PACIFIC MAIL SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 92, 20 April 1893, Page 2

PACIFIC MAIL SERVICE.

THE VANCOUVER ROUTE.

HUDDART, PARKER AND CO.'S LINE.

With reference to the new monthly mail service between Australia and Vancouver, to be initiated by Huddart, Parker and Co. shortly, wo tako the following extract from Huddart, Parker and Co.'s letter, addressed recently to tho Premier of tho Australians colonies on bhe subject : — " I am prepared to initiate tho proposed service with tho sister ships Miowera and Warrimoo, which aro now engaged in the trade between Australia and New Zealand. A 14-kuot speed would, allowing for a short, detention at Honolulu, convey mails from Sydney to Vancouver iv 21 days. A 15-knob speed is practicable by thoso steamships, bub it would be much moro expensive. A service of 21 dayb to Vancouver is shorter by several clays than tho existing soi'vico to San Francisco. Tho ships aro the finest vessels in the Australasian Mercantile navy. Presuming that Now Zoaland will continue the present service to San Francisco, the service to Vancouver would give a fortnightly post tri North America. Australian letters via Vancouver would be delivered in the United States moro quickly than thoy now are via San Francisco. Trains aro despatched from Vancouver daily for California, as woll as for the eastern seaboard of tho continent. For European mail purposes the new route is a very promising ono. With tho assistance of tlie Canadian Pacific Railway—tho finest lon«-distance railway in the world—and of the ships now running from Canadian or United States "ports, mails could easily be landed in England in the time now averaged by the P. and O. and Orient mails from Sydney to-London—namely, 34 days. This Deriod allows 13 days between Vancouver imd England, Bui the Canadian people aro now agitating for a swifter Atlantic service, and it is cdxificlencly anticipated that in the very near future—within 13 months—the mail time will bo reduced between England and Vancouver, to 10 days. It would then be a more question of money—that is to say, of tho consumption of coin necessary to a 15 or 16 knob service between Sydney and Vancouver—to land Australian mails by this route in England under 30 days. Whab this means is thab ib is within bhe power of bhe colonies to establish art alternative postal service which, both now and in tho future, will bo tho equal in swiftness, and. .more than the equal iv safety of tho service via the Suez Canal. The .valuo of such an alternative service to the Governments and peoples concerned lies in tho fact that it is unexposed to tho risks bhat would threaten the Sues'. Canal in bhe evenb of a European or Asiatic war. In such an evenb ib would be easy to develop a four - weekly Canadian service into a weekly one. Ail bhe facilities mid arrangements between Vancouver and England would bo in readiness; the employment of more ships bebween Sydney and Vancouver i 3 all thab would have to be done. A posbal route which, when it left the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans, traversed none bub British territory has an obvious value over one, not otherwise superior, which is perpetually menaced by the international i'oud3 of Europe and Asia. And in this connection it may be briefly noted that the Canadian Pacilic Railway, witii swift steamship services in the Atlantic and Pacihc Oceans, would offer invaluable means Of transportin^ troops or war material, on occasions of national emergency^ from the mother country to Australia. The Sydney "Daily Telegraph of a rodent date, says: "We learn from tho Postmaster-General (Mr Kidd) thab the New .South Wales Government are inclined to view this proposal wibh much favour, fb would depend, of course, largely on the view baken by the Governments of tho othor colonies as to whether our Government would fail in with the scheme. Mr Kidd feels sure thab an excellent service would be obtained at very little cosb to the colony. He is of opinion that such service would become a favouribe one for

passengers. Mr Kidd further referred to tho want of sympathy alvvays shown by tho States towards ■•'the colonies, the inability to obtain any assistance by way of subsidy to the San Francisco mail service, the vexatious duties imposed on our wool and other products, and generally the disinclination evidenced by Brother Jonathan to enter into cordial trade relations ;with Australia. Canada, on the other hand, shows that she isunsioua to cultivate commercial intercourse with us, .and....the Postmaster-General, is sanguine that by the establishment of this line of steamers.- very beneficial results in the way of commerce between the Dominion and Australia,'-*A*ould follow, -It is. also quite likely, Mr Kidd thinks, that the British Government.-would assist in a service of this nature, tending, as it Would, to. foster trade between her colonies and to bind them all closer together as part of the Empire." .