'FRISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 939, 5 October 1910, Page 5

'FRISCO MAIL SERVICE.

UNION AND OCEANIC COMPANIES.

The San Francisco correspondent of the Melbourne "Age" (September .17) writes as follows regarding the negotiations for the new mail service between San Francisco and Australia :— "Despite .the failure of Congress to enact a ship'subsidy Bill, there is a strong probability of the resumption ot direct. steamship, communication between San Francisco and Australia. ' bir James. Mills, president of -tho . Union Steam Ship Company, of New Zealand, has been in this city recently, and it is. ■ published that as the residt- of negotiations he has had with the,. Sprockets interests two of the old, Oceanic .liners will bo put back on the' trans-Pacific run, and that the New Zealand company, 'will■ furnish a" third'. steamer, for the same service. •. ;'. '•:.- "Three years ago the Spreckels, -, or Oceanic, Company abandoned the regular three-weekly service between San' Francisco' and Sydney,'via Honolulu, Samoa,, and ' Auckland. •;' Ever' since there has been a most' unsatisfactory maihand passenger , service between, ■America and .Australia.- .Two of the. .steamers' that formerly made .the run, the Sonoma arid the,Ventura, have for the entire three years lain in. idleness in the'.upper San-Francisco': bay. -The third, the. Sierra,: was. first-used as coaster, running up to Seattle arid Vancouver, and is now in the Honolulu trade...- ;■-. '.'■■" ■ '• -v':.':■■•■'■ ■;■'.;•

■ It is'the first.two boats,, the; Sonoma .arid Ventura,, that are to'be put .back' on the; Antipodean service .if the negotiations reach'successful finality'.,'..-;•. Both ships.have,been:'keptjiii good -<:i order:■ One. factor, that:;may enable the,shipowner's to' operate,the vessels profitably without a subsidy; is the great' "oil 7 , sup- ■ ,plies ; recently,.discovered iiri;,California,;. Oil. has been '.'.tested: as the, Sierra, and-great .monetary, ! ]saving,.:as well as increased speed/.anft/.efficiency, has been .shown. ; Inr-o'rdsry••to.;equip .the : .Sonoma; and ' Vetituraisteir carry enough- oil for a.'trip' : >J|o..Sydpey and' ■back';- it: will'be : them.-They are now 400 feet" in length, and- it;is- proposed;to add 40 feet; Besides 'providing ' storage' roorh:"• for .oil; this.; would • also: permit'- of 'more; staterooms 7 and more.- cargo ■; space.. .'The •shipsi'itis stated; will.othehvi'se,.be improved, and'-brought up to'date.; : •■■ .'-It: has. always; been . the desire,.of. ithe-Spreckels',' interests'to- place these, steamers, back.- on .the Australa'sian ;ro'ute,;,and at every; session, of Congress the; fate.' of the/increased mail .'subsidy Bill has ; been; watched with 'hope,' and .then:' disappointment. u- -When i'the.' present •'adjourned. finally; the Bill: had .riot-'been-passed,' but it was.. anhtfunced.that it remained: on ;.thecalen-' dan of unfinished: business; at.; such ; .a, istage that'-it will;be taken up early next session; ...Apparently, the influence of ;the,representatives-of inland States.has .-been tod :strong for the of ;the ; ,measuro;. Efforts..will, .of-.course, :still;be ;made to, obtain- ajsubsidy,, but it;is,believed..that ;with;the,'-traffic. ar- : made/with .the' Union Stearii .Ship' Company ,-it. will be.-: possible 'to make.: ; a ; -profit'..even i without;'. Govern-' merit, assistance;;;:; Sari Francisco' business • men■' are' delighted with the. prospect .'.pfvthe, renewal .ofithe''service. < At .least : '£2oo,ooo.a,.year: was formerly.,ex- : pended here: as-a result pf;the service., ! . ; "At.tliis, writing ;it:;is;not.'possible to .obtain."^^dqfinite :v cbrrqbpratiori. of .all-,the. details lOf.jthe proposed resumption of 'the.run.'to Australia.;,; ,Sir: r Jaincs Millshas' left,Saii Francisco.- -The Officials of the;'Ocearii'c,'Company'do ,not;'de'ny,that ; there- is a'.projectto e'stablish-a: service in connection with the'Unidn;Steairi:Ship Coiripariy, ...biit, -J any ;oomment on the:;matter. .;v:.v;;;: ; ; ; : ;.

'/''Not, only -mil,the new service, be.a jcon-venience. [in the,- interchange, between America A ami 'Australia,,, but 'a; large' part .of : the, 1 English''mails- .will •be .fonvarded to. the Cororn'onwcaltlirvla San^Francisco.,.:' ;tobk 21 days,.-,-,ifcis'.said .this" time will :bb* reduced; with oil-burning sliips.■'"- -v- V. ; .