THE CALIFORNIAN MAIL SERVICE.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2226, 25 June 1870, Page 2

THE CALIFORNIAN MAIL SERVICE.

■ The following important letter was addressed to the Postmaster-General by Mr Hall on the arrival of the City of Melbourne at Auckland : “June 11th, 1870. “ Sir,—Since I had the pleasure of add.essing you on the 21st April, I have made the voyage to San Francisco r-nd back to this po'rt,°. I, am happy to inform you that I have succeeded beyond my most sanguine expectation in making arrangements for the future conveyance of passengei s and mails between Honolulu and San Francisco with the North Pacific Transportation Company, which Company, after my explaining the nature of my contract with the New Zealand Government, fully approved of my proceedings, and arc prepared to carry out my engagements to the fullest extent. _ “The Idaho was taken off and the Ajax substituted, which vessel made the voyage in nine and a half days, and her return is expected, will occupy ten days. In July, the John L. Stevens will take the place of the Ajax, She is expend to do her voyage ill eight days from San Francisco to Honolulu, °and the return'in. nine days. I had two large steamers offered me to take the place of the Wonga-Wonga and the City of Melbourne at a far leas rate of charter than I am now paying the A.S.N. Co. ; but after thoroughly investigating them, I found that they would not accomplish my portion of the voyage in less time than the pres nt steamers do. The steamers, I allude to belon" td-Mr Webb of New York. They are aide-wheel boats of over 2,000 tons burthen and said to he. very fast, hut on ascertaining the rate of 'speed they accomplished on their former voyages the average only showed about nine and' a half knots, and that rate would be diminished when loaded for a long voyage. .. “ The manager of the Pacific Mail Company advised me not to make the same mistake that they are now laboring under, but to have by all means screw steamers properly rigged for sailing. They have three side-wheel steamers of between 3,000 and 4,000 tons burthen plying .'between San Francisco and China, running 6400 miles, which distance occupies thirty-six days. Tsie distance between' Sydney, Auckland, Honolulu, p#d S4n..FrahtiSco, that we are now performing, is 7,4oVj'mi!£3, my portion being 5,300 miles, This distance at ten knofs per hour ; w|ll require twentydnyb days actual runniffg ! time. I find this will be the highest rate of°speed the Wonga-Wonga and City of Melbourne can attain to, and require great pushing to keep that average. “ You are aware that those boats were represented to consume twenty-tWo tops of coals iper day oil ten-knot' speed, , whereas the consumption is nearer thirty-five tonf to, get that speed. My present detention on each vessel has been three days in Honolulu; in future, twepty-four hours will .cover all. The Hawaiian Government are nowlbuildiug a whaif e,\nressly for-the accommodation ox my vessel; On my arrival (in Sydney fuller details will be forwarded to you, u I have, &c., ,H, H. Hall, “ The Hon. J. Vogel, PostmasteioGouergl.” Auckland papers state that Mr Hall’s contract has been approved by the A merican Government, aud, they have, .agreed to the sabsidy. Auckland is to be the port of call for four years.