Sir F. Bruce to Mr. Seward
Washington,
July 25, 1866.
Sir: The existing contract with the Messrs.
Cunard for the conveyance of the mails between Great Britain and America
will cease on the 1st of January, 1868, and it is the opinion of her
Majesty’s post office authorities that other and better arrangements can
be made, which will supersede the necessity of a new contract.
In order to carry out these new arrangements, it will be necessary to
terminate the existing post office convention between the United States
and Great Britain, as provided by article 22 of that instrument, and I
am accordingly instructed by her Majesty’s government to give the
requisite notice of the intention to determine the convention on the 1st
of January, 1868, simultaneously with the expiration of the Cunard
contract.
At the same time I am directed to express the readiness of her Majesty’s
government to enter into negotiations for a new convention, such
negotiations to be carried on directly between the post offices of the
two countries, and the new convention to be concluded and signed by the
heads of the respective offices.
I enclose, confidentially, an extract of a letter on the subject,
addressed by the post office authorities to the foreign office, which
points out the advantages, it is hoped, may be derived from the new
arrangements which it is contemplated to make.
I have the honor to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most
obedient, humble servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, &c., &c., &c.
Mr. Hill to Mr. Hammond
General Post
Office,
June 22, 1866.
Sir: I am directed by the postmaster
general to request that you will state to the Earl of Clarendon that
the contract concluded on the 24th June, 1858, with Messrs. Cunard,
Burns, and MacIver, for the North America and Bahamas mail packet
service, can be terminated on the 1st January, 1868, provided twelve
months’ notice be previously given to the contractors, and that it
is the intention of her Majesty’s government to give such notice and
to terminate the contract accordingly.
The postmaster general does not propose to enter into a new contract
for the continuance of a mail service like that now existing between
this country and North America, as he is of opinion that without any
such contract the numerous steamships now plying afford the means of
maintaining a rapid and frequent postal communication with the
United States. In his lordship’s opinion, arrangements may
advantageously be made with the owners of well-appointed ships,
leaving this country on stated days weekly, for the conveyance of
mails to New York, in consideration of a payment equal to the whole
sea-postage if the voyage, be performed within a certain time, and
equal to a smaller sum; according to a fixed scale, where that time
is exceeded.
A similar course might be pursued by the United States post office
with regard to the despatch of mails to this country, and it seems
probable, looking at the great commercial intercourse
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between the two countries,
that after a time under such a plan a daily mail might be
established in each direction.
Under this arrangement all necessity for the post office of one
country to send to that of the other instructions respecting the
transmission of its mails, a necessity giving rise to much trouble,
would be avoided. As respects the outward mails, each office would
have the sole direction. Each office thus undertaking to provide the
means for the despatch of the outward mails, the postmaster general
would propose that the despatching office should retain all the
postage charged on the international correspondence, and that the
office to which the mails are sent should make no charge on the
delivery of such correspondence.
To accomplish this object, however, and to effect other improvements
in the postal intercourse of the two countries, it will be necessary
to terminate the existing postal convention between the United
Kingdom and the United States signed at London on the 15th December,
1848, and to conclude a new convention, and the lords commissioners
of the treasury have authorized the postmaster general to adopt that
course.
The 22d article of the existing convention provides that it may be
annulled after the expiration of a year’s notice given by one
government to the other, and I am directed by the postmaster general
to request that the Earl of Clarendon will be good enough to
intimate to the government of the United States that it is the
desire of her Majesty’s government that the convention should cease
to have effect on the 1st January, 1868, simultaneously with the
termination of the Cunard contract.
If Lord Clarendon sees no objection, Lord Stanley of Alder by would
propose, in accordance with what is now the general rule, that the
negotiations for a new convention should be carried on directly
between the post offices of the two countries, and that the
convention should be concluded and signed by the heads of the
respective offices.
By such a proceeding much trouble is saved, and facilities are given
for modifications from time to time in the convention.
In a letter addressed to the Postmaster General of the United States,
on the 29th May, 1862, Lord Stanley of Alder by pointed out that
although prevented at that time by the great loss sustained by this
department in the maintenance of the North America mail line of
packets from acquiescing in the proposal to reduce the total charge
on a single international letter conveyed between the two countries
from one shilling, or twenty-four cents, to sixpence, or twelve
cents, he trusted that when that service terminated it would be
found practicable to achieve so desirable an object.
Relieved from the burden caused by the contract now about to expire,
his lordship will readily agree, in entering into a new convention,
to the proposed reduction of postage on international letters, and
he will also readily agree to the establishment of low transit rates
for letters passing through either country, whether the ordinary or
enclosed mails.
I am, &c.,
The Right Honorable E. Hammond.
