nd
North-America, and England and the West-Indies and Mexico.' That
'the execution of all these contracts, with the exception of the
latter, had given general satisfaction. But for this exception,
the extent and complication of the plan at its commencement
afforded some apology.' That 'the spirit in which the steam
contractors had generally executed their contracts merited notice,
as they had in almost every instance exceeded the horse-power
stipulated in their agreements, and thus insured an accuracy in
the delivery of mails which experience has shown, if the letter of
the contract had been adhered to by them, would not have been the
case.' And that 'the contract system had been generally
satisfactory to the Admiralty and the public, and had tended
largely to increase the steam tonnage of this country, (England,)
to encourage private enterprise in scientific discovery, and the
regulation and economical management of steam.'

"Such, certainly, were among the valuable results of the system;
but these were not the only considerations that led to its
adoption. The English Government, with the forecast for which that
far-reaching power is distinguished, saw the advantages which an
extended steam marine would give to its commerce over that of
every other nation in the world. It saw also the value of
connecting this great branch of the national service with the
commercial and practical skill of the country. It soon formed and
matured its plan, embracing within its scope nearly the entire
commercial world. Steam lines, as stated in the preceding extract
from the Admiralty Report, were established, radiating from
England to all the prominent European ports, to the Mediterranean,
to Egypt, the East-Indies and China, the West-India Islands,
South-America and Mexico, the ports in the Gulf of Mexico and
Havana, the United States and the English colonial possessions in
North-America, and to the islands and ports in the Pacific ocean.
This vast chain of intercourse was not only completely
established, but it became a matter of national policy to enlarge,
strengthen, and maintain it. By it much of the commerce of the
world by steam, and nearly all the letter-carrying by steam
between this continent and the European ports, and even the
distant parts of our own territory, were engrossed by