THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1880. OUR TRADE WITH AMERICA.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2107, 24 November 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1880. OUR TRADE WITH AMERICA.

The development o£ our trade with the Great Republic is a matter of much concern with those who have the interest of the colony at heart. It is evident that, but for the protective nature of the American tariff, there would be a steady flow of traffic between the two countries. The distance that divides them is comparatively so small that it seems altogether an abnormal state of affairs that the interchange of commodities is no greater than at present obtains. The protectionist points with pride to America as the great exemplar of the system he' upholds. But the disadvantage of its isolated condition are certainly felt by us in no common degree, even if it be granted that it is fair to point a moral by reference to a continent that is more or less a world in itself, and not a mere state. Still it is possible that a new departure may have to be made by America before very long. The manufactures which the Protectionist Tariff was to foster will have become thoroughly established, and then will come the question of extended markets for the productions. “No nation that is not a manufacturing nation ever becomes rich,” says the advocate of the present American system. But even from his narrow point of view, when once the manufactures are rooted in the soil, it is evident that the wider the market the faster flow in the riches. And any effort to cheapen communication between ourselves and America will tend to hasten the day when a further development of trade between ourselves and the States will eventuate. Mr Creighton, the agent of this colony in San Francisco, is doing his best to cheapen the cost of the postal service. At present the postal authorities of the United State* charged the sum of £16,000 for the transit of mails from San Francisco to New York. This money is paid by the contracting colonies into the Imperial Treasury and by it handed over to the American Government. A number of the members of Congress have been interested in the matter, and although the Postmaster-General of the States is known to he adverse to any reduction in the above sum—as any PostmasterGeneral would naturally be—it is trusted by the sanguine that a largo slice of it may Anally be remitted, if indeed the whole amount be not given up. The cheapening of the service between this country and the Eastern States in particular would not fail, if these hopes ho gratified, to strengthen the commercial relations between New Zealand and America.

THE HARBOR AT AUCKLAND. W e have once or twice already adverted to tho importance of Auckland as a harbor apparently destined by its position to play an important part in Imperial matters in the South Pacific, Whether or not the British fleet ho finally posted there or in Sydney is a matter of national and not of purely local interest only. That Auckland is more central than Sydney can be seen at a glance by reference to the map, while, with reference to the facilities of coaling, &c., there would appear to he no choice between the two places. The Auckland Harbor Board has of late, with commendable zeal, been bringing the claims of their harbor under the notice of the Imperial authorities, and a tangible result has been arrived at in the shape of a letter from Mr. Brassey, the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, acknowledging the communication made by the Board, and showing that tho writer ia really interested in the question and has an intelligent knowledge of the subject on which he treats. It is true that the Admiralty have declined to contribute the sum that they were allowed to by statute towards the construction of a large dock at Auckland, hut Mr. Brassey has raised the hopes of the Board that the full bearings of the case will be brought before the Commission which has to investigate the question of the stations of the British fleets, inasmuch as he proposes, with the assent of Lord Northbrook, the head of tho Admiralty, to refer the Board’s statement to the Commission. The Board’s communication was of a very exhaustive character so that, if Mr. Brassey is allowed to carry out his intention, the full facts of the case will he laid before the authorities. Moreover, Admiral Hoskins, who is a Naval Lord of the Admiralty, is well acquainted with the central position of Auckland and the facilities there obtainable for the outfit of a fleet. Probably political considerations may after all bo allowed to outweigh the solid advantages to be derived from the transfer of the headquarters of tho fleet to Auckland, but, whichever way affairs may eventuate, tho Board msj fairly congratulate itself that it has not allowed the claims of their harbor to be overlooked for want of information supplied to the Commission.