The foreign-mail service of the United States is in a large degree dependent upon the Bremen and Hamburg lines of steamers.  The Post-Office Department has entered into contracts in writing with the two companies above named, and with the Williams and Guion lines, respectively, for a regular and continuous service of two years.  The only arrangement that could be made with the Inman and Cunard lines is temporary, and may be broken off at any time.

The North German lines are first class in point of speed and equipment, their steamers usually making the trip across the Atlantic in from twenty-four to thirty-six hours in advance of the Williams and Guion lines.

Should the North German steamers be blockaded or impeded by France, our postal intercourse with foreign nations will be greatly embarrassed unless Congress shall interpose for its relief.

I suggest to Congress the propriety of further postponing the time for adjournment, with the view of considering the questions herein communicated.

U.S.  GRANT.

WASHINGTON, July 15, 1870.

To the Senate of the United States:

In answer to their resolution of the 9th instant, I transmit a report[28] from the Secretary of State and the papers which accompanied it.

U.S.  GRANT.

[Footnote 28:  Relating to the importation of Chinese coolies into the United States.]

VETO MESSAGES.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Washington, D.C., January 11, 1870.

To the Senate of the United States:

I return herewith without my approval Senate bill No. 273, entitled “An act for the relief of Rollin White,” for the reasons set forth in the accompanying communication, dated December n, 1869, from the Chief of Ordnance.

U.S.  GRANT.

ORDNANCE OFFICE, WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, December 11, 1869.

Hon. W.W.  BELKNAP,

Secretary of War.

SIR:  In the year 1855 Rollin White obtained letters patent for improvements in repeating pistols, in (among other things) extending the chambers of the rotating cylinder through to the rear, so as to enable the chambers to be charged at the rear by hand or by a self-acting charger.

Some time afterwards, and prior to the breaking out of the rebellion, he assigned this patent to Smith & Wesson, of Springfield, Mass., for the sum of $500 in cash and their obligation to pay him 25 cents royalty on each pistol manufactured under the patent, binding himself to apply for and to use his influence to procure a renewal of the patent.  He afterwards surrendered this original patent and obtained a reissue in three divisions.  Two years before the expiration of the latter he applied to the Commissioner of Patents for an extension, upon the ground of insufficiency of compensation.  The Commissioner rejected the application for an extension, without assigning any reason, and the patents expired by limitation on the 3d of April, 1869, and the invention became public property.