raft of water, and
hence, in case of touching the ground, or of violent storms, it is
found that if one portion of the frame gives way, the breaking up
of the entire structure follows with a rapidity that is but too
well calculated to show the slight manner in which these vessels
are constructed. Your Committee think that the additional
expenditure of a few hundreds of thousands of dollars is a matter
not worthy of consideration, when brought into comparison with the
loss of life, and would rather see even millions devoted to the
construction of _strong steamers_, than witness the sudden and
heart-rending ruptures of the dearest ties of our nature, caused
by the accidents that so frequently occur. Such is their feeling
of stern disapprobation of the reckless indifference respecting
the safety of passengers, daily manifested by some of the
proprietors and officers of steam lines, that they are resolved,
so far at least as they are concerned, not in any way to
countenance, directly or indirectly, such a course of proceeding.
In the extension of the system of ocean mail transportation which
they propose to recommend, care will be taken, that the steamers
which carry the Government mails shall be regarded as national
ships, to a certain extent, and as such, under the charge of the
law-making power, and be so built as to secure safety to
travellers; and that, in all contracts, this consideration shall
be regarded as one of paramount importance."

Regarding a few sailing-ship owners in New-York and Boston, who had
memorialized Congress against the Collins and other lines, the Report
says:

"The memorialists are loud in their complaints respecting the
alleged improper interference of the Government with matters that
should be left, as they say, entirely to individual enterprise,
which in their opinion becomes paralyzed under the effects of
Government patronage bestowed upon some to the exclusion of
others. If the authors of this memorial will take a fair and
dispassionate view of the matter, they will, as your Committee
think, be convinced that they are wrong in their supposition, and
that the Government has not gratuitously meddled in concerns with
which it should have nothing to do. The merchants and ship-owners
referred to seem to forget, in the first place, that the system of
ocean