The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-08 00:00:00

LONDON,

win perform that which the United States Govern-

moat is unable or unwilling to accomplish.

Since the appearance of the second report of the
Select Committee on Steam Communications with
India, &c., we have anxiously anticipated some move-
ment on the part of Ministers to indicate the
decision at which they would ultimately arrive
with respect to that interesting and important sub-
ject. We should not have supposed that there could
be much doubt or difficulty in the matter. A pro-
tracted inquiry had taken place ; the questions at
issue bad been thoroughly investigated in all
their details, by men of considerable ability
and experience. The CHANCELLOR of the
ExceEctuna and two subordinate members of
the Government participated iu the labours, and
approved of the report of that Committee, which,
indeed, commanded general assent. The responsibility
of carrying out its valuable recommendations with
honesty and fairness devolved upon the Government,
to whom the duty was intrusted, with the significant
hint that it could " only be effected by ample notice,
and full particulars of the terms and 'conditions re
quired being given, so as to enable all parties to enter
the field who may be desirous of tendering for the
service." When a Cabinet Minister had affixed his
name to that report, we should have supposed his
mind was fully made up, and that his colleagues were
quite prepared to act in accordance with the views
therein put forward. Week after week has, however,
slipped away without anything tangible having been
effected, and on this Bth day of September we are no
further in advance than we were on the 29th day of
July, when the report was published—not a single
particle of progress having been achieved during the
interval.

To understand the mischievous consequences of
this delay it is necessary that the real state of the
case, and the procrastination that has already
taken place, should be explained. The evils of
the existing monopoly, or as the Committee
have termed it, the " exclusive traffic on the Indian
lines" in the hands of one company, have long been ap-
parent to all persona having commercial relations
with British India, and also to those who resorted to
the overland passage. A vigorous and energetic
attempt was made to provide a suitable remedy pre-
vious to the last renewal of the contract, which only
failed at the last moment, through causes into which
it is not now necessary to enter, further than to say
that it has generally been believed in the City
that the failure was in a great degree, if not
altogether ascribable to the undue pressure of offi-
cials, who, having wasted many valuable days through
their own culpable apathy, were unwilling to allow
even hours for reasonable consideration to the parties
willing to enter into active competition with those in
possession of the line. The consequence was, that a
new contract was signed with the Peninsular and
Oriental Steam Packet Company, for the conveyance
of mails by monthly packets from Southampton to
Alexandria, and from Suez to Calcutta, and Ceylon to
Hong-Kong, at an annual cost of 183,0001., of which the
East India Company contributed 70,000/., receiving
back 50,0001. for the conveyance of mails between
Suez and Bombay. The entire charge to the Ex-
chequer, therefore, amounts to 163,0001. per annum,
exclusive of " the cost of communication between
Alexandria and the Post- office in London, the
amount of which the Committee had not the means of
estimating." We do not allude to these antecedents
for the purpose of in any degree censuring the Go-
vernment with respect thereto, but merely to
show that their attention having been so forci-
bly directed to the subject, they should have
exercised increased vigilance and avoided any degree
of laches on the present occasion.
On the 27th of March, a resolution of the House
of Commons was carried to the effect—

" That a Select Committee be appointed to it quire
into the existing Steam Communications with India and
Cbina, and into the practicability of effecting any im-
provement therein; and also into the best mode of
establishing steam communications between England,
India, China., Australia, New Z.,aland, or any of them,
as well as any points upon the several routes between
them."

The Committee at once entered upon its duties.
Many witnesses were examined, and two reports pre-
pared and approved of; the first, relating to the postal
relations with Australia, was published in June, the
second, of a more pressing character, concerning the
improvements of which the steam communication
with India is susceptible in July. The delay occa-
sioned by this inquiry, although unavoidable, so long
as the matter remained sub judice, was yet exceed-
ingly injurious to the commercial interests
of the country. It acted as a practical
prohibition to any positive arrangements being
entered into, and, but for the decision and foresight
of a body of influential gentlemen, who in anticipa-
tion of the report formed a company, would have
thrown the game altogether into the hands of those
already in occupation, who could have enforced such
terms as they thought -proper in the absence of all
competition.

But although the capital was subscribed, and every
arrangement entered into for providing the necessary
materiel, no further step can be taken while the Govern-
ment remain inactive. Although we are told that
the deed of settlement of the Eastern Steam Naviga-
tion Company has been signed by subscribers repre-
senting no less than 49,167 shares out of 49,280
allotted in England, so that nothing on
their part is wanting, the directors are un-
able to take any further steps in the
absence of some clear announcement of Ministerial
intentions—without knowing whether the vessels
must be of wood, or if iron-boats are eligible—with-
out being informed as to the rate of speed that may be
required, whether 10, 11, 12, 13, or even 14 knots
an hour may be stipulated. Being utterly uninstructed
as to the tonnage of the vessels or powers of the en-
gines, it is impossible for the new company to com-
plete its arrangements with the ship-builders or
the makers of the engines. All these essential steps
must necessarily be postponed until the Government
has shaken off its apathy, and spoken out plainly and
intelligibly. It was given in evidence before the
Committee that 18 or 20 months would be required to
prepare and place the vessels on the line, ready, for
service. Sixteen months only remain before the
contracts with the Peninsular and Oriental Company
will expire, and yet the same unaccountable silence
is maintained, and the entire subject is still enveloped
in mystery.

We cannot suppose that any Minister would en-
courage the opposition merely for the purpose of ob-
taining better terms from the parties in possession.
Although no friends to the policy of Sir CHARLES
WooD, we do not suppose that he could be guilty
of such duplicity. We are disposed to give
him credit for a fair and bond fide intention to pro-
mote that wholesome and salutary competition so
strongly advocated in the report of the Committee,
and to procure for the public the unquestionable
advantage of a bi.monthly communication. But the
insouciance exhibited is open to a worse construc-
tion ; and a continued negligence may give rise to
louder and more serious complaints than
any that have yet been put forward.
The Right Honourable Gentleman has no super-
abundant popularity to spare, and he should
avoid incurring any additional odium. We are
willing to believe that hitherto the fault has been
merely one of omission. If continued it may assume
a very different aspect.

DIPLOMATIC CHANGES.--Mr. James Hudson, now
her Majesty's Minister at Rio Janeiro, is appointed her Ma-
jesty's Minister at Florence. Mr. Henry Southern, now
Minister at Buenos Ayres, is to succeed Mr. Hudson at Rio
de Janeiro. Captain the Hon. Robert Gore R. N., now
Chargé d'Affaires at Monte Video, is appointed in the same
capacity at Buenos Ayres. Tue Hon. Frederick Bruce, now
Charge d'Affaires in the Republic of Bolivia, is to succeed
Captain Gore at Monte Video.— Sunday Paper.
LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY EVENING. -- The Royal
Mail steam ship Europa, Captain Lott, sailed from the Mer-
sey at 4 o'clock this afternoon, for Halifax and Boston, with
the usual mails, a large freight, and 150 passengers. The
United
%S, Baltic, Captain Comstock,
witictaetsesfrobmbuNi setweamY;sriklipio the 30th ult., may be ex-
pected to arrive at Liverpool on Tuesday next.

SOUTHAMPTON, SUNDAY, SEPT. 7. ThA United
States' Mail steam-ship Washington, Captain G. W. Floyd,
arrived here at an early hour this morning from Bremen, en
route to New York, for which port she is to depart hence on
Wednesday next with the usual semi-weekly mails. The
Washington made the run from the Wesler in 36 hours.

The water piping laid down in the borough of
Manchester extends 961,, miles in largtb, or about Leif the
distance between the metropolis anti that town. The pro-
mised supply, when the works are ct.mvieted, is 30,000,000
of gallons per day, to be distributed to 4' 0,000 inhabitants
(including those in Salford), or 75 gallons each person. Of
course millowners will have the opportunity of takinga large
quantity from this deluging supply.