h alterations had been
made, the efficiency of the vessels would be very small in
proportion to their size, and that they could not encounter
hostile vessels of equal tonnage without endangering the honor of
the British flag.

"With reference to future contracts, we are decidedly of opinion
that no expense should be incurred for the sake of imposing
conditions for giving a military character to the postal vessels.
We believe the imposition of such conditions to be a measure of
false economy. _Should a war suddenly break out, the immediate
demand for mail steamers would probably be greater than ever, and
it might be exceedingly inconvenient to withdraw them at such a
time from their legitimate use for the purpose of arming them for
battle._ Moreover, the high charge for the packet service has been
borne with the greater readiness, because it has been supposed by
some to include a provision of large but unknown amount, for the
defense of the country; while on the other hand the Naval
Estimates have sometimes been complained of as excessive, on the
ground that the force provided for was in addition to the large
reserve of postal war steamers. We accordingly recommend that for
the future the contracts for the conveyance of the mails should be
wholly free from stipulations of the nature we have been
describing, though it may be desirable in some cases to retain the
power in the Government to take possession of the vessels in the
event of national emergency."

Again, in the _resume_, after considering each of the British lines
separately, the committee say:

"An erroneous impression appears to have prevailed among the
public as to the efficiency of our postal steamers for direct
purposes of warfare. We do not believe that those who are charged
with the direction of the military affairs of the country have
ever regarded them as likely to be of any great service in an
engagement; but their advantages as an auxiliary force will be
very considerable. They will be available, in the event of the
breaking out of hostilities, for the rapid conveyance of
dispatches, of specie, and, to a certain extent, of troops and
stores. Their speed will be such as probably to secure them from
the risk of capture, and will render them highly valuable for
procuring intelligence of hostile movements. They