The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-12-31
IKE PACIFIC
Commercial A0btrtfser.
: SATURDAY, DECEMBER 81.
The Australian Steamship Line.

The Australian Steamship Line.
In our last Wednesday mornings issue we re
ferred to the new line Of steamships to run be-
tween San Francisco and Auckland, New Zealand
a contract for which has been concluded. BY the
arrival of the Wonga Wonga, Mr.. w. NJ. Nelson,
representing the North Pacific Transportation
Company, came passenger. On bis arrival here,
he immediately opened a correspondence with this
Government in respect to the paying of the sub
sidy, voted by the last Legislature, to the n. P.
T. Co., in order to make the Hawaiian Islands a
port of call. The following is a copy
HoSoLULU, Dec. &c, 1870.
To HIS ExcELLEScY, F. W.. HUTCHINSON, Minister
of the INTERIOR
SIR -Since 1 had the honor of addressing you two
months since, I have visited New Zealand, where I
have entered into a contract in behalf of the North
Pacific Transportation Company, with the Postmaster
General Of that country, for a line Of first class steam
vessels between San Francisco, New Zealand and
Australasia.
Mr.. Vogel, having shown me a letter which he ad-
dressed to you by this months mail, l am aware that
by this time you are in possession of his official mott
fcation Of existence Of the contract referred to, and
Of the fact that is therein provided that the question
as to whether Honolulu shall be made a port of call
or not has been left to my determination. In order
that you may DO still further informed on the subject,
1 enclose you an official printed copy of the contract,
Ou4 4 SlCClai Cdn JOuE W 4du O..
now have the honor, very respectfully, to inform
you that / am at once prepared to notify the Govern
ment Of New Zealand, under the power vested in me
by the clause aforesaid, that l name Honolulu, as
the port of call in the Hawaiian Islands. provided
that His Majesty's Government are ready to guar
antee to Messrs. Hackfeld & Co., the North Pacific
Transportation COmpauy's agents here, prior to my
departure on Wednesday next, that they will pay
subject to much reasonable conditions as may be mu-
tually agreed upon-the subsidy voted by the MEM
Ders of your Legislature, to whcmit must be a sub
ject of much congratulation that by means of the
wise provision they have made, it is now within the
power Of the Government to secure so effective a
line as that which the New Zealand contract pro-
Vides for. -s- - ----r---
1t would have afforded me much pleasure to have
mentioned n longer time in whicht to decide this matter,
but the contract makes it imperative that the first
steamer shall leave San Francisco on the 10th Of
February next. That being so. you will see that the
time has at last arrived when decisive action cannot
be longer delayed.
You will observe that the principle pervades the
whole contract of excluding all non-contributing,
places from participating in advantages the expense
of which they are not willing to share. 1t is with all
respect that / feel constrained to say, that 1 am
bound in honor and good faith to New Zealand to
see that Honolulu is no exception to so wholesome a
rule. 1t is only fair that l should add, that the
vote of your Legislature is the best possible evidence
that the Representatives of the people of the Hawaiian
Islands desired no such exception in their favor.
/ address this communication to you, believing
that the subject it refers to belongs to your depart,
ment. Ii L am mistaken on JnaL point, WOulQ you
kindly oblige me by referring to the proper quarter.
1-,..r.- l have the honor to be, sir,
Your most ,obedient servant
[Signed.1 Wa. NJ. NELSON.
II will be observed that Mr.. Nelson exceeded
his powtf in thus addressing this Government, on
so important a subject, as he had no authority to
into a contract that would have been binding
on the Company he represented. The timeappoint-
ed for taking decided action being too limited, and
the Government being in possession of other facts,
the following reply was addressed to Mr.. Nelson
80 DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR,
Honolulu, Dec. 81, 1870.
Sir II am directed by the Minister of the Interior
acknowledge receipt OF your letter OF this date en-
closing printed copy of the contract made by Mr..
Vogelt, the Postmaster General of New Zealand, and
yourself on the part of Mr.. Webb, of New York, and
Messrs- Holiday, BRENNAN & Co., of San Francisco !;
Ind to say in reply, that he has passed it to the
Minister of Finance, to whose Department the matter
more properly belongs than to his own, who will no
lOubt bring it up for the consideration Of His
Majesty at as early a day as may be convenient.
L have the honor to be your ob'dt serv't.
CHAs. I. GULICK.
WIN. NJ NELSON, ESQ., -&1 Chief Clerk
1t is hardly possible that Messrs. Holiday &
BRENNAN, who are the only Contractors nnnod ia
he articles OF agreement with the New Zealand
government. viii pass this port by without pro-
,osing some form of for our consideration.
We believe there is a stipulation in the postal
reaty between the United States and New Zealand
y which the two Governments are to act jointly
D substituting the same mail line of steamers be-
ween the two countries. Thus, the N. P. T. Co.,
aving secured the one contract, and having
lready a subsidy of SIS, 1000 for carrying the
nails between San Francisco and Honolulu, Will
undoubtedly get the contract and subsidy from
he United States Government for a through line.
t is likely that Mr.. Webb is in some way inter
sted, although his name is not mentioned, but
is boats are advertised to form the line, the
Noses Taylor only being kept in reserve in case
z emergency.
We DeHege tbat this Government cannot fail to-
ee the lmportan~e pf making this a port of call.
NE present Australian. 1c has already demonE
trated the advantage to US OF ths large aud prof
table market for our sugars, etc., which viii be
aade still more profitable by increased. s~aeilities
n transportation and quick communication
here is no doubt whatever but that our Govern
lent, at the appointed time, will take the proper
to have the steamers touch here. The Leg
Stature exhibited the sentiment of the people, a
ne last session, by, the passage of an act appro-,,
rating $50, 900 for subsidizing a line of steamers
etween here and San Francisco. And here we
Iay say that it is hoped the Government will not
tempt to impose any conditions in a contract
ihich may make it unacceptable.
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