The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1866-07-07
The China steamers.

From the advices received by the last arrival,
there seems hut little doubt that the contract of
these steamers will be 80 changed by Congress as
to allow them to pass by Honolulu, if the Com
pany find it for their interest to do so. The tel
egraph reports
WASHINGTON. June 12.-In the Senate. Mr.. Con-
ness, from the Committee on Post Office and Post
Roads. reported Il joint resolution releasing the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company from that part of
their contract compelling them 10 run to Honolulu.
which was ordered printed.
If the matter had passed the full investigation
which the Committee is supposed to have given
to the subject, and been approved by it, the
measure will doubtless be sanctioned by both
branches of Congress.
The Washington correspondent of the Bulletin.
who has taken pains to inquire, communicates
the following, under date of May I6. We
doubt whether any subsidy can be obtained
from Congress for Il separate line of steamers to
Honolulu
STEAM LINE To THE SANDWICH IsIANpS-Nr. Bid
well has introduced a bill authorizing and direct
ing tie establishment of IL scmi-m0nthIy line of
mail steamships between san Francisco and the
Sandwich Islands. with a subsidy of not exceeding
SIOO,OOO per annum. This movement doubtless
has the support of and is probably inStigated by
the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. whose large
China steamers it is now said cannot enter The
port of Honolulu, where. according In their CON
tract, they are To touch. So far as that is con
cerncd, the difficulty could easily enough be got
over by employing ii steam tender to embark aud
dIsembark passengers, mails, &c.. in the u1ing.
The real difficulty in the case is that the COMPANY
do not desire to go by the way of the Sandwich
Islands at all. satisfied as they are that it will not
pay, and that their easiest and quickest route to
Japan lies lar north OF the Hawaiian group. 1t is
on many accounts desirable that the great steam-
eS of the China line should not be compelled to
deviaie 50 far from their true course, but the Com
pany should have thought of this when thew were
lobbying at Washington for their China Mail Bill.
and threw III the Sandwich Island clause as "A
makc-weight.
Regular and frequent communication with the
Sandwich Islands is Il matter of large Importance
to the United States. because it would tend greatly
to increase American influence in that quarter.
where England and France are gaining grnmnd tn
our serious disadvantage. 1t seems evident that
the dynasty which now governs Hawaii is soon to
become extinct. and that our European rivals are
diligently preparing to obtain exclusive control
there when the crisis comes. Next to the presence
Of an active. intelligent and discreet United states
representative at the Hawaiian Court. nothing
could so much extend our influence and advance
our interests in that quarter rs would the proposed
steam line, by means of which our trade and inter-
Course with the Islands may Ice rapidly augmented.
and orr people soon become the predominant Gle
meat in their foreign population. Notwithstand-
lug all this, there Is little reason To anticipate the
passage of Gen. Bidweli's bill. for the reason that
Congress is Iud;Sposed to grant further subsidies
to steam lines, and the Postmaster General is very
ubNNilt u 'Ht W wi ip4lIN u StDSli-tS Oiltt tnil
the amount of ocean hostages on the mails. In
addition To this, there is force in the argument that
as the China mail contractors have bound them
selves 10 touch at Honolulu with their steamers. if
they wish 10 he relieved of this stipulation. they
must themselves provide an acceptable substitute
for that portion of the service. II. however. Gen.
Bidwcll can carry his measure. he will be entitled
to the gratitude of our people. At all events the
experiment i worth trying.
The San Francisco Mercantile Gazette, refcrr-
ing to the above, has the following:
As before announced by us, the splendid steam
ship C"loTddO will depart hence January /. 1861.
for China and Japan via Honolulu. The Pacific
China Mail Steamship Company are doing their
part for the prompt fnlflment of their contract to
the letter. Prominent men. however. are working
hard to exempt the Company from stopping at
hoping thereby to gain a separate sub
Sidy from Government to enable the parties in IN
tcrcst to establish another and distinct line of
steamers to run semi-monthly TO and from Homo
lulu.
At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce,
held in San Francisco, June Is, that body
Il report to be sent to Congress, conclud-
ing with this paragraph
In view. however. of The increase Of distance to
be travcrscd. and the additional time which will
be- consumed by touching at Honolulu. and in
view also of the fact that the steamers intended for
he China line are much too large at present for
he Honolulu trade. and of such great draft of
that there may he difficulty in entering the
larbor of that port. without considerable dredging.
his Chamber asks permission to suggest 'haf-.
subsidy of sufficient amorN'- .-nvieu 10 y scpa-
Company f." the establishment of Il semi
muutGty mail steamship service direct between
san Francisco and Honolulu, and that upon the
Of such a contract the steamers OF the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company Will be relieved
of the obligation now imposed upon them OF touch
ing at that point on their way between san Fran
cisco and Japan.
All of which is respectfully submitted.