THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 106, 3 May 1872, Page 2

THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

We are indebted to the Honorable the Postmaster-General, for the following telegram, which has been forwarded to all the newspapers : —

The following are the leading provisions of the contract entered into between Victoria and New Zealand on the one side, and Messrs. Webb and Holladay on the other. The contractors are to provide a fourth boat, in every respect equal to the Nevada, Nebraska, and Dacotab. If a fourth boat is specially built for tbe service by Mr. Webb, then, for a period of eight months, a vessel such as the City of Adelaide or the Albion may be used.

The employment of four boats will enable the following arrangement to be carried out : — The boat performing the up trip will proceed through from Melbourne to San Francisco, calling at Auckland, and there receiving the New Zealand mails, passengers, and freight. The boat performing the down trip will proceed through from San Francisco to Port Chalmers, calling at Auckland and other ports as afc present. At Auckland, the Victorian mails, &c, will be transhipped to the boat waiting there, and she will proceed direct to Melbourne. Thus the steamer from San Francisco will always proceed through to Port Chalmers, and the boat from Melbourne will always proceed through to San Francisco. The boat which has last arrived at Port

Chalmers from San Francisco will proceed up the coast to Auckland, collecting mails, &c, and transhipping them at Auckland to the boat calling there on her way from Melbourne to San Francisco. The boat from Port Chalmers will wait at Auckland until the arrival of the next vessel from San Francisco, and she will there receive the Victoriau mails, &c, and proceed to Melbourne. By this arrangement each of the four boats will, in her turn, make the round voyage from San Francisco to Auckland and other New Zealand ports, back lo Auckland, and thence to Melbourne, and to San Francisco by way of Auckland. Victoria, having the through service on tbe up route instead of the down route is to pay £5000 more than New Zealand, the respective payments being — Victoria £32,500, aud New Zealand £27,500. In respect to the sum ot £2500 of the extra payment by Victoria, ifc is agreed that that amount shall be made a preferential charge on the amount ot any subsidies from other Colonies, which may he divisible between Victoria and New Zealand. The subsidies from other Colonies are to be thus dealt with : — After the payment, if any, for branch steamers, one-third of tbe amount will be given to the contractors; Victoria will receive the £2500 just mentioued; and tbe sum remaining will be equally divided between Victoria aud New Zealand. The contract is not to come into operation until it has been approved of by the Victorian Legislative Assembly, and by the New Zealand House of Representatives. The precedeut of the contract between the Imperial Government and tbe Peninsular and Oriental CompaDy has been followed on this point, that contract only providing that before its coming into effect it should receive the approval of the House of Commons. Subject to this ratification, it is stated the new San Francisco contract will come into force iv September next, and will continue for eight years and a-half. In other words, during the unexpired term of the existing contract, the latter will remain in full force until the new arrangement comes into operation as described. Ifc is understood tbat if Mr. Webb obtains the subsidy from the United States Government, he would build four new boats specially for the line. It is also understood that the Gvernments of Victoria and New Zealand will jointly, through their respective Agents-General, apply to the Imperial Government for aid to the amount of one-half the subsidy the two colonies are to pay to the contractor, and whatever amount may be received as such aid will be divided amongst the colonies contributing to the service, in proportion to the sums respectively paid by them. Julius Yogel, Auckland.