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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 847, 29 July 1879, Page 2

A correspondent of a Southern contemporary, who has just returned to the colony from England, having travelled by the San Francisco rente, thinks that the London mail miuKt be delivered at Auckland m 33 days instead of forty, as at present. No reduction could «>e made m the time between London and New York, which occupies about eight and a-quarter days, but between the latter place and San Franoiscoit might be reduced to five or even four days. In crossing the Pacific Oo<*an, the writer thinks a great reduction might take place m the time taken, as the Pacific steamboats' rate of is far slower than that of the Atlantic steamers — the latter making a speed of from .14£ to 18 knots an hour, and the former only ll£ knots an hour the rate obtained by the slowest cargo boat on the Atlantic. A* the distance from San Francisco to Auckland is 200 miles less than double that between Great Britain and New York, if the Pacific steamers made a speed equal to that of the Atlantic steamers, the Pacific passage, should be performed m 16 instead of" 22, as at present. The Atlantic steamers carry the mail f<>r the simple freightage on the weight of the mail bags, while the Pacific steamers a»-e subsidised with £72,000 a-year, and for this sum we ought to get the very best service obtainable.- We see no reason why the Pacific passage should not be performed as expeditionsly, m proportion to the distance, as the Atlantic ; on the contrary, it should be performed more rapidly, as the Atlantic route is much rougher than the Pacific, which is not so subject to. storms and head winds. The colonial authorities should insist on the contractors curtailing the time to the lowest possible point. If the delivery of the mail could be expedited by a week or so as suggested, it would be an immense advantage to the colony. * y '2*%,..