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an unopposed Bill, and it is anticipated that it will receive the Royal assent by the middle or end of July. The primary object of the promoters is to secure thi shortest possible route from port to port, with a minimum of coastal, river, and channel navigation. In their opinion this can best be obtained by adopting Blacksod Bay on the one side and Halifax on the other. Both these harbours are open to the entrance of the largest vessels at all stages of the tide, so that the ships can enter and berth or leave at any hour. As compared with New York and Liverpool, this facility alone will mean a saving of six to twelve hours, and sometimes even more, each voyage. The approach to both these harbours is also more free from fog than those to New York and Liverpool, and the promoters are satisfied that a line of steamers such as they propose to put on can be operated between Blacksod and Halifax with a regularity equal to that of the connecting transcontinental train between Halifax and Vancouver. With the intended twenty-five-knot steamers, the passage can be made in three and a half days, and mails carried from the chief points in Great Britain to Halifax in exactly four days. To remove any misconception as to the communication between different points in England and Scotland and Blacksod Bay, I may point out that the channel between Ireland and Scotland is only twenty-one miles in width, and offers no difficulties to the conveyance of whole trains across it on large ferry-steamers. Passengers would have no change whatever to make between any of the principal cities of Great Britain and the ship's side at Blacksod, and vice versa. In the same way, the freight traffic can be carried through without breaking bulk. As the journey between Blacksod and the principal centres of Great Britain will take under twelve hours, and to London only slightly longer, little objection can be made to the length of it on this side of the Atlantic, more particularly by those who are accustomed to the long-distance journeys common on your side. The following approximate time-table has been prepared. It can be adhered to without difficulty, excepting under very exceptional circumstances :— Atlantic Ocean .. .. .. .. .. 25 knots. Pacific Ocean .. .. .. .. .. 18 and 21 knots. Leave London, June Ist, Friday, 7 p.m. Arrive Blacksod, ~ 2nd, 9 a.m., leave 10 a.m. ~ Halifax, ~ sth, 6to 9 p.m., „ 10 p.m. ~ Vancouver, „ 9th, 10 p.m., ~ midnight. 18 Knots. Arrive Honolulu, June 15th, 10 a.m., leave 4 p.m. ~ Suva, ~ 21st, midnight, ~ 6 a.m., 22nd. „ Auckland, „ 24th, 10 p.m., , 2 a.m., 25th. „ Sydney, „ 27th, midnight. London to Sydney, 26 days 5 hours. ~ Auckland, 23 days 3 hours. 21 Knots. Arrive Honolulu, June 14th, 4 p.m., leave 10 p.m. ~ Suva, „ 20th, 9 a.m., ~ 3 p.m. „ Auckland, ~ 22nd, 10 p.m., ~ 2 a.m., 23rd. ~ Sydney, ~ 25th, 2 p.m. London to Sydney, 23 days 19 hours. ~ Auckland, 21 days 3 hours. Two rates of speed are estimated on for the Pacific Ocean, because the actual speed of the vessels to be provided has not yet been decided. The question is one to be considered by the four Governments interested, and carefully gone into. The people of Australia and New Zealand are naturally anxious to have the fastest boats that the funds at their disposal will secure, and it is possible that a twenty-one-knot service may be decided on. It must, of course, be understood that these high-speed vessels cannot carry any large amount of cargo ; they will, in fact, be express steamers for passengers, mails, and express freight of a highclass and perishable nature. They will be equipped with the latest refrigerating appliances, and special attention will be paid to the carriage of perishable products. It is difficult to realise the immense saving in time which will take place in the delivery of mails, even as compared with the present service. Letters posted in London on Friday evening will, by these steamers, be delivered in Montreal before noon of the following Wednesday ; whereas, if they went by the New York lines they would, nine times'out of ten, be delivered in Montreal on the following Monday, or, five days later. It rarely happens in the course of a year that the mails are delivered in Montreal on a Saturday. The same will apply in regard to mails going from Canada, which, leaving Montreal on the Friday, will be delivered in London on the Wednesday, instead of Saturday or Monday following as at present. Now, as to the cost to Canada. For ten years or more your Government have been trying, without success, to secure a twenty-knot service, by the offer of a contribution of $750,000 per annum. You are now offered a twenty-five : knot service at possibly no greater cost, although the actual cost of operating such a service must be three times as great as that of a twenty-knot service. Under these circumstances there should be no hesitation on the part of Canadians, whatever part of the Dominion they may hail from, in supporting the Government in granting the necessary aid to secure the establishment of the proposed service.