The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-05-08
HONOLULU IN ALL RED ROUTE

tralia by means of greatly accelerated
mail services of steamers across the
Atlantic and Pacific oceans is, writes /
the London correspondent of the Wei 4
lington Post, likely to be much dis
cussed this year. Since the last I'm
perial conference met in 1907 when
the Alfred route received consider
able attention, various events have
happened which tend to bring the
scheme once more into the region of
practical politics.
The first reason is Sir Joseph (,
Wards declaration that he intends to i.
bring forward at the Imperial confer !
ence, to meet in May, a motion to the
effect that it is desirable in the inter
ests of the Empire that Great Britain
should be connected with Canada.
and through Canada with Australia |
and New Zealand, by the best mail !
service available
Another reason is that at the mo- |
ment Canada and the United States
seem to be drawing closer together in
commercial relationship, and the
question of our communication with
Canada naturally rises to the surface.
The United States and the United
Kingdom are connected by steamers of
twenty-five knots, the capital for
building the vessels being lent by the
Imperial government at a low rate of
interest and there are those who ask
how long it will be before such serv.
ice is maintained between Canada and
thls country At present the quickest
mail service between this country
and Canada is via New York. takino
on the average eight days.
A further reason is the question of
our food supplies in time of war
now raised in the discussion of the
principles of the Declaration of Lon.
don, An integral part of the scheme
provides fer making Blacksod Bav.
on the west coast of Ireland. the
headquarters of new Atlantic liners
which it is proposed to build and il
is suggested that the strategic ad-
vantages of that harbor would make
its development into a port of great
value should this country be ENGAGED
in war with European powers.
The fourth reason is that a bill TO
incorporate the proposed steamship
company is now before the Canadian
parliament. The details of the syndi-
cate, running the Imperial Steamship
Company, may be said to provide for
the establishment of an express serv.
Ice between Halifax CNova Scotia)
and Blacksod Bay of vessels capable
OF crossing the Atlantic at an aver
age speed of at least twenty-five knots
an hour; the establishment of train
ferries between the east coast of Ire
land and the west coast of Scotland
and England; the construction of
railway of eighty miles in length 10
connect Blacksod Bay with the exist
. ing railways IN ireio1i,3, a contract
has already been awarded for the
construction of this line and the nee
essary dock accommodations at Black
sod Bay; the establishment of
service of first-class steamers having a
speed of eighteen knots an hour be-
tween Vancouver (B. CO. and Homo
lulu, Suva, Auckland and Sydney
Apart from the Canadian Pacific
Railway now running from the Allan
tic to the Pacific across Canada, two
other transcontinental lines are being
constructed-th Grand Trunk Pacific
and the Canadian Northern-and both
these lines will be completed in time
to make part of the through service.
Passengers will thus have the choice
of three lines for crossing the conti-
nent An important part of the
scheme is the provision that there
should be through connecting service
between London, Canada, Australia
and New Zealand.
Thetis Back From Laysan Island.
The U. S. S. Thetis returned from
Laysan Island on Saturday afternoon,
having landed the party of natural
lists from the Iowa University there TO
study the conditions prevailing. After
the scientists had been landed at
Laysan Island the cruiser went on to
Midway Island and then called back to
ILaysan, visiting Lisianski en- route.
Everything was in order on the bird
island, and there was nothing to indi-
cate that any poaching had taken
lplace there. When the Thetis returns
to Laysan Island, Governor Frear will
be a passenger, and so, in all prob
ability, will be Entomologist Ehrhorn.
The trip over will be but a short one.
Professor Bryan. who was a passen-