THE PANAMA SERVICE.

Otago Witness, Issue 752, 28 April 1866, Page 1

THE PANAMA SERVICE.

(From the Daily Timks, April 2?.)

As far as events can be predicted, it seems certain that at length the Panann Service is mi jait accompli. It i* difficult to discern any impediment likely now to interfere with Its being carried out. Even if the resolution of which notice has been given in the Few South Wa'es Legislature, complaining of the a2reenv-nt entered into with New Zea'and, be carried, the Colony can scarcely with honor withdraw from the bareftin ; and if it did, it is not unlikely that Victoria, now that it seeß that the Service must be, would gladly retire from the policy it has hitherto adopted, and become the Australian terminus of the line at the price which New South Wales was to pay for the same privilfge-. Victoria discouraged the Panama Service, obviously because it would take from it the advantage of being the first port of arrival and last of departure of the English mails. But the Panama Service has become a fact in spite of Victorian nonassistance, and the Colony can gain aothing by further obstruction. On the other hand, it will argue, if the Service must be, and New Zealand secure part of the advantage hitherto enjoyed by it, better at least to stand second on the li«t, and take the place reserved for New South Wales. We throw out these hints ie case the New South Wales Legislature should be so ill advised aa to adopt the repudiating resolution of which notice has been given. It is not out of place for us to utter a hearty congratulation upon the long delayed completion of a project, which, had it not been much cherished upon one side, could never have arrived at maturity against the opposition it encountered on the other. Through -difficulties of the gravest nature, and in spite of the apathy, which which was but another name for opposition, of the Imperial authorities, the Panama scheme has been worked out. From the very first commencement of this Journal the proposal found in it an earnest advocate. It is not too much to say that at a time when many other subjects claimed urgent attention, we succeeded in establishing in Otago the warmest desire for an undertaking which could not boast of those immediate claims to attention which other, and therefore for the time, more attractive subjects possessed. And it wa3 this interest created in Otago which inspired the prosecution of the undertaking when it was about to be abandoned. It was from Otago Mr Ward sought the co-operation which he afterwards so thoroughly forgot. It was the munificent subsidy provided by Otago, in case that Province was chosen for the terminus, ■which spurred Mr Ward to continue his negotiation", in spite of the insufficient aneans the Colony placed at his command. It is matter of history how i!l Otaso wa« lepaid. Its Ordinance was disallowed "upon trfling technical grounds ; but the •wealth it was developing waa made the groundwork upon * which the plan was ■worked out for the benefit of another Province. The favoritism which has been ■displayed ha." doubtless since done much to alienate Otago'a sympathy with the scheme ; but still we are much mistaken if the conviction of the grandaess of the object has not survived the sen«e of ill treatment, and for ~the rest the proper adjustment of the undertaking is only a matter of time. Commercial considerations must ultimately override political combinations. It has often been sugge-t.'d that at the bottom of the apathy of the Imperial Authorities were political considerations There can be no question that an undertaking which will bind in constant communication the Australasian Colonies with the coun • ■tries north and south of Panama, must do much to lessen their commercial dependence on Great Britain. The progress which America is making in Manufactures, is positively startling. Few people have a ■djonception of the gigantic scale upon which they are coudueted. In increasing the acquaintance between Australasia and America, there must follow an increase of their commerce, because commerce will not be restricted by political considerations. As railways advance, practically the whole continent of the two Americas will ba brought within a means of communication with the Australian colonies, which must place it, as _ compared with Great Britain, at an immense advantage. In a dozen years there will probably be as many lines «f railway connecting the Atlantic with the

Pacific coasts— each one a feeder of Australian trade. But commerce will not flourish where rapidity and regularity of communication are wanting. The Panama service, in supplyinsr these, oppns up to the countries of the New World a commerce which must grow into prodigious dimensions.

We refer not only to mail but to passenger inter-communication. The Panama Company have clearly the one as much a* the other in view, judging from the expensive arrangements which they have made, particulars of which, in a pamphlet form, are now before us. They are too voluminous for exact transcription; but it will be interesting to our readers to know that provision is being made, not only for paspages to Great Britain, but to New York, California, British Columb ; a, and the ports on the Western Const of South America. There are to be four vessels employed on the main line — namely, the Ma^aura, 1767 tons, Captain G. E. Bird ; the Ruahine, 1503 tons. Captain Wheeler; the Kaikora, 1501 tons, Captiin Bc*nl ; and the Rakaia, 1450 tons, Captain Wright. The Intercolonial and Infer- provincial services are to be performed by the Prince Alfred, Tararua, Auckland, Otago, Claud Hamilton, Rangitoto, Phoebe, Lord Ashley, Egmont, and Airedale. The fir-t steamer is to "tart from Panama on the 24th June, and from Wellington on the Bth June. The Royal Mail Co.'s boats will connect on the east side of the Isthmus with the New Zealand vessels. The through times will be as follows : The steamer will leave Southampton on the 2nd of the month, arriving at Colon (the East Port of the Isthmus) on the 22nd ; will leave Panama on the 24th ; arrive at Wellington on the 21st "of the following month ; leave thence the 22nd, and arrive at Sydney on the 29 'h. The time will be between London and Wellington 49 days, London and Sydney 57 daya. Oa the Homeward route, the boats will leave Sydney on the 31st or Ist of the month; arrive at Wellington on the 7th, leave on the B'h ; arrive at Panama on the s:h of the following month, leave Colon on the 7th, and reach Southampton on the 29th — occupying between Sydney and the last named port 59 days, and between Wellington and it 51 days. The fare will be, between Southampton and Wellington, inclusive of Isthmus chargfs, for first-cla^s passengers, £100; for second-class, £60. To Auckland and Otago, the fare will be £4 extra, and to Melbourne and Sydney £5. The two principal Provinc. sof New Zealand are therefore placed on nearly the same footing as the distant Colonies. Such is an outline of the arrangements, the elaborate- details of which are published, and which leave little doubt that the Panama route, between Great Britain and Australasia, will be opened within the next two months.