THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 85, 12 April 1899, Page 4

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

THREE NEW-STEAMERS

ORDERED.

The Oceanic Steamship Company, has 'ordered three magnificent new steamers, to be built by Cramps, of Philadelphia. The steamers are for the servipe between San Francisco, Honolulu, and Australian ports. John D. Spreekels and other members of the firm have been scored unmercifully by the local press for giving contracts to an Eastern firm, when the Union Iron Works, of San Fran-' cisco, could have done the work at a cost which would have been no greater, it is estimated, when the expense of bringing new. ships to the Pacific Coast is reckoned with. Within the last few weeks twelve hundred men have been laid off at the Union H-on Works, because there _were no contracts on hand. The completion of the Japanese cruiser Chitose,' and the 'fact that the battleship Wisconsin is near completion, threw many men out of .work—at least these are the reasons given out by the Works for the discharge of the men. Mr Spreekels has given as his reason for changing the original plan of haying, the ships built on.the Coast that he wanted them to be completed within the year, and ths. Union Iron Works was • too busy to undertake such a contract. Though the • statement 6f Mr Spreekels, and Mr Scott- of the Union Iron Works does not agree as to the reasons, the new vessels are not to be built oh the Coast, and the fact "remains that Cramps have the contracts, and will undertake to turn out within the year ships Which will teduce the time between Sydney and' London two or three1 days, so- that the trip by this route may be "made in the same time as by way of Brindisiand Naples., V '■■■•"'.- '■'-.■" One of the conditions of the contract is-that the.first steamer mtist be ready to leave Sydney in April next, taking passengers for the Paris| Exhibition., t • ' ;: (