The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-26
Proposed Work of the
Pacific Mail.
RIVAL ROUTES TO HAWAII.
An Improvement in Service Is
Demanded.
THE CANADIAN PACIFIC ACTIVE.
Future of the New Australian Line
Under DiSCuSSion-A Central
American Project.

The prospects of rivalry between two
or three great trans-Paci6c steamship
companies are fast approaching. The
fight means a good thing for San Fran
cisco, revival of commerce and fGirer
chance for profit for shippers. The in
cubatiOn of number Of schemes may
hatch out several opposition lines. The
possible birth of new steamship enter
prses is b0theriug the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company, its Occidental and Oriental
adjunct and the Southern Pacific Rail-
road. The public of course is delighted.
Though the officials of the Mail COM
pany profess to be truthful men land they
undoubtedly are in most instances) they
occasionally depart from the path of
trujhfniuess to further their employers
end. Six months age when THE CALL
announced that the grab-all-in-sight cor
poration had been spurred to action by the
Canadian Pacific Steamship Company's
splendid HOnoluIu-Orienta service, the
head men of the Pacific Mail denied sew
eral statements published. They said that
they did not Intend to send the steamer
Oceanic back to England ana substitute
the Coptic; that there would be no repairs
MADE to the Oceanic to Increase her speed.
and that the BelgIc ard the Gaelic would
not follow suit as soon as possible.
But now the Pacific Mail, through a
morning paper. has made a tardy confess
sion. 1t has admitted that the people OF
San Francisco have been burdened with
its one-horse service long enough; that to
earn and squeeze more dollars IL must do
a little ruStiing."
The Huntington steamship com bination
is now actually harassed by persons who
persist in trying to establish rival lines,
OF lxyf n ina n n
trail America and Australia.
The growth of trade with the Hawaiian
and South Sea Islands and Australia has
been so great that foreign capital is anx-
iOus 10 come to the front It is learned
from an authority that the money for the
proposed steamer line between Sydney,
Honolulu and San Francisco is ready to
be put up at a moments notice. The spec
ulators are only waiting to hear from their
agent, who Is now in Washington trying
to secure a contract from the Postmaster
General. The Srreckels Company and
Mail Company are fully aroused 10 the
tuation and are 10 a dilemma.
But this anxiety is only manifestation
of corporate greed. There is plenty of
room for a new line, and travellers are
sorely in need of better service for heir
money. Not steamer leaves the Oceanic
dock that does not have to leave some of
her cargo behind. The boats leaving for
Australia are too slow and the service is
emiRently poor.
Between the Orient and this city the
service of the Canadian Pacific Is so vastly
superior to the od-hulk line pamed off on
this port by the Southern Pacific that the
bulk of trade is rapidlv drifting to the
north Had not the war occurred in the
Or ent mail steamers would go out prac-
Ideally empty.
Millions of dollars in capital are invested
in the Oriental steamers running out of
San Francisco, even though the boats, with
one or two xceptions, are old-fasb i0n ed
ones. The Southern Pacific cannot afford
to lose everything, so it is going TO try to
redeem itself.
The proposed line to Central America is
contemplated by Guatemaan planters.
They run steam schooners. and in that
way compel the Pacific Mail to come to
| terms or go out of business.
The new company wants TO put on four
steamers, equally as speedy ana finely
appointed as the Empress" vessels of
the Canadian Pacific. An attempt would
be made to make freight rates that would
allow people TO make profit on their
cons gnments.
Very little has been said about the dan
gers that beset Pacific Ocean lines that
have not adva ced with the age, bu. III e
crisis has arrived when the old mpanies
will have to bnrnish up their armor or
retire.