THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Colonist, Volume XV, Issue 1501, 13 February 1872, Page 3

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

{From the Melbourne Argus,)

The San Francisco mail service carried on by Mr. Webb, of New York, is in a very anomalous position. It has undergone many changes, yet, up to this hour, neither fulfils the expectations of the contractor nor satisfies the people of New Zealand. Although subsidised by New Zealand far in excess of that Colony's means, Mr. Webb is understood to be losing at the rate of £50,000 to £60,000 a year, the consumption of coals by his steamers amounting on an average to 60 tons per day. Mr. Vogel is thus compelled, no doubt much against his will, to open negotiations with these Colonies for a continuance of the existing San Francisco mail service. Mr. Webb "obstinately refused to allow his floating solitudes to navigate tha cottiti of New Zealand" any longer. TheW w«i

nothing to bo gained, but much to be lost by it. This he had learned by bitter experience. He hid no objection to his large steamers calling at Auckland, but they should no longer proceed thenco along the coast, calling at Wellington and Lytfcelfcon on their way to Port Chalmers, and driving the smaller coasting steamers out of the trade, whatever his contract Baid to the contrary. Will anything short of the adoption of his line, as the one to be subsidised by the Australian Colonies, meet Mr. Webb's view of the case ? Wo think not. Indeed, the proceedings of Mr. Yogel and Mr. Webb in Sydney, as reported by telegraph, prove that this is what is wanted; but although supported apparently by the mercantile public, the negotiators do not seem to have had any success with the New South Wales G-overnment. And yet. as good luck, or marvellous foresight would have it, Mr. Yogel chose for his visit the very moment in which there is a revival of the report that Congress intends to subsidise Mr. Webb's line in its next session. Nay, more, that report is brought by the very vessel in which Mr. Yogel himself arrives, But after the pointblank refusal of Congress to vote any postal subsidies during its last session, to China, Japan, or Australia, what grounds have we for supposing that it will act otherwise at its next ? They are most assuredly of the slenderest. It should also be remembered that this question was a good deal complicated, so far as New Zealand is concerned, by the decision of the delegates at the Intercolonial Conference in September last. The delegates were clearly of opinion that there should in future be two lines—one by way of Suez, the other by way of San Francisco, the former terminating at Sydney, the latter at Melbourno — and that New Zealand Bhould be permitted to join in and enjoy the benefit of this arrangement on undertaking to pay lief proportion of the entire cost on the basis of population, and providing any branch service required to enable her to ava>'l herself of the arrangement. Yet, when the Victorian delegates raised the question of a temporary Berviee by way of San Francisco, the delegates from Now South Wales " refused to negotiate for any service on the basis of the New Zealand contract. And as complete agreement was the necessary preliminary of joint action, the proposal was necessarily abandoned." For that Mr. Yogel had himself principally to thank. When the New Zealand Government was urged to send delegates to the Inter-colonial Conference, he absolutely refused to do so. He even went further. He made light of the Conference, and of its recommendations and docisions.

At that time, he believed himself able to command success for Mr. Webb's line without any but the most indirect assistance from the Australian Colonies, and now that he needs their direct assistance, he is scarcely in a position to ask it. This, at any rate, is the opinion of a large portion of the New Zealand Press, an opinion in which we entirely concur. It is there said that "he is not likely to effect much" by his visit to Melbourne. And with that we also agree.

But there are other and higher reasons for thinking this than any resting on mere personal grounds. If a better and shorter route to San Francisco than that named in Mr. Webb's contract exists, why not adopt it? Auckland is doubtless entitled to consideration, but not to the detriment of others. Again, why abandon the growing traffic of the Pacific to foreigners, when British-built and British-owned vessels can be found to reap tho advantages of it? So long as the Australasian Colonies possess fleets of steamers fully equal to this service, why seek others not in a position to offer any superior advantages ? However, Mr. Vogel and Mr. Webb are coming to Melbourne, and although we hardly think they will be more successful with our Government than they appear to have been with that of New South Wales, yet it is only fair to wait and see what they havo to say on their side of the question.