The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-27 00:00:00

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JANUARY 27, 1854.

TITUTE.

POSTAL STEAAf COMMUNICATION WITH
AUSTRALIA.

A public meeting was yesterday held at the London
Tavern, for the purpose of taking into consideration the
most desirable steps to be taken for promoting the most
desirable steps to be taken for promoting semi-monthly
postal intercourse between this country and our Austra-
lian colonies ; Sir James Duke, Bart., 3/1.P., in the
chair.

The CHAIRMAN informed the meeting that the ques.
tion it was met to consider was one of the most impor-
tant of the day, affecting, as it did, not only the com-
mercial interests of the city of London, but of the whole
kingdom. Great exertions had been made in 1850 by
gentlemen representing various important interests in
different parts of the country, to obtain that more rapid
and regular communication with Australia which it was
the object of the meeting now to obtain. But if such
improved communication were necessary in 1850, much
more had it become essentialjat the present time, in con-
sequence of the immense increase of our trade with the
colonies, consequent upon the discovery of gold. The
number of letters passing between Australia and this coun-
try was already greater than between India and the United
Kingdom, and he had no doubt that it would continue
to increase to a still greater extent. With respect to the
expense of affording increased postal communication
with Australia, he believed that the increased revenue
obtained would more than cover the additional expense,
for the great increase in the correspondence of this
country had been found to arise not more from the re-
duction in the rates of postage than from the great
facilities afforded by frequent deliveries. (Hear.)
Mr. MorrArr, M.P., in moving the first resolution,
stated that he had no doubt the Post-office authorities
would shortly propose a uniform rate of 6d. for
letters to Australia, 2d. of which had been appropriated
for the land service in the United Kingdom and
the colony, and the remaining 4d. he thought ought
to be given entirely to those who conveyed the
letters by sea. He did not think that the Govern-
ment would be justified in refusing to concede to any
company offering proper securities a proposition to esta-
blish semi-monthly communication with the Australian
colonies, on the condition of receiving the whole of the
sum to be paid for the sea passage of the letters. (Hear,
hear.) The Government had received in 1851 not less
than 56,000/., and he had no doubt that with increased
facilities a revenue of at least 200,0001. could be obtained
from the postage of Australian letters. (Hear, hear.)
He moved, "That the immediate establishment of regular
semi-monthly communication with Australia was im-
peratively called for by the extended commercial relations
and growing wants of the mother country and her Aus-
tralian colonies."

Mr. LAMB (formerly a member of the legislative
council of Sydney) seconded the motion, and stated that
the colony of Victoria had offered a large subsidy to any
company which would most efficiently promote the postal
intercourse between that colony and the mother country.;
and he bad no doubt that if the authorities at home
were to reduce the postage to a uniform rate of Gd., the
colony would be content to reduce the postage on their
side from 2d. to ld. upon all letters previously sea-borne.
Mr. MALINS referred to the great expense of main-
taining steam communication with Australia, and stated
that the consumption of coal on the voyage out and
home amounted to not less than 11,5001. He considered
that no arrangement short of giving to the steam com-
panies the whole amount earned from port to port would
be satisfactory. (Hear.)

Mr. RIDGWAY considered that a great saving of time
would be effected, if all steamers for Australia left Milford
Haven, instead of Liverpool and Southampton, and were
not compelled to touch at every port in Australia as was
now the custom.

The resolution was then agreed to.
Mr. DONALDSON moved the next resolution, "That in
the opinion of this meeting, the geographical position of
the two great emporii of the south, Melbourne and Syd-
ney, required distinct and independent lines of steam
communication." He considered that that the yost-
office authorities were greatly to blame in actin4 with
So much tardiness in a matter of such great natiohal im-
portance as that of increased postal communication be-
tween this country and Australia. The conduct of the
authorities at home in this respect contrasted most un-
favourably with that of the colony of Victoria, which
had just agreed to grant a sum of 3,0001. monthly to
any company which would bring out the letters from
England in 65 days. (Hear, hear.) It was unworthy
of Great Britain to take one farthing of the sums derived
from the colonial correspondence of Australia, in order
to swell the revenues of this country. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. J. MACGREGOR, M,P., seconded the resolution.
Ho considered the question of speedy and certain com-
munication with the Australian colonies one of so much
importance, that it would have done honour to the
Government had it called Parliament together at an
earlier date for the sole purpose of effecting this desired
object. When he looked at the rapid progress of the
commerce of the United States it appeared unprece-
dented, but when be compared it with th,.: trade with
Australia, the increase had been much less rapid and
extensive. Our exports of British manufactures to
Australia for the last year amounted according to his
estimate to 15,500,0001., and if the value of the colonial
and foreign produce also exported were added to this,
the total exports of the United Kingdom to Australia,
would not be less than 17,500,0001. (Hear, hear.) Con-
siderable apprehension appeared to be entertained with
respect to losing our trade with Russia. But the total
value of our exports to Russia did not amount to
2,000,0001., while our commerce with Australia was
more than eight times that amount, and we could
get from Australia almost every article that wo
now imported from Russia. (Hear, hear.) The
whole of our exports to the United States did
not exceed those to Australia, which already
amounted to one-half of the whole of our exports in
1831. He hoped that no exertions would be spared
in order to obtain that amount of communication
between this country and the Australian colonies which
the extent of the commerce and the social interests of
the two countries imperatively required. (Hear.)
After a short discussion, the resolution was agreed to
unanimously.

Mr. LINDSAY moved the next resolution, to the effect
" That an humble address to her Majesty, and petitions
to both Houses of Parliament, should be adopted and
signed by the chairman on behalf of the meeting, and
that the chairman should be requested, in conjunction
with the committee of the Postal Steam-communication
Society, to impress upon the Government the serious in-
jury inflicted upon the trade and industry of the coun-
try by the present inefficient system of postal communi-
cation between England and the Australian colonies."
He called the attention of the meeting to the enormous
rate of charges at present made for the conveyance of
letters to Australia, and the inefficient mode of obtaining
their conveyance by the present system of offering a sum
of 1,0001. to any vessel that would undertake to convey
the mails to Australia within the time specified by the
Post-office authorities.

Mr. KIAD having seconded the motion, it was unani-
mously agreed to.
Resolutions were also passed awarding the thanks of
the meeting to the Postal Steam Association for the
energy displayed by it in promoting an improved system
of steam communication with the Australian colonies,
and to the chairman for presiding on the occasion, after
which the meeting broke up.

DEATH OF MR. PHILIP KLITZ, PROFESSOR OF MUSIC.
—lt is with a very deep feeling of sorrow and regret, in
which a large proportion of the public of Southampton
will participate, together with large numbers in the
principal towns of the southern counties, we record the
decease of Mr. Philip Klitz, professor of music, who died
after a brief illness of bronchitis, yesterday morning, at
the age of 49. He was born at Lymington, where his
father established his reputation as a musician of con-
siderable eminence, and brought up six sons to his pro-
fession. Philip, the eldest, early became a popular com-
poses of ballroom music of the highest class, and his
compositions became fashionable for their respective
periods. He came to reside in Southampton about 25
years ago, and showed the versatility of his talent by
composing, besides much classical music, a variety of
ballads, of which the words were frequently his own ;
and ono series of naval songs, called "The Songs of the
Mid-Watch," the Admiralty did him the honour to be‘
added to Dibdin's, in a special edition published for the
Navy. Besides his musical works, he was the author
of "Tales of the New Forest," which he was well quali-
fied to write, from his intimate acquaintance with the
scenery of the forest and the manners of its people. He
was a great advocate for the Hullah system, and intro-
duced it in Southampton and other places, andindeed
sought to cultivate a musical taste among the young ge-
nerally. His lectures on music were exceedingly attrac-
tive at all the literary institutions of these counties. He
was a most brilliant performer on the pianoforte and
violin, and conducted Paginini's concerts when very
young. He has for many years held the office of organ-
ist at All Saints' Church, and there, as well as previously
at other churches, raised and taught a choir, and per-
fected the vocal service. His wife and an only son have
to mourn the loss of an affectionate husband and father
—the profession of one of its most meritorious and ac-
complished members—and the masonic brethren a
brother whom they esteemed. He always gave a willing
assistance to the craft, and distinguished himself amongst
them, and was P.P.G.O. of Hampshire. One of his
masonic compositions, " Faith, Hope, and Charity," is
possessed by every lodge in the province, and is intro-
duced at most of their festive entertainments.—Hamp-
, shire Advertiser, Jan. 14.