POLICY: GEN. RUSK ENDEAVORED TO EXTEND IT: THE TERM OF SERVICE TOO
SHORT: COMPANIES SHOULD HAVE LONGER PERIODS: A LEGISLATION OF
EXPEDIENTS: MUST SUBSIDIZE PRIVATE COMPANIES FOR A LONG TERM OF
YEARS: SHOULD WE GIVE TO OUR POSTAL VESSELS THE NAVAL FEATURE: OUR
MAIL LINES GAVE AN IMPULSE TO SHIP-BUILDING: LET US HAVE STEAM
MAILS ON THEIR MERITS: NO NAVAL FEATURE SUBTERFUGES: THESE VESSELS
HIGHLY USEFUL IN WAR: THEY LIBERALLY SUPPLY THE NAVY WITH
EXPERIENCED ENGINEERS WHEN NECESSARY: THE BRITISH MAIL PACKETS
GENERALLY FIT FOR WAR SERVICE: LORD CANNING'S REPORT: EXPEDIENTS
PROPOSED FOR CARRYING THE MAILS: BY FOREIGN INSTEAD OF AMERICAN
VESSELS: DEGRADING EXPEDIENCY AND SUBSERVIENCY: WE CAN NOT SECURE
MAIL SERVICE BY GIVING THE GROSS RECEIPTS: THE GENERAL TREASURY
SHOULD PAY FOR THE TRANSMARINE POST: REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW
CONTRACTS: METHOD OF MAKING CONTRACTS: THE LOWEST BIDDER AND THE
LAND SERVICE: THE OCEAN SERVICE VERY DIFFERENT: BUT LITTLE
UNDERSTOOD: LOWEST-BIDDER SYSTEM FAILURES: SENATOR RUSK'S OPINION:
INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF LOWEST BIDDER: INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS AND RIGHTS.

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