The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-10-04
THE AUSTRALIAN STEAM LINE.

| plains itself;
Tie Colonial Sscreiary. .Ntlr Souts Waie. 10 the
Chsf Secretary, Victoria.
COLONIAL SFcKErARY's OFFICE, J
Sydney, 18th July, 1873.
STR - have the honor 20 inform you that this
Government has concluded n contract for six years
for a line Of steam mail packets between sydney and
san Francisco, 10 perform the passage IN both dlrec-
tons in six hundred (GoO) hours. The designs and
instructions for the ships of this line were placed in
the hands Of eminent builders in Scotland several
months ago, and the contractors report that they are
now IN the course Of construction. Arrangements
have been made for an interim service from the end
Of this yesr until the opening Of the new line. should
such service be found 10 be necessary.
- The new Pacific Service being entirely in the
hands Of New South Wales, the Government has de-
cided to throw it open TO all the other colonies, with
out asking any subsidy towards its support, carrying
their letters for the hostages only, n the rate Of Cd.
for each letter under half-an-ounce, The estimated
time between Melbourne and Liverpool viii be forty
three days.
3. I shall be glad TO be informed Of the arrange
ments which the Government Of Victoria proposes
for the transmission Of letters by the mail service
via Gale. have, SC, Henry PARKEs.
Tie Colonial Secretary, Nstc SoutA Wales, 10 the
Colonial Secretary, JNeie Zealand.
COLONIAL SECRETARY's OFFICE, !
Sydney, July 2Sd, 1873.
SIR In reference TO the contract made by New
South Wales for q line of steam mail packets be-
tween Sydney and San Francisco particulars Of
which have been communicated TO you), | have the
honor to inform you that this Government has now
decided to withdraw from the position Of seeking the
cooperation Of the other colonies, and TO throw the
service open for the conveyance Of letters 10 and
from Australia and New Zealand for the hostages
only.
>. As you are aware this Government has secured
10 it the choice between a mail delivery calculated At
~forty-fve days, and one ut forty days, to and from
Liverpool and the contract has been closed for the
service of II knots per hour, or COO hours, between
Sydney and San Francisco.
3. l notice some observations addressed by Mr..
Vogel to Mr.. Samuel, which appear to convey the
impression on the part of your Government, that the
contract may possibly not be carried out. | beg TO
assure you that this Government has no reason 10
entertain the slightest doubt of the integrity and
ample means of the contractors, who represent large
firms in Sydney, Melbourne, London, Liverpool. and
in New Zealand. The new boats of the line, built
expressly for this service, will commence running
from Sydney and San Francisco about the middle Of
next year, but this Government is prepared TO start
an interim service (thOugh not of equal speedy in
January next, should such temporary service be
found TO be required, after the expiration of the
present Suez contract.
4. The Government Of New South Wales is pre-
pared to convey the letters of New Zealand for the
hostages on the mail matter carried, without asking
any direct contribution towards the subsidy of e6S,-
UOO. The only arrangement necessary, on the part
of New Zealand, to secure the full advantages Of
this service, will be the employment of a fast steamer
between Kandavu and 4 New Zealand port and
any proposal for that object, which will be satisfac-
tory TO you. will be entertained by this Government,
with n cordial desire to consult the interests Of your
colony. | have, &c, HENRY PARKEs.
The Melbourne .argus, of July oath, in reference
to the foregoing letter of Mr.. Parkes, has the follow
ing:
"No reply has as yet been forwarded, but in all
probability the Colonial Secretary of the neighboring
colony will be informed that this colony is in nego-
tiation with New Zealand for the purpose of jointly
carrying out a service via New Zealand and Califor-
MIA, and therefore it would only c~omplicate matters
TO make any such arrangement as he proposes. By
the last mail a communication was sent to the Gov
eminent of New Zealand, which in all probability
will lead to a definite arrangement being made with
that colony relative to both the Gale and the San
Francisco services.
The Melbourne correspondent of the Sydney
Morning Herald, under date of Aug. 9Th, says:
The publication yesterday of Mr.. Parkes' letters
to Nj. Francis and Mr.. Vogel, on the subject Of the
Californian service, created some surprise amongst
our politicians, for although it was known that your
Premier had determined to play n bold game, we
were scarcely prepared for the discovery that he as
rired to make the Californian service not only the
best for Sydney, but also the quickest even for Mel
bourne, and that, whatever terms our Ministers
might seek to impose upon New South Wales for the
use of the Suez service, there should be no conceal
ment or reservation on his part about the Califor-
MAN service, of which we might freely avail our
selves at the mere postal fee for the SueZ and South
dUlptOn route, WHue he nLenueu 10 peat the Bf1nusSi
service as to time. If the p. and o. Company con-
tinue their present policy of earning extras for rapid
passages, and arrive here three or four days before
contract time, they will beat the Californian steam
ers, for it can scarcely be expected Of them that they
shall exceed their stipulated speed of twelve knots.
But to bring these two services thus into such q
close rivalry is what was not dreamt Of a month or
two ago and if the anticipations formed of the new
line should be realized, Sydney will certainly be
avenged for the loss of the terminus under the new
contract with the p and d ComDanV and no one in
any Of the colonies can fail to admire, if they do not
applaud, the pluck and determination with which
Mr.. Parkes has fought the battle ON behalf Of New
South Wales. OF course, we are anxious to know
what New Zealand means to do. Mr.. Vogel has to
weigh the advantages he has already secured on be-
half of an independent service against the liberal
terms offered him by his rival and although that
acute politician has no relish for q subordinate place,
he may yet throw in his lot with New South Wales,
and leave Victoria to such support as she may obtain
from her Western and Southern n%eighbors.
The following, on the same subject, is from a
highly respectable mercantile house in Sydney, cor
respondents of Messrs. F. A. Shaefer g. Co. of this
city, to whose courtesy we are indebted
"SYDNEY, 10Th July, 1873.
"By the newspapers herewith sent you will see
that our Government have entered into an arrange
ment for a direct mail service to San Francisco via
your port, in 40 or As days, from LIST January, 1874,
and we understand the time has since been definitely
fixed at 40 days. A special commissioner has taken
his departure for Washington via London to arrange
with the United States Government for a subsidy to
this service, and We trust they will show themselves
literally disposed towards it, as there is no doubt
that regular steam communication carried on by
efficient vessels, such as these are intended to be,
will open up an immense trade between the several
countries.
"This Government, we understand, will also ap-
ply to your Government for q subsidy, equal to that
which you paid before, namely $4,000. 1t may be
desirable that you should know that some difference
exists, at the present moment, between this Govern
ment and New Zealand with regard to the mail ser
vice. New Zealand refuses to join in the New South
Wales contract unless the yeseels On the main fr1nk