THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1985, 15 May 1875, Page 3

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

.. The London correspondent of the Sydney Morning, Herald, writing on the 18th March, statesi ;—•The Postmasters of .:• New? South scales and .New Zealand Hare issued," through Sir Daniel Cooper and Mr Thomas Russell, invitations for tenders for a regular mail service between those colonies and.San Francisco, for one royage each way every four weeks, and rforVa period not exceeding eight years. Three routes are offered, yiz :—A. From San Francisco to.New South Wales and New Zealand, alternately direct, calling . at Honolulu land Kandavu. ; B. From San Francisco to Sydney direct, and New Zealand to San Francisco direct; mails to New Zealand, being transhipped at .and forwarded from Kandavu, while mails from Sydney would be forwarded to and transhipped at the same place. C. From Sydney to Auckland, Honolulu, and San Francisco, the contractors conveying the mails from Auckland, Napier, Wellington, and Lyttelton to Port Chalmers. Each tender is to specify the route chosen.. If A or-B be selected, not less than five yessels must be provided, each of a ■ minimum' gross registered tonnage of 2,500 tons; if C, not less than four such vessels, and one of 1,600 tons minimum. Speed is declared to be the essence of the contract; and separate tenders are required for %, speed of 12,11^, and 11 knots an hour respectively. The tenders are by the 23rd instant, but it is probable the time will be exended to June, in order to give time to the A;S.N. or other local companies to tender. : " Anglo-Australian " of .the European Mail says:—Looking at the cost and the important nature of .the service to be worked, it is evident that none but firstclass companies can undertake the work, so that it is just possible that the special commission will not be troubled with many tenders from which to make a selection. The alternative routes would seem to suggest the impression that the: colonies concerned do not know what • they really do want, and as they cannot but tend to confuse intending contractors, it would have been better to have ; marked out the most advisable route,, and: , to have adhered to it. As it is, the special

commission call,for tenders, involving the preparation of three distinct specifications, and as these specifications cannot be drawn up unless at a great expenditure of ■time -and moneys they should certainly have been limited to a special and defined programme'legislating for one route only. Much time, inconvenience, and disappointment would hafe been thus saved, for whichever, of the,three routes the special oominissi«n; may elect to adopt, it is oerjain that they will not give general satisfaction, for' some illuatured person is ,^-sure to say that they selected the least m desirable. ■'■"■'■■'■ '