THE MAIL SERVICE VIA TORRES STRAITS.

West Coast Times, Issue 305, 14 September 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE MAIL SERVICE VIA TORRES STRAITS.

(Fhom the Brisbane Courier, July 31.) The arrival of the steamer Hero reminds us of a question which has occupied considerable attention in this colony — namety — the opening up of the Torrcs«€>traits route. It is needless to

disguise the fact that there is some difference of opinion as to the advantage that the colony is likely to derive from the establishment of this service ; and it has even been said that the first attempt of our Government in that direction has been a failure. We can easily understand why there should be such an impression abroad, and that there is some ground for it. It is evident that a saving of time is the primary object in tlie opening up of this new route, and that saving, taken iv conjunction Avith the commercial advantages that arc expected to be derived from the service, must be the basis of its permanent establishment.' Now, it is well known that the Souchays did not fulfil the first of these, conditions — uot from any want of skill or energy on the part of her commander, but from the fact that the vessel* had not tlie requisite, speed to enable her -to perform a certain distance in a certain time. Fortunately the late Government were enabled to make arrangements which resulted in the Souchays being' taken off their hands, and her place beingsupplied with a much more powerful vessel. Report speaks highly of the Hero as a fast ship, and one in every respect suitable for the service, and in a few days we may expect to see her de-

parturc for Batavia recorded.

hardly necessary to say thai this opportunity for postal communication should not be lost sight of, more particularly from tlv fact that since the departure of the last English mail many events of importance have occurred. If the Hero only makes an average good passage to Batavia to enable her to catch the mail steamer from that port, she will convey a fortnight's later news from this colony to England. It •must be remembered, too, that the first mail for England via Panama was due in Sydney yesterday. That mail will bring advices from London to the Ist June, and although they will not be more than a week later than those received by the last mail, it may be exceedingly useful to some persons to be able to reply to them by the mail via Torres Straits, which should arrive in London a fortnight earlier than the next outgoing mail steamer from Sydney. But to refer briefly to the general question of the establishment of the Torres Straits route, wo would say that the most unfavorable view that can be taken of it is that the colony may not at present derive the full advantage that might be expected from it as a postal route. It is, we believe, in.li.sputable that our geographical position, particularly that ol the Northern portions of Queensland, renders sudh a service the most suitable to our requirements. That the service can be accomplished under a proper organisation is also indisputable. It may be asked, therefore, why it should not at once he a success, but there arc certain conditions to this success which must be .fulfilled before it can be perfectly accom-> plished. We must have steamers of sufficient power, and a sufficient number of them ; and it is useless to expect that in the present state of the financial re-

sources of the colony the expenditure which, this would involve can be incurred. We may expect, however, that at no very distant period this obstacle may be overcome, either by the colony being able to undertake the service itself, or by other Colonies contributing towards it. In the meantime, however, we cannot afford to lose sight of the important commercial relations which may be entered into with comparatively little expense between this colony and Java. The visit of Mr Van Delden has certainly paved the way to this ; md it would lead to the belief that there was very little of that characteristic English energy i amongst us, if we did not follow it up ( The advantages that would be derived 1 from such an intercourse would be mutual. We must believe that a gentleman of Mr Van Delden' s , large commercial experience understands this fully; although at the same time we acquit him entirely of any personal selfish motives. That gentleman is now on a visit to Sydney and Mcl bourne, and we trust that in addition to his genial disposition, his influence as a gentleman of high commercial standing will not be unfelt; and that his visit there will tend, to bring the subject of the Torres Straits route more prominently before our fellow-colonists in New South Wales and Victoria.

It appears that the Hero is to sail on her first trip under a new commander, and that Captain Blick is to proceed in her as mail agent. Although, the performances of the Souchays were not so successful as could be wished, it was no fault, as ,we have said, of Captain Blick's : and we are quite ready to pay a due meed of praise to that gentleman, whose services, we hope, will not be lost sight of by the Government.