Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-01

probably be turned down." as l am told
that the all-British" route plan, as the
scheme for substituting steamship and rail-
way communication from Australa anu
New Zealand, via Canada, is called, has
caused a good deal of friction in the cabi-
net and has been rejected.
This will no doubt be hailed as another
"snub'' to the colonies. but it must be con-
sidered from the British as we'll as the
colonial point. The most natural route 10
Australia is via the SueZ canal. and it is
the quickest and cheapest. why, therefore
should the government, it is said, ask the
people of this country to pay SUBSIDY
to the colonies to promote the carriage or
their products to this country by an artlhclal
route which is far more costly ana NOT 50
direct? No doubt, Canada would like some
imperial money for the Canadian railways,
and Australia and New Zealand would IKE
to be able to send their mutton and beef
here at a cheaper price, put why snoulu tne
British farmer be asked to contribute to-
ward the cost of the freight of his colonial
rivals? For that is what subsidy at the
expense of the British taxpayer means.
/ understand that, in spite of Mr.. Lloyd
Georges advocacy of the plan the fact
that It has been referred to a committee
which is to consider whether it can be car
ried out at reasonable cost. and the fact
that the plan has been made conditional on
a contribution being given by the colonies
means in effect, that the plan is dead. for
the colonies do not mean to pay anything;
they want the British taxpayer TO pay the
entire subsidy.
do not think the governments represent
ed in the imperial conference realized the
gigantic undertaking involved in linking up
the colonies and Britain by means OF a fast
steamship service in the Pacific. with over
land traffic through Canada. new fleet
of fast sailing steamships would be neces-
sary for the Pacific portion of the ALIEN
pire route. Freight traffic there could only
he developed on remunerative terms by
collateral expansion of the passenger traffic.
At present there is comparatively little good
traffic on the Pacific route, and 1t goes all
the one way-that is to say, from Vancouver
or San francisco to Australia and New Zea-
land while the rates are extremely low.
What is needed is that the passenger traf-
fic from Australia to the united kingdom
should be diverted from the eastern route to
the Pacific and Canadian route. This might
soon be accomplished. provided new steam
ers sufficiently fast to make the voyage and
journey from England to Australia in
twenty-five days were placed in the Pa
cific. Passengers to and from the Antipodes
have great aversion to sailing through
the Suez canal, and-so say the colonial
enthusiasts-for the sake of personal com
fort as well as imperial patriotism would
prefer the Pacific route.
To Rebuild Spanish Fleet.
am informed by a Madrid correspondent
that a small party of naval experts will
shortly leave that capital in order to visit
several of the large British ship-building
yards with reference to the re-establish-
ment of the Spanish fleet. and that orders
for one small battleship and two frst-elass
cruisers are likely to be placed in England
before the end OF the current year.
A financial adviser is to accompany this
party. as a great deal will depend upon the
terms of payment that can be arranged for
these ships, since obviously the Spanish
treasury is not in condition at the mo-
nrent to pay~"cash DOWN for these ships.
Unlike Turkey, however. which is in debt
to almost every British form of armament
manufacturers, Spain owes practically
nothing in this country. and with her credit
becoming more firmly established each year,