AUSTRALIAN-AMERICAN MAILS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 3426, 21 September 1885, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN-AMERICAN MAILS.

Despatches from tlio Postmaster-General to the Postmaster at Snn Francisco says : — Mails for Australia may bo eont by any steamer, leaving tlint port for tlie colonies. A previous order tlint they be sent by way of J.o-.don, Marseilles (France) and the Suez Canul U admitted to bo the result of a misunderstanding. Tho result of the light between the United States postul authorities and the Pacific mail peoplo is not yet clear. At present the contract between the Pacific Mivil Steamship Co. and tho Government of New Zealand docs not expire till November, 18S5, nnd until thut time the Compnny cannot refuse to take colonial mails. Tho Mail Steamship Companies involved m this quarrel with foreign mail carriage published a statement m New York on August 12th by which it appears amongst other interesting facts the United States received from the British Government for the transportation of Australian-British closrd mails between New York and San Francisco 52. J cents per lb for letters and 17 4 cents per lb for papers. Out of this the Government paid to the Overland Railway for the transportation of mails which it never opened or inspected only 26 cents per lb for letters, pocketing the residue and paying not one- cent to the steamship company for the conveyance of mails from San Francisco to Australia, co that the Government earned a clear profit of 2si cents per lb on mails for doing nothing. Tho overland railroad received 26 cents per lb for carrying mails 5000 mile.", and tho Pacific Mail S.S. Company received for sorting them (7000 miles) from San Francisco to Australia nothing from tho United States Government, so it may be fairly estimated that at every departure of the Pacific mail steamers from the port of Sail Francisco for Australia the Government realised a profit of 5000 dollora and upwards. Thero is another feature of this mail question. Tho Canadian Government will give special compensation for carrying Australian mails over tho Canadian Pacific railway, on the authority of prominent railroad men. A line from Victoria, 8.C., to New Zealand ia contemplated, first-class ships to be despatched weekly. This project encounters serions opposition m London from the owners of tho direct eteamers and the Suez steamers. If tho United States Government would apply tho 200,000 dollais per annum which ehe lias been receiving from tho British Government for carrying the monthly Australian mails across the continent, first-class ships could bo put on the present route with weekly sailings, and perhaps n less amount would induce the Britirh line plying to British Columbia to touch at ban Francisco and Honolulu on inward and outward passages. The number of traveller?, which is small nt present, will be increased by first-clnss ships and by the choice of fivo rival routes across the American continent.