The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-07-31
.THE CANADIAN PACIFIC
Will Establish New Line of
Australian Steamers.
SUBSIDIZED BY GOVERNMENT
Line to Operate Between Australia
and VancOuver-May Take
in Astoria.

The dispatch In another column of this
issue that the Colonial government oi
New South Wales had decided to sub.
sidize line Of steamers between Austria
ia and Vancouver, B. c., fits like light
10 the eye. Vancouver is the terminus
OF the Canadian Pacific RaiIway, the
only line Of road under one ownership
and ole management across the conti-
rent from the Atlantic TO the Pacific.
1t is also subsidized by the Canadian
government and is in position, as has
often been proved in the past, to handle
freight and passengers at much less rates
than can Its competitors in the United
States, where rates have to be made over
several lines of road. The proposed line
Of Australian steamers Is no doubt Ca
madam Pacific deal, as 1t Is well known
that that road has contemplated such a
move for more than a year past. and
Only refrained from putting its plans
in execution until some agreement could
be arrived at with existing steamer lines.
The present move would seem to indicate
that the Canadian Pacific had decided to
play "a lone hand In the Australian busi-
ness, backed by its government, as the
securing of that trade will be of more or
less advantage to the Dominion as well
as to the railroad itself
An official Of the Canadian Pacific was
in Astoria Monday on a trip of inspection
of the business and facilities of this port,
and intimated that matters were under
consideration which might give his COM
pany much better access to Astoria. and
consequently to the whole of Oregon. AT
present all traffic in connection with the
Canadian Pacific China line of steamers
is handled by a small, slow steamer, while
they are practically out of 1t in this ter
ritory on transcontinental freight busi-
ness, on account of time by ocean con-
pection, and the arbitraries imposed by
the Northern Pacific on the rail connec-
tion between Portland and Vancouver.
On passenger business from this terrlto-
ry heavy arbftraries also have to be
paid connecting lines from here and Port
land The numerous transfers necessary
to be made by passengers also initiates
against the line and since the old line of
passenger steamers between Portland and
Vancouver, B. c., proved a failure, they
have been at considerable of a disadvan-
tage.
What Is more reasonable to suppose
than that with first-class line of fast
passenger steamers running between
Australia and Vancouver direct thew
should also-be utilized to take care Of
the business of this territory? No doubt
can exist In the mind of any one who
VIII study the map that such must have
been the scheme in the mind of the reti-
cent official who was here Monday. The
plan would be entirely feasible for freight
business, at least, and would give Astoria
greatly improved service.
Considered as whole the establishment
of an Independent line of steamers be-
tween vancouver and Australia by the
Canadian Pacific railroad means a great
change In the matter Of transcontnental
ates on Australian business between the
lines engaged in 1t, The Canadian Pa
ciiic Is slayer when 1t goes after busl-
ness and will surely Insist upon having
Its share Of traffic on rates 1t may think
necessary to establish, or demand a DIFF
ferential agreed to by the other lines as
1t did In the case of San Francisco busi-
ness, Whatever may be the result of
the establishment Of the new line, cer-
tain 1t Is that the Canadian Pacific is no.
making the connection for fun.
The local representative Of the Canadian
Pacific has not yet been advised of the
or Just what their plans are,
II any, In regard to Astorin, but believes
that something will be done In tile mot
distant future to improve their business
here. They are alive TO the rapidly ap-
prc'lchlng Importance of Astoria when
her railroad now under construction shall
nave been completed, and that SO live a
corpora tion as the Canadian should NOT
get into this port In some manner does
not stand to reason.