Chapter IX: Section IX: The British System, and Its Results

STEAM MAIL SYSTEM INAUGURATED AS THE PROMOTER OF WEALTH, POWER,
AND CIVILIZATION: THE EFFECT OF THE SYSTEM ON COMMERCE: THE LONG
PERIOD DESIGNATED FOR THE EXPERIMENT: NEW LINES, WHEN, HOW, AND
WHY ESTABLISHED: THE WORKINGS OF THE SYSTEM: FIRST CONTRACT MADE
IN 1833, LIVERPOOL AND ISLE OF MAN: WITH ROTTERDAM IN 1834:
FALMOUTH AND GIBRALTAR, 1837: ABERDEEN, SHETLAND, AND ORKNEYS,
1840: THE "SAVANNAH," THE FIRST OCEAN STEAMER: THE SIRIUS AND
GREAT WESTERN: CUNARD CONTRACT MADE IN 1839: EXTRA PAY "WITHIN
CERTAIN LIMITS:" MALTA, ALEXANDRIA, SUEZ, EAST-INDIES, AND CHINA
IN 1840: THE PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL COMPANY: WEST-INDIA SERVICE
ESTABLISHED IN 1840: POINTS TOUCHED AT: PROVISIONAL EXTRA PAY:
PANAMA AND VALPARAISO LINE ESTABLISHED IN 1845: HOLYHEAD AND
KINGSTON IN 1848: ALSO THE CHANNEL ISLANDS: WEST COAST OF AFRICA
AND CAPE OF GOOD HOPE IN 1852: CALCUTTA VIA THE CAPE IN 1852, AND
ABANDONED: PLYMOUTH, SYDNEY, AND NEW SOUTH WALES ALSO IN 1852, AND
ABANDONED: INVESTIGATION OF 1851 AND 1853, AND NEW AUSTRALIAN
CONTRACT IN 1856: HALIFAX, NEWFOUNDLAND, BERMUDA, AND ST. THOMAS
IN 1850: NEW-YORK AND BERMUDA SOON DISCONTINUED: COMPARISON OF
BRITISH AND AMERICAN SUBSIDIES, RATES PER MILE, TOTAL DISTANCES,
AND POSTAL INCOME: THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT PAYS HIGHER SUBSIDIES
THAN THE AMERICAN: WORKINGS AND INCREASE OF THE BRITISH SERVICE:
GEN. RUSK'S VIEWS: SPEECH OF HON T. B. KING: COMMITTEE OF
INVESTIGATION, 1849: NEW INVESTIGATION ORDERED IN 1853, AND
INSTRUCTIONS: LORD CANNING'S REPORT AND ITS RECOMMENDATIONS: GREAT
BRITAIN WILL NOT ABANDON HER MAIL SYSTEM: THE NEW AUSTRALIAN LINE:
TESTIMONY OF ATHERTON AND MURRAY: MANY EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT:
STEAM INDISPENSABLE: NOT SELF-SUPPORTING: THE MAIL RECEIPTS WILL
NOT PAY FOR IT: RESULT OF THE WHOLE SYSTEM: ANOTHER NEW SERVICE TO
INDIA AND CHINA: SHALL WE RUN THE POSTAL AND COMMERCIAL RACE WITH
GREAT BRITAIN? CANADA AND THE INDIES.

SECTION X.

THE MAIL LINES OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE MAIL LINES OF THE UNITED STATES: THE HAVRE AND BREMEN, THE
PIONEERS: THE BREMEN SERVICE RECENTLY GIVEN TO MR. VANDERBILT:
BOTH LINES RUN ON THE GROSS RECEIPTS: THE CALIFORNIA LINES:
WONDROUS DEVELOPMENT OF OUR PACIFIC POSSESSIONS: THE PACIFIC MAIL
STEAMSHIP COMPANY: ITS HISTORY, SERVICES, LARGE MATERIEL, AND
USEFULNESS: THE UNITED STATES MAIL STEAMSHIP COMPANY: ITS RAMIFIED
AND LARGE EXTRA SERVICE: EFFECT UPON THE COMMERCE OF THE GULF: ITS
HEAVY LOSSES, AND NEW SHIPS: STEAMSHIP STOCKS GENERALLY AVOIDED:
CONSTANTLY FAR BELOW PAR: THE COLLINS LINE: A COMPARISON WITH THE
CUNARD: ITS SOURCES OF HEAVY OUTLAY, AND ITS ENTERPRISE: THE
AMERICAN MARINE DISASTERS COULD NOT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY HUMAN
FORESIGHT; THE VANDERBILT BREMEN LINE: THE CHARLESTON AND HAVANA
LINE.