THE PANAMA AND THE P. AND O. COMPANIES.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXI, Issue 2376, 16 June 1866, Page 6

THE PANAMA AND THE P. AND O. COMPANIES.

(From the Sydney Umpire, May 29.) We doubt the truth of the adage that describes man to be a thinking animal. In our opinion the greater portion of mankind never think for themselves, but are content to accept in faith what others have thought for them. Whether the thought result in the rotation of the earth on its axis, or the circulation of the blood, it requires long years of patience under unbelief before the world becomes indoctrinated with a nevr idea, however patent bo its excellence and truth. We have been led into this train of thought by the perusal of Mr. Black's modest proposal respecting the mail service via Suez, which has been published in the Melbourne papers, and which appears in another column of this day's issue of the Empire. Through manj long years have we quietly and patiently Inculcated the advantages of the Panama route over that via Suez, and at length our fellow- colonists have recognised that it is a step on the pathway of empire — that it is wiser, it is better, to seek to connect our onward career with that of our Anglo-Saxon brethren than with tho effete nations of Asiatic barbarism, or the military colony which rules over an abject Indian race. Slowly, very slowly, was this conviction instilled, and even whenitbecam© an article of political faith, years were destined to pass awa3 r before circumstance j gave fruition to belief ; and during all these long years, our good friends, the P. and O. Company, had the monopoly of the steam postal contract. According to the statement of the chairman of their board of directors, they were well paid for it, and having been well paid by their own showing, they might have done better. If mails were irregular, so* much the worse. If passengers were detained at Galle, or huddled like sheep in the overcrowded Calcutta boat, what matter— they wore only Australian passengers. Mr. Black points with complacency tq the circumstance, that when one boat broke down another was immediately at hand. Kind Mr. Black! Was this for the sake of the passengers, or fear of the penalties? However, the Panama route was talked of, New South Wales and New Zealand entered into a contract for tho Panama service, but the boats were not built, and perhaps never would be.At last, however, the Kaikoura leaves England to take her place on the station, and Mr. Black arrives in Australia within a week after. At length tho P. and O. Company are awake to the reality of a rival, and, in consideration of past services, Mr. Black modestly asks for a contract for ten years— and then " my Httlo boys you shall see wlitst you shall see." Now, we beg to remind our legislators and readers of one or two little circumstances : Firstly, that we have no money to throw away ; secondly, that our cousins in Victoria do not subsoribe to the Panama subsidy ; thirdly, that they are quite aware that their letters will, nevertheless, go

forward by that route, and lastly, that it is high time we should think more of ourselves and loss of others. We do not undervalue the Suez route — we are aware of the convenience of a late telegram — but inasmuch as our Victorian cousins will not join in the subsidy for the Panama lino, and will not relinquish their predilection in favor of the Suez line, we ma}' be quite sure that we should have the late telegram without paying £20,000 a .year for it, and that relatively to tho Suez line we should stand iv the same light that our friends in Victoria do with tho Panama line. If two years' notice has to be given of the termination oC the Suez contract, let it be given at once, and let the onus of that service be thrown upon the Southern colonies. There is yet another and more cogent reason than all why we have no right to expend one shilling upon the Suez line. We assume it to be incontrovertible that tho subsidy for a mail postal service is paid by the colony at large for the benefit of the people at large, and not for the advantage of a privileged fen*. Now, the bulk of letters between England and Australia are posted via South ampton, and very rarely indeed have these reached us under fifty seven days via Suez — and this is the contract time between Panama and Sydney — though no one doubts who looks at the hull of the magnificent Kailcoura that it will be performed in a much shorter space of time. Thus as far as the people are concerned they would be no gainers by the Suez route. How would it fare, then, with the-passengers ? That being ouly two in a cabin, one may reach England via Panama for £105, and that with the chance of four in a eribin from Galle, one is not certain of proceeding to England by the through boat- for £120— to say nothing that by the former route there arc seeond-elasE berths, and by the second there, are not; We fancy we hear some one remind us thatvrines are provided by the P. and O Company. We repfy, more is the pity. : • ''. ; Again and. again we repeat most emphatically that our contribution Vo the Suez service ought to be \vithdrawn.as soon as pos> .sible. •' ' '." '. '-*. */ '..'. ' .•-. •