The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-07-23
The Australian steam Line.

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The day before the sailing of the steamer Aj-r,
the following telegram was received from Senator
Cole. I'll Australian steamship bill will pass
Congress this session. Press of business only
prevents immediate action" As Congress was
to have adjourned on the 18th inst, it is now
probably a law. 1t has been amended to require
but thirty days notice instead of sixty, and to
fix the subsidy at $500, 600. On the motion to
bring the bill up Cor action before the adjourn
ment of Congress, the vote in the Senate stood 81
in its favor to Q against, which indicates the feel
ing regarding it in that body. This is all that
has transpired concerning it in Congress. Our
next mail, due by the bark Comet about the 10th
of August, will undoubtedly report its passage.
The reduction of the American subsidy to
$500, 900, renders it more probable that the
Colonies will unite on some plan to raise a simi-
lar sum. As the New Zealand Legislature is
understood to have authorized a subsidy of G30,-
900, a similar amount from either Victoria, New
South Wales or Queensland, will secure the
establishment of the line at once. But the great
difficulty now is the jealousy existing between the
several Colonies regarding the terminus of the
line. There are four rivals, each wishing the
terminus at Auckland, Wellington, Sydney and
Melbourne. This of course cannot be. The
Alta of San Francisco, suggests an arrangement
which is not only feasible, but seems to be most
sensible yet suggested from any quarter. We
clip SO much Of the article as bears oD the
question:
Taking our start from San Francisco and presum-
ing that Honolulu will still continue TO be touched
at and used as n coaling station, nearly one-third of
the total distance will there be accomplished. From
thence it is proposed to touch at the FIJI Islands and
again coal and connect with a branch steamer to
take on the New Zealand portion of the passengers,
mails, etc. The distance from Fiji to Auckland is
about 1140 miles, or fully 200 miles less than from
Sydney to Auckland, or from Melbourne to Yelling
ton. The advantages of this plan are, that the
steamers for Australia will not be taken out of their
way, whilst New Zealand will be served as speedily
and as efficiently as if they were. 1t is difficult to
SEE what objection New Zealand can have to this
proposal. 1t seems to meet every possible claim that
she can set up. Her mails would be as speedily
conveyed as if the San Francisco steamer went
round by her ports. If an expenditure in the Colony
of the contractors money be desired by the New
Zealanders. that would certainly be better accom-
pIished by q first class steamer all to hemselve
which would suffice to carry their mails to all their
ports, from the North to the South, than by having
n more hasty call at one port from the through
steamer. Whatever may be said to the contrary,
there are no practical difficulties in the way of
making a safe coaling station of Fiji. Very accurate
surveys of the harbors of that group have before now
DcGA mdNiC ny luC mt Tux OOfSininSht, anu
the charts are before US. On the western side of the
group there are no islands to interfere with naviga-
ton day or night, and on that side a suitable harbor
exists. Calling there would be the making of Fiji,
which at this moment is one of the most promising
places in the Pacific. 1t would also be of immense
Importance to most of the other groups in Southern
Polynesia inasmuch as a central depot would thus
be formed, from whence they could obtain their
supplies, mails, etc. To the isolated residents of
those island, this advantage is not to be 0veresti-
mated. From FIJI the steamer would proceed on her
voyage and passing by the Isle of Pines she would
there drop the mail for New Caledonia. This island
is almost in the direct line of track, and may be
safely called at day or night, which is not the case
with New Caledonia. From thence she would pro-
coed to Moreton Island and leave the Queensland
mail, then on to Sydney, landing passengers and
mails, and concluding her voyage at Melbourne.
South Australia and Tasmania would in that case be
supplied as hitherto by means of coasting steamers.
An examination of the map will show that the route
thus indicated is as nearly a direct line as can be
followed. The distance are as follows -
From San Francisco TO Honolulu ...--...."..-.2O so miles.
HononuN
" Isle Of Pines to MOreton island. .....-".... 400 "
Moreton Island TO Sydney 800 I"
Total from San Francisco to Melbourne. .6959 "
Total from San Francisco TO Auckland .....-..-. .6O5o a
Such steamers as will occupy the route may safely
be relied upon to average II miles per hour over
such q favorable ocean as tho Pacific. Thus the
whole distance from San Franciseoto Melbourne will
be accomplished in "a days to Sydney in %, and
10 AUCKLAND In Il days. EngllSh news telegraphed
from Brisbane as it is at present from Adelaide to
the other Australian Colonies, would not be more
than 81 days old. The average time occupied from
San Francisco to England is at present from Is to 16
days Taking the latter period as the basis of our
calculations, and adding two days for coaling, etc.,
the total from Melbourne to Liverpool is but AZ days.
If Tasmania and Adelaide complain that they will be
the last to receive their letters, it surely ought to
satisfy them that their mails will arrive in several
days less time than at present by the Suez route.
If the Colonial Governments will unite on this,
which seems to be n really feasible plan, and
sustain it with grants equal to the American
subsidy, the whole enterprise will succeed. Of
course it is as yet uncertain who will obtain the
American subsidy, but it will be either the
North Pacific Transportation Company or Mr..
Webb. The present disjointed arrangement of
connecting at Honolulu with small steamers, will
probably not last more than three months longer,
and it is doubtful whether the New Zealand
Government will pay even what it offered to Mr..
Hall, as none of his vessels have taken the
mails through to England in the time agreed on.
The proposed branch line from FIJI to Auck-
land would of itself possess great value in con-
Meeting that group with New Zealand, and tend
ing to increase her with it, as Fiji will
become a terminus for the branch line. This
should not be overlooked. The branch line would
be established of course by the Company which
owns the through line, and thus Its permanancy
would be secured. 1t is certain that the present
arrangement, via Auckland, will never receive
the hearty support of the Australian Colonies,
md probably not of the American Government.
We presume that the Hawaiian Government