It would be impracticable to send agents with all those
mails, to take care of them and make distributions, except at an
enormous cost.

"5th. There would be constant difficulty with slow and unsafe
boats.

"6th. The great object of obtaining steamships, so constructed,
under the inspection of the Navy Department, as to be suitable for
war vessels, and subject to exclusive appropriation and use as
such, would be sacrificed.

"The third project is the making of contracts, for a stated term
of years, _upon proposals advertised for in the ordinary method
adopted for mail-coach service_. This would not answer for ocean
steam service, unless provision were made for security, in the
strength, capacity, and adaptation of the vessels, with their
machinery, etc."

Regarding our steam service in the Gulf, and in reviewing the contract
made by the United States Mail Steamship Company, the Hon. Edwin
Croswell, and associates, in a letter to the Chairman of the Senate
Postal Committee, presented the following important reflections:

"As early as the year 1835, the attention of the British
Government was directed to the plan of changing the mode of
conveying the mails by the ships of the East-India Company and the
Government, and adopting the contract system with individuals and
companies, with a view to combining the essential properties of a
naval and commercial steam marine.

"In consequence of the Report of the Commissioners appointed by
Parliament to inquire into the management of the English Post
Office Department in 1836, the mail steam packet service was
transferred to the Admiralty. The Report stated the conviction of
the Commissioners of Inquiry that 'the advantages which a System
of contract must generally secure to the public over one of the
establishment, however well conducted, were such that they wish
they could have felt justified in recommending that it should be
universally and immediately adopted.'

"The Secretary of the Admiralty stated that, 'in acting upon this
opinion, the Admiralty entered into contracts for conveying the
mails by steam vessels to and from Spain and Portugal, and
subsequently between Alexandria and England, with the Peninsular
and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. Contracts were also entered
into for the conveyance of the mails between England a