NEW ZEALAND AND SAN FRANCISCO.

Otago Witness, Issue 929, 18 September 1869, Page 15

NEW ZEALAND AND SAN FRANCISCO.

(Argus', September 7th. )

San Francisco has been brought within fifteen days of London, and our correspondent in the former city apprises us tbat other lines of railway across the North' American Continent are projected, which will reduce the transit from the shoi-es of the Pacific to the banks of the Thames to twelve days only. As the ports of New Zealand are said bo be within 21 days' steaming of th& Golden Gate, we were prepared to hear that our fellow-colonists at Wellington are determined to take advantage of the new and expeditious mail route thus opened to them. A postal line which will bring the (ireat Britain of the southern seas within thirty-six, and eventually within thirty- three days of her illustrious prototype in the northern hemisphere, is one which will naturally command the preference of the inhabitants of New Zealand over the Suez line, and over that via Panama, supposing the latter were resuscitated, of which we should think there is very little probability. On the termination of the present comraot with the Peninsular and Oriental Company, the Government of New Zealand proposes to withdraw its subsidy, and to transfer it to a mail service by way of San Francisco. A select committee appointed by the House of Representatives has reported in favour of suoh a soheme, and haa ascertained, from the enquiries it has I instituted, that the cost of the new route will not very greatly exceed the contribution of New Zealand to the Suez contract.

Athough the adoption of such a course will throw upon these colonies an additional burden, supposing that we adhere to the Suez line, and renew the contract, we must not suffer selfish considerations of that kind to restrain us from acknowledging that the inhabitants of New Zealand will bo acting judiciously in making the most of their geographical position, and in drawing a •• bee line" to their antipodes. It will be the shortest and directest course of post to England, and probably the pleasantest route for passengers in affluent or easy ciroumatanoes, A three weeks' voyage over tranquil seas and through a summer atmosphere will conduct the tourist or the homeward bound traveller to the Pacific slopes of the great Republic, from whence he can procood by easy stages, or with the utmost rapidity, to the other side of the continent. In San Francisco, he will find every event of moment whioh has occurred on the day previously in any part of Europe or the United States reported in the morning papers which accompany his breakfast equipage, and he will feel, on landing in California, that he has been brought immediately en rapport with tho ourrent history of the whole civilisod world north of the equator.

There can be little doubt, also, tbat the commercial relations already subsisting botween the United States and this group of British Colonies, will grow with our growth and strengthen with our strength. And there is nothing so well calculated to promote an expansion of our commerce with America as tho establishment of regular and rapid postal communication. Whether any portion of tho stream of merchandise which now flows hithorward from tho mothoroountry — as, for example, commodities of a cotnpaot and costly oharaotor, Hko jewellery, books, laoo, silk-norcory, &c— will over reach us by tho Amorican overland routo is problematical at present, and will havo to bo determined by calculations of freight, trafllo charges, and tho oxponscs of transhipment ; but an moreaso in our trade with tho United Sta'cs in»y bo confidently anticipated from tho opening up of mail communication botweon California and Now Z^a'and. Bnt tho subject possesses a largo r interest, and assumes an aspect of higher importance if .wo look at it politically. For whatever multiplies tho raercanti ! e transactions conducted botweon tho different br&nchon of tho great Anglican family in Britain, Amorica, and Australia, multiplies to a oorrospending extent tho securities for tho maintenance of poace, and tho rontrainta wbioh would operato to prevent English speaking nations from engaging iv a fratricidal war. If these untionn should over oomo to bo animated by a common foeling, and obedient to a common policy, they would havo it in their power to impose peaco upon the whole 0! oiviluod mankind. No foreign potentate would (fore to contort tho expression ot a will whioh would be backed np by such a'treoicndout ospsoity to oaferco oomplianoe with iU diotates.

A TolocJpcde club bag btta formed a 4 Timaru,