National Republican., 1883-03-13
TIE AusrnAL1AN MAIL.
,nrrying John Bulls Letters Across the
American Continent TO His Colonies I'm
dhe Orient.

,nrrying John Bulls Letters Across the
American Continent 60 His Colonies in
the Orient.
The existing monthly mail steamship SER
vice between San Francisco aud the Austria
lian colonies under contract with the col
onies of New Zealand and New South Wales,
expires on the third of November next, and
considerable anxiety is felt by the CONNER
cial public respecting the renewal of said
contract and continuance Of direct steamship
service from San Francisco to those colonies
after that date.
The commercial advantages gained by the
establishment of this monthly steamship SER
vice have been important not only to this
country but also TO Great Britain and tho
colonies, as the American route affords the
quickest transit for mails and passengers be-
tween Great Britain and the colony of New
Zealand, and nearly as quick to and from
New South Wales and the other colonies as
by way of the Orient and tho Peninsuar and
Oriental companies lines. by increasing the
speed of the steamship service across the Pa
cifc and also of the railway service across the
American continent, both of which arc prac-
ticable, the English mails can be delivered
in each direction in at least four days lest
time than at present, thus placing not only
New Zealand. but New South Wales and the
other Australian colonies nearer Great Bri-
tain by the American route than by the route
via Suez and the Indian ocean. Tho trade
between the United States and the Australian
colonies has already been increased by this
direct steamship service, and it is believed
that should the service be maintained and
the speed Of the steamships increased n very
considerable part of the Australian trade
which now goes to Great Britain would be
secured to this country. This trade, as ap-
pears by recent statistics collatcd by Mr.. G..
0tYNs, ,Is,N Attpl VN1
was for the New Zealand year 1881 as fol-
lows:
Exports. s2il giiIOS
Imports. 2B5bl2,'oO
OF these exports the United States received
less than S2160,000, and Of the imports the
United States furnished only about S6000,0O0.
This important trado is almost wholly con-
Quoted with Great Britain chiefly because of
the moro frequent means of communication
established by steamships and sailing vessels
with England by way of the Indian ocean and
the lsthmus of Sucz
New Zealand is much nearer London by the
American route, as shown by the following
facts The average mail time between London
and Melbourne, Victoria, via Suoz, is 80
days and hours outward and al days
and ~ hours inward. Tho average
time between London and Auckland New
Zealand, at the present slow speed of the
Pacific steamers, via San Francisco, is 40 days
outward ana ~ days . nOUfS inward. Inc
quickest passage ever made by the San Fran
cisco route was 80 days outward and SO days
inward. As soon as railway communication
is completed between New York aud Mazat-
Ian, Mexico, the American route can be con-
sidcrably shortened, as Mazatlan is at least
four days sail nearer Auckland than San
Francisco. There would also be u saw
ing of 80 hours between New York
and Mazatlan as compared with the
distance between New York and San
Francisco. Another shorter route for the
Australian mails would he via the Mexican
port of Guaym as on the Gulf of California as
soon as the direct railway communication is
completed between that port and New York
Guaymas being 800 miles nearer Auckland
than San Francisco.
1t is apparent, therefore, that with the
prospective improved means Of railway trans,
portation between the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, and the shortening of the Pacific sea
service, both as respects distance and speeds
of ships, the American route will soon prove
to be the shortest between Great Britain and
all the Australian colonies, and the mail,
and passenger traffic between the mother
country and those colonies will necessarily
have to make the transit of the American
continent.