The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-11-29
The Australian n

Our readers will be pleased to learn, from advices
received by the mail on Tuesday last, that the OPEN
ing Of the new British line of steamers between CAL
ifornia anil the Colonies of Australia. will undOubt-
edly take place next month. Messrs. ]. C. Merrill
* Co., agents for the line in San Francisco, received
n telegram from London during the first week of the
present month, stating that arrangements were suf-
fciently advanced to enable the statement to be made
positively that the line would be opened on December
10th, by the sailing Of the first steamer from Sydney
for San Francisco, and that a regular monthly COM
munication would be maintained both ways there
after. The steamers will call at Kandavu, one of
the outer or BindEard Of the Fiji Islands, and at
Honolulu, and there will probably be q branch line
between Auckland and Sydney.
The New York Shipping List, writing upon this
subject, gives details Of the contract entered into by
the British Government in reference to the carrying
Of mails and says that this service is to be performed
in first class vessels at o guaranteed speed of ten
knots per hour. The subsidy is e4S,000 (S24O,OOOj
per annum for the main service, and e12,O 900 $780,
OOO) il addition for the New Zealand branch, should
it be required. Provision is also made for u twelve
knot service, should the Government demand it,
when the subsidy is TO be increased to $4,000
(S4OO ,OOO), including the branch line. With q ten
knot service, such as has been proposed, calculations
have been made that with no delays at intervening
ports, the mails can be delivered in Auckland, New
Zealand, twenty-three days from San Francisco, and
allowing sixteen or seventeen days from London TO
San Francisco, will make o total of about forty days
altogether from two most distant points. The quick
est time for London mails to reach New Zealand by
the Suez route is between fifty and sixty days. The
time between London and Sydney by the projected
service will be about ~fOrty-fve or f~Orty-six days,
thus equaling in speed the Peninsular and Oriental
Company's route via Suez, and ~affording TO New
South Wales, in addition, postal connection with the
islands of the Pacific and with the entire North
American Continent.
II is intimated that Captain Hall, American Con-
sui at Sydney, who is the principal mover in the en-
terprise, has the support Of 4 London house equal in
standing to Barring Brothers. This house is under
stood to be that Of Jardine, Mathesou & Co, whose
credit on Change is surpassed by few firms in Lon
don. As the line has rs yet no steamers Of its own
completed, the best TO be had have been chartered,
until those now in course of construction are ready
for launching.
Work is already commenced on 4 contract for the
construction of four fine Clyde-built propellers of
1900 tons each and provided with entirely original
features as regards passenger accommodation. The
cabin will be situated in the center Of each vessel,
and thus occupy the steadiest position. An improved
method for ventilsting the state-roOms will be intro
duced, as well as every known auxiliary of comfort.
The stern, which has hitherto been devoted to cabin
purposes, will be used for the Storage, and be much
better style than has hitherto been given to that
class Of accommodation