maritime commerce.

The subsidy, or rate of compensation, as it is termed, for mail-carriage
is thus fixed in each class: first class, not exceeding four dollars (in
the original draft six dollars) a mile; second class, two dollars a
mile, by the shortest practicable route for each outward voyage; third
class, one dollar a mile; fourth class, two-thirds of a dollar a mile
for the actual number of miles required by the Post Office Department to
be travelled on each outward bound voyage. Pro rata deductions from the
compensations, and penalties, are imposed for omission of a voyage or
voyages, and for delays or irregularities in service. No steamship in
the contract service is to receive any other bounty or subsidy from the
national treasury. Sanction is given to naval officers to volunteer for
service on the contract mail steamships; and, while so employed, they
are to receive furlough pay in addition to their steamship pay, provided
they are required to perform such duties as appertain to the merchant
service. The training-school for seamen is established by a provision
requiring that the contract steamers "shall take cadets or apprentices,
one American-born boy for each thousand tons gross register, and one for
each majority fraction thereof, who shall be educated in the duties of
seamanship, rank as petty officers, and receive such pay for their
services as may be reasonable."[HN]

The first advertisements for proposals under this act resulted in
contracts with eleven existing lines, of the third and fourth classes.
No bids were received for the North Atlantic service calling for
American-built steamships in the first class. But an offer was made by
the American Line[HO] to begin the performance of the service with two
British-built liners--the _City of New York_ and the _City of
Paris_--acquired from the Inman Line, if these steamers were admitted
to American registry, the company agreeing immediately to order two
similar ships from American shipyards and add these to their fleet. The
proposition was accepted, and a supplementary act was passed (May 10,
1892), legalizing such registry.[HP] The new American ships were
promptly built,--the _St. Louis_ and the _St. Paul_, launched November,
1894, and April, 1895, respectively,--each 11,600 tons, "larger,
swifter, safer, and more luxurious"[HQ] than the two British-built
vessels: a perfection of workmanship deemed a matter for congratulation
by patriotic Americans. To