ENGLISH MAIL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1081, 15 January 1872, Page 2

ENGLISH MAIL NEWS.

«» - 7 . THE SAN FRANOISGQ MAIL ROUTE. Since the opening of our transcontinental railroad (says the Neiosof' the World) the mails have arrived in San. Francisco with wonderful regularity, connecting with the Oakland ferry boat across the Bay at 6 p.m. every night, but the recent snow-storm on the plains has unfortunately stopped the trains for the past four days ; this fact, with the steamship on the Atlantic side being two days behind her time, consequently, has necessitated the delay of the Australian steamer six days behind her regular, date of sails ing. The President of the United States has recommended Congress to grant a subsidy tp this line, aud all parties agree that it is certain to be granted. ; The Dacotah will sail in a few days from New York to this port, and upon her arrival the ships of the line will run right through to Australia, making the time in thirty- days ; iv February the Halifax railroad will be opened, when the mails can be forwarded through from Australia to England in ' forty-five days. It has been reported here that the Peninsular and Oriental Steamship Company will be competitors for the Austrar lian mail contracts, b,iit wp are $ylly satisfied that the powers ■ that rule in. Australia will not grant both mail con-, tracts to the same company, mbre'esper ci&lly to foster an opposition which: would certainly prevent either company from running a first-class line. At present, if we are rightly informed,. the~.Uuited States, s New Zealand and Australia mail ; line . receives 75,000d0l <'ffom thef United States, 25,000d0l from the Hawaiian Government, and 260,000d0l from New Zealand anuually for tenJylarq making a total of 850,0Q0d0l a year. The necessity of the trade demands a line from Milford Haven to Halifax, thence by railroad to San Francisco, thence again, via the Navigator Islands, to New Caledonia Queensland, Sydney and Melbourne, with a branch line from the Navigator Islands

to Auckland. Such a line would develop the trade of the Pacifio and bring us into immttiiate communication with all the isHffife of Polynesia. [The route via the Fijis is condemned as oeing an extremely dangerous one.]