MEMORIAL TO THE AMERICAN CONGRESS FROM THE SAN FRNCISCO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 317, 14 January 1871, Page 2

MEMORIAL TO THE AMERICAN CONGRESS FROM THE SAN FRNCISCO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

The Chamber of Commerce at San Francisco has addressed a memorial to Congress, praying that Mr. Cole's Bill to authorise the establishment of ocean mail steamship service between the ''nited Stale., and Australia ma}' be passed as soon as p ssible. ihe memorial enters into along statistical statement of the commercial affairs of these colonies, showing the advantages that would accrue to the Slates if a regular steam line were subsidized, and proceeds to say :— That there is eveiy reason to believe that English capital would ere this, have established the line in question, were it not for the expectation in Australia and England that Congress would subsidize an American line on tlii3 route. That the English Government now pays $500,000 per annum to the Peninsular _ Oriental line for the Australian service, merely from Point de Galle, a subsidy which is duplicated by the Colonies, while the charges by that lines are so high, and its vessels so incompetent for the amount of business offering, that said line is exceedingly unpopular throughout ail the Colonies. That by. reason thereof, and of the superior cheapness, shortness, variety, safety, comfort and health of (he route eia the United States, the Colony of New Zealand has already voted $200,000 per annum as a subsidy to the American line, and Queensland and New South Wales have promised $250,000 more so soon as Congress shall have made a grant for tiiis purpose. That in order to enable this line to compete with the long esfablished aud powerful monopoly of the | Peninsular and Oriental line, it is indispeuI sable that nono but first-class steamers, of I not less than 2,000 tons, should be employed, I and in such case the line could not sustain ! itself for some years without the assistance of ; ' the Government.