The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-12-10
TUESDAY EVE'G. DEC. 10. 1872.
AUSTRALIAN LINE OF STEAMERS.

Congress to grant mail subsidy in aid Of
the new line of steamers now plying be-
tween San Francisco, New Zealand and
Australia, but without success, though inn
portant aid had been rendered by similar
subsidies granted by the two British colo
MES thus connected by steamers with the
great commercial metropolis of America
on the Pacific. The chief objection urged
against granting this mail subsidy OF the
time the bill was before Congress, was that
the line was an individual enterprise, and
o. course entirely dependent upon the
skill, capital and energy Of one man,
whereas company, properly chartered
and organized, would be permanent in its
nature, and more likely to meet the grow
iny demands of commerce in that quarter
Of the Republic.
This objection has now been overcome,
the property and business of the line hav-
ing passed into the hands of corporation
organized in New York State, called the
United States, New Zealand and Australia
Steamship Company, of which Mr.. Webb
is president, the directors including the
Mayor of San Francisco, president and
cashier Of the Bank of California, and the
president of the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company. All the steamers and mail con-
tracts of the Webb line have passed into
the hands of this company.
The many important advantages accru-
ing to our government from the establish
nent of this line Of Pacific steamers, will
strongly commend it to the benefit of this
subsidy, when the matter is again pressed
upon the attention of Congress. 1t is upon
the Pacific that we most easily make head.
way in the rebuilding Of our maritime in.
terests as against the commercial advsn.
tages Of England, and the fact that both
the New Zealand and Australian colonies
have extended aid to this limo in individual
hands, will strongly impress the American
mind i'll favor of the subsidy asked. The
question is of vastly more Importance to
us now, since the Pacific railroad, in
connection with this line of steamers, gives
us an immense advantage over any
European government in reaching the
commerce of those distant regions. The
success Of the Pacific mail steamship line
to Japan has demonstrated the advantages
we possess for maintaining our ascen-
dency Of the ocean trade Of the
Pacific. Before that line was estab-
lished England held complete supre.
macy in the commerce of Japan, by her
promptitude in having her steamers on
those seas. But our line has completely
reversed the situation, 80 that American
commerce with Japan now exceeds that o.
all other nations. Since the line to Aus.
tTalia and New Zealand was established
our trade with those countries has largely
increased. What is now needed is thai
the permanence and regular running Of tht
line should be assured by mail subsidy
So the friends of this great enterprise
assert, and there seems to be great plausi
biity in their argument.
The policy of the government has beer
against the granting of subsidies to Atlantic
steamship lines, but our ascendency In the
Pacific is generally accepted as @ matter o
the first importance by our statesm,r
and public writers, and it is for tn 4
reason, and the fact that this newly
organized company Is now competing
with one Of the greatest of all the
British steamship interests--the Peninsula,
and Oriental Steamship Company-that the
subsidy will be more fayorably considered
by Congress. Before the establishment O.
this line, and that from San Francisco tc
Japan, Great Britain completely monopo'
lZed the commerce Of China, Japan, tht
East India islands, and the Indian PENN
gulg.