THE FUTURE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO LINE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 916, 20 September 1889, Page 20

THE FUTURE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO LINE.

We know the pride cf our people too well to believe that the time will ever again come when there will be an end to steam communication between this port and the colonies of the South Pacific. Whatever else happens, the present line will be maintained ; if not by subsidies for carrying the English mails, then by a substantial subvention from our own Government. It is clear that Congress has at last made up its mind to do the right thing in this matter. The Samoan incident, the Melbourne Exhibition, and other events have served to call attention! to our ability to commercially annex] the countries of the South Pacific, and now the nation is bent upon doing that very thing, and will see to it that a mere matter of a subvention to a steam line shall not stand in the way. President Harrison availed himself of the occasion of the delivery of his inaugural to commend a new departure in the matter of steam line subsidies, and, as his party is in accord with him and has a majority in both Houses, there can b 8 no doubt that Congress, at its next meeting, will do all that is necessary to render the Australian line permanent. Our friends at the antipodes may take that for granted. They have hitherto stood by the service at that end, whilst we have been supine about it. It has been maintained at their sole cost for nearly 20 years, and this fact is now so well understood and appreciated here that it is felt to be nothing but light that this country should take up the service where the colonies are. about to drop it, and carry it on for the future. Germany continues to maintain her line via Torres Straits, and the United States will certainly not be behind her in regard to a matter in which the pride of our people has become involved. It is believed that a subsidy of 500,000d01. per armpm will be voted for a fortnightly service averaging 15 knots and adopting the same route aa at present followed. In the meantime, it seems probable that English interests will connect the Canadian Pacific with a Central Australian port, probably Brisbane, but that need not, and certainly will not, be permitted to interfere with the independent action by which the United Slates mean that tho Stars and Stripes shall dominate the South Pacific.—News Letter.