The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-03-01
South Pacific Steamship Line.

\ bill was read in the United States Senate Tues
day and referred to the Postal Committee, whereof
Ramsey OF Minnesota j. Chairman which provides
quite as much for the future prosperity OF the Pa
ciac coast OF the United States as the line already
established between here and Japan and China. Il
authorizes the General, with the con-
sent OF the President, TO contract. within three
months after sixty days notice, with the lowest bid
der for carrying the mails between san Francisco
and New Zealand and Australia, by way OF the Ha-
waiian and Navi-ators' Islands. the service To be.
monthly, IN steamships OF sot less than 1000 tons
burihen. and the price 10 be not exceeding S225.-
600 per year the contract TO run for n period of
ten years from and after the lstof July. 1874. The
vessels are 10 be hrst-ciaSs Of their tonnage. This
enterprise failed At the last session Of Congress
more from a want Of Information and a lust appre-
citation OF the importance OF the trade which it
will develop aud concentrate upon the western
coast of the United States than from all other
causes. The islands of the Pacific. from the Ha-
walian group down 70 New Zealand and Australia.
though separated from Us by thousands OF miles,
are some day 10 be our neIghbOrs and to share in
our prosperity or decay. They are rich in all the
crude elements which create commerce they look
TO us 10 help in the Development Of their dormant
resources they have in the main an affection for
our people and Institutions not manifested in any
thing ike an equal degree toward any of the
Powers Of Europe which are able to assist them.
Our interests are reciprocal. We desire their trade.
We want TO monOpOiiZe II. We are geographically
situated TO do SO AZ a less expense than England,
France or Germany. Many Of our people have
residences in these islands, more have property and
Interests there. and all en- this coast wish TO
strengthen the relationship already existing. We
have capital aud they have none. They have
labor waiting on our capital to direct it into profit
able employment and large production. The be-
ginning of this closer alliance between us is in this
Senate proposition for monthly communication by
steam. Ii the amount proposed for the mail service
Is more than the existing N can repay to
the treasury. 1t is in our opinion far less than will
be realized before the end of Eve years from the
increase OF customs receipts at San Francisco aud
San Diego. flowing in from the augmented trade
this steamship line will inspire. Hence, though we
must for the present admit that the price to be paid
for carrying the mails Is in the nature of a subsidy
is in fact such-it is fully justified by the prospect
OF such AN enlarged trade in the near future as will
much more than pay back into the treasury, from
customs, the S2.250,00 proposed to be paid out to
the company in ten years. Since the establishment
of the China line in 1861, the customs receipts at
San Francisco have greatly increased. and that port
now stands third in the rank of contributors TO this
branch of the national revenue. New York and
Boston being the first and second. The South Pa
citc trade. which the new steamship line must de-
velop, will in a few years place San Francisco in
the second rank, and the day is not far off when,
by JudiciOus encouragement. the customs receipts
on this coast will be S2O,O 600 900 annually-Sacra-
mentO Union, Jan. %.