THE PROPOSED NEW MAIL LINE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 6, 8 January 1891, Page 5

THE PROPOSED NEW MAIL LINE.

When the Colonial Conference was sitting in 1887 (writes tho London correspondent of the Melbourne " Argus") overbures were made by a syndicate working in association with the Canadian Pacific Railway Company for the establishment of a line of fast mail steamers from some port in Great Britain and Australia via Halifax or Quebec and Vancouver, Honolulu, Fiji and Moreton Bay. The subjecb was not discussed ab any length, bub the Canadian delegates, Sir Alexander Campbell and Mr Sandlord Fleming, circulated information bearing on the question. Though nothing came of the project ab that time, its promoteiß have never ceased their efforts to establish bhe proposed lines. Reconbly bhe Naval Consbruction and Armamenbs Company of Barrow, of which JUord Harbingbon is chairmen, have concluded a conbracb wibh bhe Canadian Government by which they are secured a handsome subsidy for a fast Atlantic service. At least four steamers, with a speed of 20 knots, will be employed, and ib is estimated that the run from Liverpool to Halifax ov Quebec will be made in abcut five days. The Atlantic service appears to bo contingent upon the contracting company undertaking a similar service frcm Vancouver to Moreton Bay via Honolulu and Fiji, a distance, of about ,6,510 knots. If 15-knob sbeamers were utilised the run from Vancouver to Brisbane could be made in 18 days two hours, while a considerable gain in time would result from the employment of boats equal in speed to those on the Atlantic section. It is considered bhab there ' would be no difficulty in establishing a service able to deliver the mails from Liverpool to Sydney in 31 days. The total subsidy asked for the Vancouver-Austra-lian line is £55,000, but of thab sum Canada would provide £15,000, leaving bhe Ausbralian colonies bo make up a subsidy of £40,000. Mr Kersey, the agent for the Barrow Company, has approached, the Agents-General for New South Wales and Queensland on the subject, and a communication of a preliminary nature will be forwarded to these Governments by the outgoing mail. The question of the final terminus has been left open. l_t may be Sydney or it may be Melbourne, much necessarily depending upon the extent of subsidy which New South Whales and Victoria would provide. The vessels to be placed on the Pacific lino would be very powerful and handsome ships, capable of being readily converted into war cruisers. •