Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-18 00:00:00

THE AUSTRALIAN MAIL SERVICE.

The commencement of the Overland Mail SerViO'e, accord-
ing to the terms of the recent contract with the European
and Australian Mail Company, has not been marked with
that success which the performances hitherto of the vessels
employed had led us to anticipate. The Australian mail
service seems destined to be subject to mishaps. The first
voyage of the pioneer vessel that was to have opened up
the new route, has been brought to a premature conclu-
sion The Oneida, which ought to have been by this time
off the Australian coast, on her way back from Suez, with
the February mails, is lying disabled in our harbour,
while the heavy homeward mail which she should
have delivered, will not reach its destination till
two months after date. The disappointment to the
colonists is great, as is also the inconvenience. To
the company the loss will be heavy, and somewhat
discouraging. The accumulative system of penalties
which the terms of the contract provide, will press on
them with all its severity. There will not only be a
forfeit on the first voyage, but the whole of its proportion
of the subsidy will be lost. The fracture of the solo•plate
of the engine knocked £BOOO off the company's annual
receipts at a stroke. Nor is this all. The arrangements
for the first outward mail are thrown into confusion by
this untoward accident. The cause of the non-appearance
of the Oneida at Gallo and Suez will be unknown there,
and the arrival of the vessel will be daily expected. Un-
less the Peninsular and Oriental Company are able and
willing to furnish a suitable steamer at once to supply the
deficiency, the mails and passengers will be detained
in Egypt, at the cost of the company, till the Simla
is ready to start with the March mails. Fortunately
the February mails were not to leave England till the 21th
of the month, while the March mail was to leave on the
12th, so that the interval, instead of being a month, will be
only sixteen days. If the Simla should succeed in making
a splendid run outwards from Suez, this overtime may be
reduced ; but if her passage should be retarded by bad
weather, there will be the accumulated forfeit incurred
for the delay of these sixteen days, which will amount
to not less than £6,000. The forfeiture of part of
the subsidy is not the only loss that will fall upon the
Company. The Oneida is to be sent home for repairs,
for though the Sydney engineers are ready to pledge
themselves to be able to perform this task efficiently,
the expenditure of time and money will be almost,
if not quite, as great as will be incurred by sending the
vessel back to Glasgow. Another steamer of not less than
2,200 tons burthen must be chartered and sent out without
delay, to supply her place; and until its arrival the service
will be crippled, unless the Peninsular and Oriental Com-
pany can afford to extend the courtesy they have already
shown to their successful rivals, and can lend immediately
one of their large steamers engaged in the Indian seas. It
is to be hoped that some accommodation of this sort will be
found to be possible, or the regularity of the postal service
will be disarranged, or rendered uncertain for months to
come, and the Company will be subjected to a ruinous
accumulation of losses.--,Sydney Herald, April 9.