THE NEW 'FRISCO BERVICE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXI, Issue 12188, 8 June 1907, Page 4

THE NEW 'FRISCO BERVICE.

At pivsMit the mail services lit in ;\ ftomovsh.it jhiU'tio state, and apparently it w 11 We some lmn» beiore the Home Government, Canada. Australia mid New Zealand in conne.tii n with the proposed allred rout*. Matters are also progressing Tfry fclowly with the suggested Federal mnil service, and there seems some doubt ■jig to whether tho original scheme will be carried out. although Sir John Forrest hopes some-thing will be determined within a few days. In the circumstances, therefore, the news will be received with interest and satisfaction that a new line of of steamers \sill take up tho Running on the San Fraucinco route in August, carrying American, British, and Australian mails. The. new line is mainly due to British enterprise, and is backed by Messrs Andrew Weir and Co., whose headquarters jive at Glasgow. The firm is well-known in tho Old World, being the fourth largest sailing-ship-owners in the world, having 17 »hips with a net tonnage of 32,000 and ■11 ateameis of 82,000 tons gross. The U.uly Mail's New York correspondent aaya that the Ameiicana expect a considerable increase iv exports trom the new service, and no doubt if the steamers arc up-to-date will establish a good trade. Mr V. A. Sproul, the New Zealand representative ot the Oceanic Company, which carried on the now defunct 'Frisco service, believes (hat the new line will be merely a cargo Imp, or at the most a combination passeu•jrer and cargo service, as neither the United States nor New Zealand are subsidising it, and he- thiuka that the time will not lie low than 26 day* between San Fr^uuslo aud AujkU»d. Tlie -el-vice will !>•>

*'.r.'. uw „f i <roi)d 1 in 1 *- <>l Ih" v>\u. iim! "Ir Spioii] estimates tli.it irom August (. I).'(( nilier they should do fairly well, brins;insj t>. Nov. Zealand 15H0 1< 2<J<i:> .'ins- !<<•< monthly t rip nr t<> New Ze il.uul md Ai. tralia f.nnbmpd, UJOO ton« per tup, con.jiosed liiootly <i dned riiilt. iind. ol court. • fiffoen Iruit, !l the bteamcrs have -lUfWcu- '! rohigoralor space. From August till D - comber i*> the most profitable time of the year lor cargo, as during these mon'ha- the «cafiou's fruit pickings arc shipped from California to all parts of the world. There will be a limited general cargo irom U.S.A. Eastern points, comprising machinery, roofing material, and many othei general specialities. As to return cargo, it wili run to about 200 tons a month iron Auckland on an average. From Sydney the amount would probably be double, running up to 1000 tons in the wool season. There is a fair demand in Ainerivii ior hardwoods from West Australia, but beyond that only a limited variety of cargo goe* from Australia at ordinary seasons of the year. As to passenger business, Mr Sproul «ay« that will entirely depend on the steamer* themselves if they carry only a faw or a fair number. The Americans demand comfort on steamer*, and any •toamer from San Francisco having good passenger accommodation will be sure to do fairly well at this time when the mail service is suispended. Probably «my shij - ping firm embarking m tins enterpi ihtwould first spy out the land and come to a fair idea ol what revenue was likely to le secured. Asked as to whether he thougl 1 ' the lino i-ouM b* run a!! the year rouru at .i profit, Mr Sprtfh 1 Paid that if genera 1 r.-u-go is .scarce, a ship can gc> to Newcastl" and fill up with coal, which is always wdcoinu in San Francisco, where there has been .ilniost a coal famine for about nim nioinhs. so that they can always find .» market for .« large a cargo as they cai. take up. He Hunks thay would get a fair amount of flax, which is an all-the-year-round eirgo from New Zealand. At present much of it goes ov way ot London to New York, owing Ui tho cheap lrcights offering, but if the new e-teamers are up to date they will probably be able to carry flax at such a rate as to ensure large quantities ewi for the i\t-,terii Slates being shipped ! via 'Frisco.