THE NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIAN STEAMSHIP LINE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3178, 20 April 1871, Page 3

THE NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIAN STEAMSHIP LINE.

[News of the World.] Our New Zealand and Australian readers will bo glad to learn that the lo.ng mooted steamship line from San "Francisco to the colonies is now an assured fact, and that the firßt veEwl of the new service trill leave our port nn the Bth of April. On the 7th instant the Hon Jul'm Vogpl telegr: phed from Washington to tho proprietors of this paper that the " contract with Messrs Webb and Holladay was just signed," and a Inter despatch from Mr W. H. Webb, at that, time in New York, gave the full particulars of tho arrangements made- The contract signed is " for a four weekly lino between San Francisco, New Zeulnnd, Sydney, and Melbourne, at such a speed as to enable the mails to bo delivered in London, or vice versa, in forty-eight days. The pioneer steamer is to sail on the Bth of April." By reference to our advertising columns it will be seen that the magnificent steamship Nevada, formerly in the Panama Bervice, is to be the first vessel employed. She is announced to stop at Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands ; Auckland, Lyttelton, and Port Chalmers, N.Z. ; connected with steamers for Sydney, New South Waleß, and Melbourne, Victoria. Eeturning viu the same ports, she will leave Port Chalmers ou May 13th, and Auckland on May 19th. The first vessels eraployed in the service will bo the Nebraska, Nevada, Santiago de Cuba, Dacotah, and Moses Taylor, all staunch, first class vesseh, the four former being equal in speed and accommodations to any on the Pacific Ocean. As will be seen above, the contract is for a four-weekly service, i.e., thirteen trips per annum, alternating with the stoamorß of the P. &O. line. Even with the comparatively inferior vessels employed before, the amount, of Australian and New Zealand travel through our port has been large ; it is doubtless destined to increase and grow to formidable proportions. Our route is by all odds the most pleasant, and the trip is made cheaper than by the English steamers. In place of the Btormy Indian Ocean and Eed Sen, we offer the traveller the usually calmer Pacific Oceun, Bcvon dnye of Innd travel by the great transcontinental railroad, and the paeenge of the Atlantic by some of the beet steamships afloat. The opportunity of seeing something of the United States should alone bo a groat inducement to travel this way. Up to tho present time Congress hns blindly refused to see that the subsidy asked for tho establishment of tho line was a perf eel ly legitimate demand on the nations purse. But the prospects are good for a speedy reconsideration of tho subject. Unfortunately, at the time when tho bill was had before the Senato and House, there were a number of other steamship subsidies of ft more or less questionable nature demanded, and our scheme, deserving of tho A Mmost encouragement from any member who believes in tho establishment of American commerce, suffered in their company. Sooner or Inter we must believo that tho necessary aid will bo granted, which, with tho assistance of the Australian Colonies, will establish the lino as one of the foremost in the world. Tho New Zealand Government has, by its liberal action, viitually inaugurated tho lino on a substantial ba?is, and will undoubtedly reap the reward of its enterprise. Its representative here, the Hon. Julius Vogol, from the moment

of his arrival worked steadily and persistently in this good cause. He addreespd the Chammembers of commerce of San Francisco, Chicago, and elsewhere, on tho subject, and the satisfactory arrangements just consummated at Washington are very much due to his tact und perseverance. Wherever he has travelled, he has left an impression highly complimentary to himself, tho Government he rsprescnte, and tho enterprise and enlightment of his fellow colonist?. His addresses have been characterised by good peuse, terseness, and a thorough comprehension of the subject. Mr Yogel left for England on tho Cunard steamship Russia, on the Bth March, immediately after the consummation of the contract with Messrs Webb and Holluday. The former gentleuiun, the eminent ship builder, and ship owner of New York, is one of the shrewdest arid most fur-seeing men in the United Statcc, while tho latter firm owns a large proportion of the sfrnmships for domestic and foreign Pacific ports leaving San Francisco, and has been asociated with a doien enterprises of the greatest importance to our coast. Both Messrs Holladuy and Webb count among the wealthy men of our country and the interests of the line are perfectly safe in their handp. We ehall say nothing in rogard to the vessels to bo employed, assured that as soon us they arrive in the colonial ports they will be the admiration of all who can find time to inspect them.