Hoppin to the Marquis of Salisbury, December 23, 1879

Mr. Hoppin to the Marquis of Salisbury.

My Lord: I have the honor to ask your lordship’s attention to a letter, a copy of which I inclose herewith, addressed to me by Captain Tukey, of the American merchant ship Normandy.

It seems it is customary for the honorable council for India, to send government stores to that country by British ships only. I am informed that there is no law excluding foreign bottoms; but it is judged more convenient in case of any reclamation against master and owners that they should be within the jurisdiction of the British courts.

Captain Tukey suggests that this difficulty maybe entirely obviated by a bond or other security, to be given by responsible British subjects to the shippers, guaranteeing them against any loss or damage.

I venture to ask your lordship whether it may not be possible for the vessels of the United States to obtain a share of this business upon furnishing the indemnity above mentioned.

It seems, from Captain Tukey’s statement, that the custom of employing British bottoms only has recently been departed from in the case of an Italian ship, the Manilla, and if foreign vessels are ever to be used, there is no reason why those of my own country, which are staunch, strong, and well found, and will pass the most rigid inspection, should not also be chartered.

I should hesitate in asking your lordship’s kind offices in presenting this matter to the India board if it were not obvious that throwing open the competition for this business to American bottoms would have a tendency to diminish freights, and thus prove quite as advantageous to the government shippers here as to my countrymen.

I have, &c.,