The New zealand Herald. AUCKLAND, FRIDAY, JUNE, 21, 1864.

New Zealand Herald, Issue I, 24 June 1864, Page 3

The New zealand Herald.

AUCKLAND, FRIDAY, JUNE, 21, 1864.

SPECTEMITIi A(iKMH». " Oive every man thine fur. but low thy voire: Takf cju'li mini's <vnMin\ but rrsorvo thy judgment. This abovi" all. —To thuir owhjh'U bo t rue ; Anil it inns! f -IWw. th»» nijzhl tin* ilny. Tlhmi cmist nut llu'n he I'.iisti tn limn."

Takky sign of activity displayed by 1 lie powers thai bo in prosccuting urgently required public works, is most welcome to those who have lonir .-'con and advocated Ihe great necessity for iheiii, The threat lack" of wharf accnmmndation. and the long delay wliicl) lias occurred before any steps have been taken 1o supply wliat the constantly increasing mar it ime trade of ,\ nek laud imperatively requires, are so patent, to all, that we need not dwell upon 1 hem. There are. now. however, syniplMns of somet beinu: done 1o extend tlu; present wharf accommodation, which, though only an instalment, and that a very small one. of what the trade of tin* port demands, is hetler than nothing at all, and is indeed calculated to relieve; the present of a great deal of t j-allic. as well as give considerable facility 10 the lumber anil coasting trade. Of course, it isperfectlv understood that if.Auckland is ever to be a firsl class port. ollcring lirst class accomniodation for hotli sailing and si cam ships, a very g real deal is rei|iiired to be done, and we understand that the matter will be looked upon in a comprehensive manner. The sooner this is done the bet ler. and more especially should every encouragement be given to steamers : and this can lie uccompishcd in no more ell'ecl ual manner than !>y providing them every facility for sjieedily loading and unloading, and for ell'ecling necessary repairs. For if must ever be remembered that time is emphatically money with steamers and quick despatch a prime necessity for them. The advertisement calling for tenders for performing certain works in connection with wharf extension to which we drew the attention of our readers the other day. was an evidence that something was lo lie done for that purpose. We have carefully examined the plans and specifications Iving in the oflice of the enginccr-in-ehief of the proposed new works, ami they appear to us well calculated to relieve the Queen-street wharf of a great deal of trallic which both impedes its usefulness and also injures il materially by the. heavy weight constantly placed upon it in the shape of lirewood. bricks, and such like things. The strain caused by such a weight, under certain conditions, is very injurious to it, and the state of many of the piles renders the wharf by no means Well adapted for boaring a largc superincumbent weight. The proposed works, therefore, will not: only give greater facilitvfor increased trallic, but; will assist at the same time in preserving the present wharf by preventing a threat; deal of wear and ioar, which will be thus provided for elsewhere. The proposed new works will consist of a wharf, running from the end of the Queenstreet wharf abutting tin Queen-street, along Custom-house-street, for about; six hundred and forty-live feet, and will lie carried twenty feet forward into the harbour. From the centre of this a jetty will he run out one hundred feet long and forty-three feet wide. The latter will "■ivo accommodation for live vessels at time of the class for whose limit will be constructed. The breadth ol't he new wharf, as we have, stated, is to be twenty feet, and this added to thirtythree feet to be taken from Custom Housestreet, will give a total available space of six hundred anil forty-five feet long and fiftythree feet wide in addition to the above mentioned joLty. This space will bo divided into forty portions?, each of which will be lot | by public tondor,

Ifc will be at once semi that tin's will be a very substantial addition to the wharf accommodation for small craft. TVTion completed, it. is intended lo remove all the Cmiber and I iire-woo ! trallie from the jiret-ent wliarf to . the new one. which will lie exclusivflv appro- i priated to fh;it trade. Should iuercasotl 1 tvallic in timber and fire-wood necessitate | increuKi'il aceommoilation, (In* can be pro- j vided by exiendiiin the new wharf toward | the old hulk. .It will be seen fi'om the above | that no' jirovision is made for\essels l>riiii?iii<( j l-'l'iclf and llfaterral ol that kind. In order to j accommodate Hint bram-l; i,f luih-iness, a | wharf may probably be countrnc'ted similar | t(i the proposed new one. on the other fide | oHhe i>ueen-st.reet Wharf, and fronting the W aitemata J I otel. Were tliis done. Qneensti'eei WL.-.t i' bo. r<!lii!vo«l of a irreat deal of trallie, and !V'ci f itv would lie •liven to the trallie for which it was really ' Constructed, and for which il: is lifted. \\ r e may notice that about 100,000 feet c'f t ililbei; will be required in the const rue I ion of (lie new wmirf ;;nd jetty, and aquant'ty '-f iron work. '['lie .--|ieeilicat ion appears lo I>e nry '•a'-cfotlv <in!wn lip. and provides for the woi'li to be ito'ne in a thoroughly substantial maniK-/'. y'imong other '.mproveiiicnts we noticed in the specification i<. 110 compelling the contractor to have the work ii 11■■ i within thirten weeks from the time when the lirsi p-'ie i~ driven. A mistake of some importance was made by j our contemporary Ihe C'ro.l.l in stating that lhe work was to be coin pi el ed wh ion thirl cen \'.cL'k" from tin' 1 si of Jnlv. This isan error, and as if wouiii ii eorrcct reduce the tune a contractor would have for !he performance oi'lbe v-i 'r.r -one three weeks, it is desirable to take note of d. '/li'V 'eri'ders will not be decided upon till the l!!)th'.fuiic i<V,?tant; arid the lirst lot of piles are only required to lie delivered within fourteen days of the of the contract, and thus the lirst ]>ile will probably not be driven much before the L'Oth or'.hih'; and therefore the contractor v ; i|f Km-. 1 , fh'rtecn weeks from about that date for tlie coYfr.S-et'Vorr c.f tiie work, instead of from the lirst .lnl\ as •:ln l ''"l by our contemporary. There is also an e-fellent prox ision in the speci licat ion for certain exposed portions ot' the wood xx'ork to be coated with tar to preserve them from the effects ot' damp. This xvill doubtless act as a ive and niirht with great advantage have b'Yn tlie present wharf xv as constructed, '.fhe n{?.v xx'trks will, il is ant icipated. be a protection also to fhe seaward face of Custom llouse-strict, which, through the settlement of the ground and faults in construct ion. is not in the very best state at nrcseut. The cost of the proposed e\ten*i'-n >s ii'd .if rniiive definitely known, but it will exceeo t V'i fhoii<and pounds, and it is estimated that the nico.W t" be derived lV.aii the nexv works \xill anqdy provide a x'erv interi'st on lhe cost. A\ e woid.l surest tliat it xvouhl he well to kee]) a distinct account of the total expenditure on the licxx' x\ hart'anil of the receipts obtained from it when ill operation, and then it could easily be ascertained year by year what relurn was made by the works on t lie amount expended upon them. A classified and distinct sx'stem of book-keeping ot this kind, commenced in the infancy of our harbour xvorks will be easily carried out as they extend, and xvill i ll'ord information respecting the expenditure and income in a clear and ready manner.

Ax ardent m i ml in list 11:11111','illy IW'l n certain degree of impatience :it tlie lunj; space of 1 iinc which occurs between I he a rriv:il of each Europcim mail, in such siirrinjj 1 imcs ;is these. .\e\er. since 1 lie I inie of Napoleon, has t he major part of t he coin ineut of Europe been in such an excited state as it Avas at 1 he depart tire of llie mail jusl arrivi'd among lis. The cruel 1 ies of Russia on iloMii-t i'« >< I - ileu brave Poland have ceased to he the magnet which attracted and almost absorbed the entire attention of llie various peoples ami (io\erntncnls of iMirope. The eonlliet hetween the small slate id' Denmark whose populat ion amounts only 1 o about 1i.000.0U0. with llie Germanic Confederation, as represented liv Austria and Prussia, with a popu- i lation of ahout L!!U>()0.n0l>. is now the topic i i.u which is centred the earliest attention of ; Europe. I f we look beyond the coliiines ot . (■ermaiiv we see that a \ery large amount ol j s\ mpat h v is I'elt lor Denmark. It hashing j been lie'l ieved that neither Austria nor Prussia, nor any ot the petty slates ol Ger--111 allv. had llie 'slightest, possible shadow- of an excuse for their lom„'-cont iniied hostile and th real cuing at I it ude in which t hey placed themselves with reference to Denmark. And when this developed itself into acii\e agression. and the troops ot Austria and Prussia invaded Danish territory, then the feelings both of I'mglaml and Lrance, hut especially of Kngland, where freedom ot speech and a free press enables the tree born Briton to express his feelings without tear, or favour, —have been unmistakably seen to he verv decidedly on the side ol Denmark and most strongly opposed to (kmany. .Llie public voice, ill England has long been he.lid in wide spread unit tennis like the hoarse noise of the waves of an agitated sea breaking against the shore ; Init latterly increased in distinctness, and clearness, and depth ot tone, imt il at last' the English (. abinct. giving expression to the feelings ol the English people, have agreed, in conjunction with Prance, to compel an armistice between the belligerents, and to declare war against the power that will not strive to a truce. We can easily imagine with what satislact ion t hcannoiinceiiient ol so inuch decisionand energy would be received by llie ! people. Ami the excitement caused by the , visit, of (hat. most remarkable man of the | a<r o , General (Jarihaldi. would lan (lie ll.ime | of sympathy lor liberty and for tin: oppres- I sed wliicli had lor so long been ardently j burning in the breast of the English, audi to which they had been longing to turn 1o . some practical use to those wilh whom the\ so deeply s vm pa l bised. .It. is simply ami solely the strong feelings of the desire to abstain from intervention in the allairs ol Foreign States which has kept Great Britain from giving assistance both to the Italians, the L'oles, and the Danes. Had the public sentiment and feeling undergone 110 change since the time ol L'itt, we should undoubtedly have seen Great britain actively engaged among the eonibatanislont; nti*o. Turkey would not then have been the only nation in whose aid she would ha\e drawn the sword. As it is, England and France have at length spoken very decidedly , ;vnil if their words arc unheeded they will doubtless act very determinedly. Their armies »n<l fleets wcro bei.iiy' put its a. state

of readiness for instant action. They stood | like two impatient liounds held by tlie leash, who have a scent and sight of their game, and were np and concentrating • strength, and placing themselves in an attitude so that" they could at anj moment make a decided spring oil the foe. li this i should lie done, then will be ligiited a flame in Europe tliat will possibly not he quenched till thousands of lives and millions worth of property are consumed by it. The extent ol the country that will be overrun if once " the dog* of war" of the two great nations, | England and Vranee, are let loose, and the "rectification of the map of Europe" be undertaken, consequent thereupon, it is impossible for the boldest, the most ta-r-seeiiig, and the most sagacious statesman to tell. For it is not at all probable that should this take place, and .A usrria and Prussia, the whole of Grermanv in fact, lvavp the naval and military power of England, France, ivrxi Denmark opposed to their posis 011 the Kliine and on the seaboard of the Baltic, that the bitter eneniie? of Austria 011 the eastern side of her empire would - be quiet. Austria's danger would be Italy's ami Hungary's opportunity, and they would make good use of that opportunity. The torch would be applied to various portions of the dominion's of Austria, and it would be marvellous, indeed, if she wen; able to stamp out all the llames that would thus be kindled. The Italians have scented the (Linger ; they fancy they see a good time coming,'' which bids fair to bring them an opportunity of driving the hated Au.-i " : ;'n from "Venice, and thus knocking of the Austrian' 'hackles that have so long chained that beautil'M oily ninl surrounding country to the ground, to the intense and bitter mortification of the Italians. Austria, it is true, appears to be making warlike preparations in Italy, and the {.«(wfcrnmeTit of Victor K-mamicl is earnestly urged to prepare for war with her. The hasty departure of ff-aribaldi from England may have been caused by circumstances not dreamt of by the masses who held indignation meetings because they thought undue pressure had been brought to bear upon him, to compel liiin to leave in the manner lie did. Bnt if England and France are to declare ny.iinet Austria and Prussia, Garibaldi, an arm;}' in himself, will be wanted in his beloved It lay, to prove a sharp thorn in the side of A ustria there, so that she will indeed have her hands quite full. If we look at Prussia for a moment we can easily see how much she has to lose by provoking a general European war. Louis Napoleon gOes to war for an idea. " and some how or other the principal " idea seems to be an extension of French territory. He knows full well the temper of the nation over which he rules. lie is perfectly aware that nothing will secure him the applause and Tic/is of the Fieneh people so much as prestige brought through a successful war to French arms, and addition of territory to French dominion, and the stretch of country lying between 1 lie present boundary of Prance toward Germany. and the Hhinc —now belonging to Prussia, is. jwr c:vthe territory upon which French eyes have been eagerly and (distantly set for a long period, aud never were they gazing upon that ideal ol a Khino boundary with greater earnestness and longing than they are now. it would thus be a curious instance of well merited retribution, if in return for Austria and Prussia endeavouring to rob Denmark ol its "little ewe lamb."—Shleiswig llolstein — Ihe one lost its Klienish provinces and the other its Italian, to say nothing ot what might transpire with regard to Hungary and Poland, for a great impetus would be given to revolution 111 those countries by the realization of the circumstance* which were quite among the possibilities when the mail left. Kossuth would be 110 more idle than would Garibaldi under such circumstances, and ihe distraction which such a state ol things would cause, would ot necessity greatly weaken the power and paralyse the the efforts of Germany, and Kussia. having her hands quite full with Poland and Circassia. and remembering also the qui*cient attitude of A ustria and Prussia, and their refusal to assist her during the Crimean war. mnv probably pay those two countries back in lheir own coin in their hour ot need, and maintain a stricter neutrality. The news breaks off at a deeply interesting point. Our sympathies are enlisted, our feelings and curiosity excited in a very <rrcat do"Tec. such as is ottcn the case when reading an interesting serial, and having got our cuthusiam excited to a high pitch we are promised further developenient ot the [dot in the next month's number. We must patiently wait the next month's mail before we can expect to learn whether Austria and Prussia will accept the terms submitted to them by England and France, or by obstinately refusing, give the signal lor the advance and immediate action ot the armies and navies ot "those l\vo <j;reat powers, .should this occur, then will have arrived the time so long prepared lbr, and yet so carefully guarded against by many statesmen, viz.—a state of things which may end in an all but general European "War.