CALIFORNIAN MAIL CONTRACT.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 104, 30 September 1874, Page 3

CALIFORNIAN MAIL CONTRACT.

The Sydney Morning Herald , 11th September, writes : —“ The Postmaster-General has received by telegram, via Melbourne, an intimation from Mr Vogel that Mr Russell has been appointed to visit Sydney, and confer with this Government on the subject of the Californian mail service. He will probably arrive here next week per R.M.S. Macgregor. We may also state that there need be no doubt regarding there being a steamer to convey the mails this month to Ran Francisco. Rumors have been current that New Zealand was likely to join interests with Victoria in ocean mail contracts, and that if the former colony undertakes a transpacific service the terminus will be at Melbourne. There are at present no grounds co warrant this supposition, judging from the fact that Mr Russell is coming here to confer about the future of the line. But, even supposing that the rumors were well founded, it is very questionable if the isolation of New South Wales would not then prove most, advantageous to our interests. The weakest point in the Hall contract was that which compelled large ocean steamers to perform a coastal service for the other contracting colony, thereby necessitating a larger number of vessels being employed, and consequently jeopardising the whole of the arrangements by any accident to the branch boat. This colony took the initiative in establishing a trans-Pacific mail route, the interest of this port demand its continuance, the word of the Ministry ’s pledged to maintain it, and we believe in doing so they will receive the cordial support of nine tenths of their constituents. Whatever may have been the shortcomings of the temporary contract, we believe it can be shown beyond a shadow of doubt that it was the means of circulating in this city twice the amount received as subsidy. There is no necessity that we shall again go beyond our own own borders to seek for contractors in the event of what is known as the permanent contract not being taken up. There is sufficient energy and capital in this city to undertake the service, and give it a permanence and a character such as few foreign proprietaries could secure for it. Events which have recently transpired will make travellers chary about whom they pay for passages if there is the slightest possibility of any such failure as that which left some per Tartar in a strange city with worthless tickets, and without the means of ob taining others to secure conveyance to their destination.’