THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 323, 21 January 1871, Page 2

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Me. 11. H. Hail, the contractor for the line, leaves Sydney to-day for San Francisco to perfect his arrangements at that end of the line. The present service will positively cease with the boat that leaves here in March, and a new service by the direct route, via Fiji, will as positively commence in April. Mr. Preddy, the agent for the American railway, who is now m Sydney as agent for that line, says that he saw Mr. Webb just before leaving San Francisco, and that that gentleman stated most distinctly that he would not run his vessels on the New Zealand coast, but that he wa3 quite willing to run them direct to Sydney for a sufficient subsidy. Rumours are also current in Sydney to the effect that Mr. Neil?on M'Cann (or Mr. M'Cann Neilson, whichever may be the proper way of reading the name on this side of the Pacific) will be found to have exceeded his powers in making a provisional contract with Mr. Vogel, and that the New Zealand statesman will find that, instead of stealing a march on the Australian colonies, he has himself been considerably let in. However that may be, and whether the American service commences or not, it is quite certain that the route will not be closed, and that a direct service will commence from Sydney in April next. A contract has been drawn up between the A.S.N. Co. and Mr. Hall, which is to be signed this morning, by which the three steamers —City of Melbourne, City of Adelaide, and Wonga Wonga, are chartered for the service. All tln-ee are to be refitted with upper decks, something in the style of the Coonanbarra; and the City of Adelaide is also to be fitted with surface' condensers. These alterations will greatly increase the cabin accommodation, and enable the boats to carry 100 passengers comfortably. The Queensland Government has been appealed to to support the project, and from the tone of a debate, which tested the feeling of the House, it i 3 clear the Parliament there is willing to go as far as £10,000 a year. What your colony will do in the matter we wait to know, but that it will give a reasonable assistance is not doubted. The new service is to be four-weekly, and will alternate with that by Suez, and every confidence is felt that from and after April next we shall have an effective fortnightly mail to England that will bring us letters and newspapers in 45 days, and telesraphic news not more than 30 days old.— Australasian, January 7.