular and | Lisbon, Cadiz, and Gibraltar. Oriental Steam Navigation Co._ | Three times a month. $102,500. | | 5.--Mediterranean, India, and | Southampton, Malta, Alexandria, China. _Peninsular and Oriental | Suez, Aden, Bombay, Calcutta, Steam Navigation Co._ Twice a | Singapore, Hong Kong, and month to India--monthly to China.| Shanghae. $1,121,500. | | 6.--England and United States. | Liverpool, Halifax, and Boston; _Sam. Cunard._ Weekly. $866,700. | and Liverpool and New-York. | 7.--North America, (Colonial.) | Halifax, Newfoundland, Bermuda, _Sam. Cunard._ Monthly. $73,500. | and St. Thomas. | 8.--West-Indies, Mexico and | Southampton, Kingston, South-America. _Royal Mail Steam | (Jamaica,) St. Thomas, Vera Packet Co._ Semi-monthly to the | Cruz and Aspinwall; Southampton, West-Indies and Gulf of Mexico, | Lisbon, Madeira, Teneriffe, St. and monthly to Brazil. | Vincent, Pernambuco, Bahia, Rio $1,350,000. | Janeiro, Monte Video, Buenos | Ayres, and St. Thomas. | 9.--England, France, and Belgium.| Dover and Calais. Dover and _Jenkings and Churchward._ Daily | Ostend. to Calais; thrice a week to | Ostend. $77,500. | | 10.--Channel Islands. | Southampton, Jersey, and _South-western Railway Company._ | Guernsey. Thrice a week. $20,000. | | 11.--West Coast of South-America.| Panama, Callao, and Valparaiso. _Pacific Steam Navigation Co._ | Allowed to touch at Buenaventura, Twice a month. $125,000. | Guayaquil, Peyta, Lambayeque, | Huanchaco, Santa, Pisco, Islay, | Arica, Iquique, Cobija, Gopiapo, | Huasco, and Coquimbo. | 12.--Scotland and Orkney. _John | From Scrabster Pier (Thurso) to Stanger, Esq., of Stromness._ | Stromness, (Orkney.) Daily in summer; every other day | in winter. $6,500. | | 13.--West Coast of Africa. | Plymouth to Madeira, Teneriffe, _African Steamship Co._ Monthly. | Goree, Bathurst, Sierra Leone, $106,250. | Monrovia, Cape Coast Castle, | Accra, Whydah, Badagry, Lagos, | Bonny, Old Calabar, Cameroon and | Fernando Po; omitting Cameroon, | Calabar, and Bonny on return. | 14.--South-Africa, Mauritius, and| Dartmouth to Cape of Good Hope, Calcutta. _Adam Duncan Dundas, | Mauritius and Calcutta. Esq._ Monthly. $205,000. | | 15.--England and Australia. _The | Southampton, Marseilles, Malta, European and Australian Mail | Alexandria, Suez, and Sydney. Steam Packet Co._ Monthly. | $925,000. |

The following are the names of the steamers in service in each line, with the amount of tonnage, the horse power of each, the draught of water, the number of the officers and crew attached to each one, and, when it could be obtained, the date that each vessel was surveyed and approved for the service. Where the date of survey of a vessel is unknown, it is placed as near as possible with others surveyed at the same time, the vessels in each line being arranged in chronological order:

1. LIVERPOOL AND ISLE OF MAN.

Draft of Horse Water. Date of Name, Class, etc. Power. Tonnage. F. I. Crew. Survey ----------------------+------+--------+--------+-----+------------ King Orry, 190 429 0 0 22 Dec., 1845 Tynwald, iron, 260 657 8 9 29 Oct., 1846 Benmy Chree, 130 295 6 6 18 June, 1847 Mona's Queen, iron, 220 508 8 6 22 M'ch, 1853 ====== ======== ===== Total, 4 vessels, 790 2,089 91

2. ENGLAND AND IRELAND.

Prince Arthur, iron, 220 418 8 8 26 July, 1852 Llewellyn, iron, 342 654 9 6 29 Oct., 1852 Eblana, iron, 372 685 8 11 31 Jan., 1853 St. Columba, iron, 350 650 8 10 29 Sept., 1853 ====== ======== ===== Total, 4 vessels, 1,284 2,407 115

3. SCOTLAND AND SHETLAND.

Fairy, 120 350 -- 18 -- Duke of Richmond, 180 500 -- 24 -- ====== ======== ===== Total, 2 vessels, 300 850 42

4. ENGLAND, SPAIN, AND GIBRALTAR.

Sultan, iron, 420 1,001 14 0 67 Jan., 1853 Madrid, iron, 133 448 10 2 40 Feb., 1853 Tagus, 280 691 14 8 41 Jan., 1854 Alhambra, 140 642 13 7 52 July, 1855 ====== ======== ===== Total, 4 vessels, 973 2,782 200

5. MEDITERRANEAN, INDIA, AND CHINA.

Lady Mary Wood, 270 619 0 0 40 Feb., 1842 Precursor, 520 1,783 18 0 121 July, 1844 Pekin, iron, 415 1,003 14 0 78 Jan., 1847 Oriental, 420 1,427 13 0 78 M'ch, 1848 Achilles, 430 823 16 0 59 June, 1849 Malta, iron, 460 1,222 0 0 82 Sept., 1848 Hindostan, 500 1,595 16 10 53 July, 1849 Singapore, iron, 465 1,189 12 6 96 M'ch, 1851 Ganges, iron, 465 1,189 14 7 69 June, 1851 Pottinger, iron, 450 1,275 17 6 82 April, 1852 Formosa, screw, iron, 177 658 13 6 60 Aug., 1852 Chusan, screw, iron, 100 765 11 3 45 Aug., 1852 Haddington, iron, 450 1,303 17 7 105 Nov., 1852 Vectis, 400 900 0 0 51 -- Shanghae, screw, iron, 90 825 0 0 60 -- Manila, 60 646 0 0 60 -- Bentinck, 520 1,973 19 3 83 Nov., 1852 Euxine, iron, 430 1,071 15 6 72 Jan., 1853 Bengal, screw, 465 2,185 17 6 115 Feb., 1853 Valetta, 400 984 12 2 51 July, 1853 Norna, screw, 230 1,040 0 0 80 Nov., 1853 Colombo, screw, 450 1,808 0 0 118 Dec., 1853 Ripon, iron, 445 1,400 14 9 94 Dec., 1853 Douro, screw, 230 903 13 3 63 Dec., 1853 Bombay, 280 1,240 0 0 84 -- Madras, 288 1,217 0 0 82 -- Indus, iron, 450 1,302 17 9 88 Jan., 1854 Candia, screw, iron, 450 2,212 18 9 115 June, 1854 Nubia, 450 2,095 21 0 122 -- 1855 Pera, screw, iron, 450 2,013 19 0 129 Jan., 1856 Ava, screw, iron, 320 1,372 17 0 94 Feb., 1856 Alma, screw, iron, 450 2,164 20 0 124 M'ch, 1856 Aden, screw, iron, 210 507 18 9 40 Aug., 1856 Delta, screw, 210 985 0 0 64 -- 1856 Delhi, screw, 450 2,400 0 0 125 -- 1856 Unknown, 4 vessels. ====== ======== ===== Total, 39 vessels, 12,850 46,053 2,877

6. ENGLAND AND UNITED STATES.

Europa, 650 1,777 15 6 88 July, 1848 Canada, 680 1,774 19 6 88 Nov., 1848 Niagara, 630 1,774 19 6 88 Dec., 1849 America, 630 1,729 15 3 88 Jan., 1850 Asia, 800 2,073 19 0 105 May, 1850 Africa, 800 2,050 0 0 105 Oct., 1850 Arabia, 870 2,328 16 7 105 Dec., 1852 Persia, 858 3,587 21 0 165 Feb., 1856 ====== ======== ===== Total, 8 vessels, 5,918 17,092 922

7. NORTH AMERICA, (Colonial.)

Merlin, 120 451 0 0 26 May, 1850 Delta, screw, iron, 180 700 12 10 34 June, 1852 ====== ======== ===== Total, 2 vessels, 300 1,151 60

8. WEST-INDIES, MEXICO, AND SOUTH-AMERICA.

Dee, 410 1,269 18 0 87 May, 1846 Trent, 450 1,293 17 7 87 April, 1848 Eagle, 263 496 11 10 57 July, 1849 Derwent, 280 708 15 0 66 July, 1850 Magdalena, 760 2,250 19 0 108 May, 1852 Medway, 420 1,305 17 6 72 May, 1852 La Plata, 939 2,404 21 10 114 Aug., 1852 Conway, 270 827 12 10 55 Sept., 1852 Orinoco, 800 2,245 20 11 108 Oct., 1852 Avon, 450 2,069 17 0 94 M'ch, 1853 Teviot, 450 1,258 18 1 97 April, 1853 Parana, 800 2,222 21 2 120 May, 1853 Clyde, 430 1,335 19 1 87 June, 1853 Thames, 413 1,285 18 3 72 Aug., 1853 Solent, 420 1,805 14 11 88 Oct., 1853 Camilia, iron, 213 640 9 0 34 Oct., 1853 Wye, screw, iron, 180 818 14 0 45 Feb., 1854 Atrato, iron, 758 2,906 20 6 127 M'ch, 1854 Tamar, 400 1,873 18 7 93 June, 1854 Prince, 200 446 8 8 35 July, 1854 ====== ======== ===== Total, 20 vessels, 9,306 29,454 1,667

9. ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND BELGIUM.

Alliance, 120 300 7 3 16 -- Vivid, 120 300 7 0 16 -- Violet, 120 300 7 0 16 -- Empress, 100 308 6 6 16 -- Queen, 100 307 6 6 16 -- Ondine, 80 250 6 0 16 -- ====== ======== ===== Total, 6 vessels, 640 1,765 96

10. CHANNEL ISLANDS.

Atalanta, 120 240 8 4 21 Oct., 1846 Wonder, iron, 150 449 0 0 22 Feb., 1853 Courier, iron, 184 440 7 0 18 April, 1853 Dispatch, iron, 183 443 7 6 22 Aug., 1853 Express, iron, 160 380 7 4 24 Nov., 1853 ====== ======== ===== Total, 5 vessels, 797 1,852 107

11. WEST COAST OR SOUTH-AMERICA.

New-Granada, iron, 210 600 13 0 41 Nov., 1846 Bolivia, iron, 252 705 0 0 41 Oct., 1849 Inca, iron, 370 549 13 0 55 Aug., 1851 Lima, iron, 370 1,122 10 8 55 Nov., 1851 Bogota, iron, 394 1,122 13 6 61 April, 1852 Valdivia, screw, iron, 480 782 13 2 41 Nov., 1853 Valparaiso, iron, 320 839 13 6 84 -- ====== ======== ===== Total, 7 vessels, 2,396 5,719 377

12. SCOTLAND AND ORKNEY.

(Unknown,) 60 250 6 0 16 --

13. WEST COAST OF AFRICA.

Hope, iron, 120 833 15 0 46 -- Charity, iron, 120 1,007 15 6 52 -- Ethiope, 120 674 0 0 42 -- Candace, 120 900 0 0 46 -- Retriever, 120 900 0 0 46 -- Niger, 120 900 0 0 46 -- Gambia, 130 637 14 0 42 -- ====== ======== ===== Total, 7 vessels 850 5,951 320

14. SOUTH-AMERICA, MAURITIUS, AND CALCUTTA.

Five screw steamers, Total, 5 vessels, 2,000 8,000 -- 570 --

15. ENGLAND AND AUSTRALIA.

Oneida, 400 1,600 15 6 84 -- Simla, 630 2,510 17 2 88 -- European, 530 2,200 18 9 115 -- Columbian, 530 2,300 17 6 120 -- (Unknown,) 400 1,600 0 8 88 -- (Unknown,) 400 1,600 0 8 88 -- (Unknown,) 400 1,600 0 8 88 -- ====== ======== ===== Total, 7 vessels, 3,290 13,410 671

RECAPITULATION.

KEY: A: Lines. B: Number of steamers. C: Horse Power. D: Tonnage. E: Number of men. F: Service commenced. G: How often. H: Annual Compensation.