Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-25
THE HIGHEST SIGNIFICANCE.
Object of the English Government in
Canadian Subsidies.


San Francisco Post, August 2Sd.I
Wenow have the highest English author
ity as TO the aims and purposes of the Cam
adam Pacific Railroad Company.
This is Treasury minute adopted by
the House of Commons, and represents
English sentiment in the highest degree.
1t reads as follows:
Her Maiesty's Government considered
the scheme as a whole, offering, as it does
direct communication entirely through
British territory and an alternative route
to the east, desirable in the interests of the
empire apart from postal considerations,
and under these circumstances nv Lords
| again took the question into consideration.
Though the scheme is not justifiable
upon postal reasons alone, it offers an
alternative service which saves several
days as compared with the Suez route. and
1t Is therefore of considerable value from a
postal point of view. 1t has 4 land transit
lying wholly within British territory, and
as military route it is held hy military
and naval authorities to be of the highest
| significance. The offer of the company TO
| construct mail steamers, which could he
employed BIZ the Admiralty as armed cruis-
ers IN case of need, also accords with the
| policy already adopted in case of certain
other large steamship companies"
The Post would commend the reading of
this official utterance of the highes. Eng
lish authority to those of its cOntempora-
ries who see no element of danger in the
Canadian Pacific.
1t is given by this Act an Imperial sub
sldy OF $4,000 a year, and the Dominion
gives 100000.
Why?
Because the line passes entirely through
British territory.
Because, though mot jugtidable upon
postal reasons" at has a land transit
wholly within British territory
Because "dS a military route it is held
to be of the highest signif-
canoe" and
Because the com pany agrees to construct
steamers which can at command be em-
ploy ed by the Admiralty as armed cruisers
This is the lire which American shippers
and American merchants are building up
at the expense of American commerce and
American prosperity. They are putting
money into the Golfers of q corporation,
while 1t Is mskiCg contract with for
eign Government t. build and maintain
armed ships destined to act as cruisers
against our merchant marine.
The Admiralty clauses provide that
among other things, the company will
undertake to construct all vessels engaged
for the service with gun platforms and
other fittings required by the Admiralty,
and to sell them to the Admiralty if re-
quired. The company undertakes to en-
pioy, as far as possible, members of the
| royal naval reserve Can any patriotic
American patronize this line?
In concluding the minute the final
reason is given. It is because these mails
now pass from New York to San Francisco
through the United States There Is no eff
fort whatever to disguise the fact that the
purpose is to divert from the United States
all the traffic possible and to build up Cam
ada and the colonies at our expense There
is also no effort to hide the fact that hun
dreds of millions in colu and in lands and
completed roads were given to the Can
adam Pacific because it is a military road.
Now the steamship line is to be made q
naval reserve.
A few movements of this character will
be likely to arouse the country to a realiza-
ton of the impending danger and Con-
gress to the necessity of action.