NEW ZEALAND via SAN FRANCISCO.

Dunstan Times, Issue 410, 25 February 1870, Page 1 (Supplement)

NEW ZEALAND via SAN FRANCISCO.

(From the Anglo-American Times.) A project, for years advocated in these columns, is assuming shape. A private meeting of influential merchants and others was held on the Ist of February at tho London Tavern to discuss the projected steam communication plan with Australia and New Zealand via Milford Haven, Portland, and San Francisco, within forty days; Sir George Grey in the chair. The following resolution was adopted:— " That this meeting highly approve 3 tho proposed route to Australia and New Zealand via, Milford Haven, Portland, and San Francisco, and recommends that steps be forthwith taken to establish a company to carry the same into effect." We know nothing, says the Anglo-American Times, of the late meeting at tho London Tavern, or what was thero said, but vte feel confident about tho statements made. A map has a tendency to mislead, and it would not be readily credited that San Francisco is nearer to Sydney or Wellington than is Panama. The run from Wellington i.s some 6,564 miles to Panama, and 5,864 to San Francisco, making a difference of 700 nautical miles, or nearly threo days steaming. Between San Francisco and Sydney or Wellington are tho Sandwich Islands, and tho Feojee group; and what we proposed was that the line already established from San Francisco to the Sandwich Islands should be extended to the Fejees, and that a fork should there branch off, tho one prong reaching to Auckland, New Zealand; the other to Sydney. This would, without much expenditure of capital, bring tho Northern ports of Australia and New Zealand into the most direct as well as most speedy communication with England. The time, as estimated by the promoters of the embryo undertaking is nino days from Milford Haven to Portland, seven days to San Francisco, and twenty-three days to Australia or New Zealand; in round numbers, say 40 days in all. Unquestionably this i.s the direct road, and Australia and Now Zealand will have tho further advantage on the establishment of such a line of getting intelligence from England in little over threo weeks, and vice versa, for San Francisco i 3 already connected with London by the electric wire.