Line of steamers between Vera Cruz and New Orleans.—Leave New Orleans every month the 1st, 14th, and 25th; arrive at Vera Cruz the 4th, 17th, and 28th. Leave Vera Cruz the 1st, 8th, and 22d; arrive at New Orleans the 4th, 11th, and 25th.
Line of steamers between Acapulco and San Francisco, connecting with the express from Vera Cruz to Acapulco.—Leave Vera Cruz every month the 4th and 17th; arrive at Acapulco the 9th and 22d. Leave Acapulco the 9th and 22d; arrive at San Francisco the 17th and 30th. Leave San Francisco the 8th and 24th; arrive at Acapulco the 16th and 1st. Leave Acapulco the 16th and 1st; arrive at Vera Cruz the 21st and 6th.
All of which is, by supreme order, published for information.
P. M. ANAYA.
New York, November 28, 1854.
Sir: The undersigned would respectfully call your attention to their contract of the 3d of March, 1852, with the department, for the transportation of the United States mails between Vera Cruz, in Mexico, and Acapulco, San Diego, Monterey, and San Francisco. By this contract it was stipulated and intended to transport the mails semi-monthly between New Orleans and San Francisco in sixteen days, (consecutively,) and surety for a large amount was given for the faithful performance of the service. By the terms of this contract it was subject to the approval of Congress, and also to an appropriation by the same.
The undersigned immediately prepared to perform the service in order to satisfy the requirements of the department, and also to save their surety harmless from their heavy obligation. Steamers were provided for the service on the Pacific ocean, and one of the undersigned proceeded to Mexico to take charge of the line between Vera Cruz and Acapulco. Horses, mules, harness, stages, wagons, and other materiel, were rapidly collected to furnish all that was required for the 384 miles of land conveyance across Mexico. At the same time a small letter mail was established, which commenced operations in July of the same year. By this method it was designed to transmit, rapidly, intelligence between the Atlantic and Pacific cities of the Union until the stages and other materiel, were properly placed on the line. Under this temporary arrangement, newspapers and letters were carried between California and New Orleans in fourteen, thirteen, and twelve-and-a-half days. Had the arrangement been completed for connecting with the steamers at Vera Cruz and Acapulco, in no instance would the time have exceeded thirteen days, as the distance by land across Mexico, from sea to sea, was performed with great ease and security in less than three days. Frequent experiments were made on parts of the Mexican road to test the time required for the transportation of the mails when the stages were placed on the route, and it was found that as soon as the mails were transported in the vehicles prepared for that purpose, the time would not exceed forty-eight consecutive hours between Vera Cruz and Acapulco.
It was the intention of the undersigned to have commenced with the mail stages in the month of December, as they were all ready prepared and on the ground for that purpose. The expenses incurred under the contract at that time, amounted to the sum of ninety-eight thousand dollars, ($98,000,) of which $56,000 have been paid, and the balance remains unliquidated. But the department having at this time expressed, in an annual report to Congress, a disapprobation of the contract on the ground of the impolicy of conditional contracts, the undersigned ceased their operations, and, consequently, have sustained serious damages from the action of the department. It is to be regretted that the department should have interposed to break up this enterprise, which, by the terms of the contract, was to be exclusively in the power of Congress. It is also to be regretted that this route, the shortest and best for the rapid transmission of the mails, should thus remain unoccupied at the present time. The undersigned are still ready and willing to perform the service in the time and mode specified, and would further suggest that if they were not required to touch at Monterey and San Diego, they would further stipulate to carry the mails, at all times, so as to make each trip between San Francisco and New Orleans in less than thirteen days. By the other routes the time now required is some nine or ten days more. Thus an important saving of time would be effected, and a corresponding benefit to the public.
Very respectfully, your obedient servants,