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PACIFIC MAIL STEAMSHIP COMPANY,
_New York, October 28, 1853_.
GENTLEMEN: Having examined carefully the schedule proposed by you for
running on the route between New Orleans and Vera Cruz, so as to connect
at Acapulco with our steamers between Panama and San Francisco, I beg
leave to inform you that it meets our approval.
When our company commenced to run weekly boats, the schedule of the
Texas was arranged to conform to the movements of those extra boats.
It happened, however, that the United States Mail Steamship Company,
although willing to perform extra service, and to let that service speak
for itself to Congress, was not willing to bind itself as the government
required, so as to shut out all prospect of extra remuneration by a
liberal legislature for extra duty; and, consequently, the steamers, on
intermediate weeks, on this side, were withdrawn. The connexion being
thus cut off, our company was obliged to discontinue its weekly trips,
after the schedule of the Vera Cruz and Acapulco route had been arranged
to conform to those trips.
My understanding with Mr. Rankin is, that when the route is fairly
opened, we will run steamers in the Pacific in due connexion; and I am
prepared to assign this duty to two of our smaller first-class steamers
the moment I am justified in so doing. Until then, the merits of the
route can be tested by arranging a schedule to conform to the arrivals
at Acapulco, and, as far as possible, to the departures thence for
San Francisco of our steamers now running; and the interests of the
government and of the public unite in recommending such a course.
Very truly, yours,
WM. H. ASPINWALL, _President_.
Messrs. HARRIS & MORGAN.
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POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
_November 3, 1853_.
GENTLEMEN: In answer to your letter of the 26th ultimo, I have to
state that, at the request of Mr. Carmick, the contractor, the present
schedule of the New Orleans and Vera Cruz route was arranged to connect
with the contemplated route across from Vera Cruz to Acapulco, which
it was proposed to run in due connexion with an independent line of
steamers between Acapulco and San Francisco—thus, with the route via
Panama, giving a mail four times, instead of twice a month, between the
Atlantic States and California. It was not the intention to connect at
Acapulco with the steamers of the Panama line, but, as above remarked,
to establish an additional semi-monthly mail to run, via Vera Cruz and
Acapulco, alternately at regular intervals with the line via Panama.
This arrangement was made with my predecessor, Mr. Hubbard, with whom,
as Postmaster General, also a conditional contract was entered into
for the part of the service between Vera Cruz and San Francisco, which
contract was to take effect _only from the time it should be ratified
by Congress_; nor was it to have any force or validity whatever until
it should receive the sanction of Congress by the passage of an
appropriation to carry it into effect. No such sanction has as yet been
given by Congress; but, apart from this, and without troubling you with
my views on the whole subject, it is simply necessary for me to say that
there can be no recognition by this department of any arrangement by
which the additional semi-monthly mail, clearly contemplated by the then
Postmaster General, can be dispensed with.
The application, therefore, for a change of schedule on the route from
New Orleans to Vera Cruz, must now be considered without reference to
any trips it may be proposed to run in connexion therewith beyond. The
contract requires three trips a month; you propose but two, and it is
unnecessary for me to say that the number of trips stipulated for in the
contract will be required.