The New-Zealander. AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, SEPT. 24, 1853. STEAM COMMUNICATION BY PANAMA.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 777, 24 September 1853, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, SEPT. 24, 1853. STEAM COMMUNICATION BY PANAMA.

Be just and fear not: Let all the ends thou aim'st at, he thy Country’s, Thy God's, and Truth’s.

The \iial importance of the establishment of this line of steam communication between England and Australasia is amongst those subjects on which there is now so universal

an 'agreement of opinion in these colonies lhat it would be little better than a waste of time and space to make it matter of arguiVient. The case has, however, been un-j doubtedly strengthened by the experience of | last year; for although it must be admitted thafthe failures of the Australain Mail Steam Company's vessels may in a great degree be attributed to mismanagement and negligence of so gross a character lhat, if the facts were not notorious, it might seem scarcely credible lhat men entrusted with the charge of an undertaking involving such large pecuniary commercial and social interests should have been guilty of it, yet even their last and most successful experiment leaves untouched the demonstration of the vast superiority of the Panama route. For even could it be" reasonably anticipated that the achievement of the Victoria would be equalled by the performance of every other ship, still there would remain a difference of probably not less than from two to three weeks in favour of the Panama route;—the highly vaunted passage of the Victoria having occupied 70 days from London to Sydney, while there is every ground for believing lhat the passage by Panama might be accomplished, including all stoppages, in from 50 to 55 days,—to say nothing now of the prediction (which was; not merely hazarded but supported by solid calculations in Mr. Dunlop's pamphlet on the subject) that, if first class steamersequal to several engaged in crossing the Atlantic—were employed in the service, the voyage to Sydney might actually be reduced to "a six weeks' trip." We therefore hailed with lively pleasure the organization of the Australian Pacific Mail Company, which proposed to engage in this great undertaking, making Ncio Zealand one of the places of call for their steamers. In the months ofSeptember and October last year, when the Prospectus of the Company (issued in the preceding May) reached us, we devoted article after article to an exhibition of the magnitude of the benefits which might be expected to flow from it, and of the cogent reasons why Auckland, rather than any Southern port, should be fixed on as the place of call. At the same time, convinced that no effort should be neglected to secure so valuable a boon, we learned with pleasure that the elected members of the then Provincial Council were disposed to take upon themselves the responsibility of holding out the prospect of a grant from the Provincial Revenue as an additional inducement to the Company. We remarked that u it would not admit of doubt lhat any Council representing the people, or alive to the interests of the district, would % gladly make an appropriation for the purpose," and that we could imagine no good reason why the elected members of the Provincial Council, although not formally assembled for business, should not in this case, as well as in lhat of opposition to the New Zealand Company's Claim, "forward in the semi-official and unquestionably influential tone they might]most fittingly adopt, statements of encouragment in the one case, and protest in the other, as they knew would be in accordance with both the interests and wishes of their constituents." It is now known to many that those gentlemen had themselves so fully taken this view of their duty in the matter, that they had authorised Mr. Willis .(whose name appeared on the listV the Provisional Committee of the projected Company) to hold out the expectation lhat, most probably, the Provincial Council would be willing to vole a grant of 2000/. a year, if Auckland were fixed on as the poi't of call. An interval of several months elapsed, during which no certain information of the Company's intentions on the point reached us; but now a correspondence had been received which we have no hesitation in transferring to our columns, as—although it is not as conclusive as we could desire —it will be satisfactory to our readers to be in possession of all that is yet ascertained on a matter of such general interest to the community; Messrs. Willis £ Co. to Brown £ Campbell. 3, Crosby Square, April 28, 1353. We have been untiring in our endeavours to get the Australian Pacific Steam Mail Company to come to some definite arrangement about calling at your port, but as yet without anything being settled on the subject. The accompanying copies of correspondence will enable you to judge how the matter now stand's, and we mean to continue our exertions to get the Company to pass some resolution about making New Zealand a place of call for their steamers. 3, Crosby Square, March 18, 1853. My Dear Sir, —Some time since, I had the pleasure of communicating with you on the subject of the Company's touching at Auckland, en route Panama to Sydney. You will doubtless recollect that I laid before you a letter which I had then received from my Auckland friends, referring to the matter. 1 have this morning received further advices, from my Auckland friends, referring to the same subject. The tenor of these advices enables me to hold out certain prospects of advantage to the Company, provided their steamers touch at Auckland en route from Panama. Having a somewhat heavy stake (that is heavy for me) in your Company, I by no means seek that Auckland should have a preference over any other place In New Zealand, as a place of first call from Panama, provided any other poi't or place offers superior advantage; but it is my conviction, (if the Company really design, to carry out what I have been from the first supposing they intended, viz.:—to take New Zealand en route to Sydney) that Auckland offers in every respect superior advantages over any other place; and the formal announcement of the discovery of Gold in the immediate neighbourhood, is not the least amongst these advantages. Will you, therefore? kindly inform me as to the Company's intention on the point, and oblige, my dear sir, yours very truly, . (Signed) Henry 11. Willis. To Champiom Wetton, Esq., v Secretary to the Australian Pacific Mail Company.

London, 24th March, 185:3. My Dear Sir, —T have received your esteemed favor under date the 18th inst., and have submitted the same to the Court: in reply, [am desired to say, that, anxious as the directors are to give you a positive assurance that this Company's vessels -will on their outward passage, touch at a port in New Zealand, there are questions of so grave a character attending this decision, that they do not feel themselves justified at present, and in the ahsmce of any Grant from lI.M. Government for the conveyance of a Mail to New Zealand, to state whether it would be justifiable or prudent for them, under all these circumstances, to come to an immediate resolution on this important question.—l remain, dear sir, yours very truly, (Signed) Champion Wettox. To Henry H. Willis, Esq., ;

Note. —Between' the 24th March, and Gth April. Mr. H. H. Willis and his friend Mr, Graham, were in communication with Lord Lyttleion about the Company's getting a Grant from Government, and Lord letter shows the result,

3, Crosby Square, 20th April ifi*o My Dear Siß,-The aceompanyin* ' i® 53 ; note, addressed by Lord Lyttelton to m/?. of * Mr. Graham, in regard to our proposed irS H tion to Government for a Grant of monev ally to the Australasian Pacific Steam Co * mri< in aid of the mail service to New Zeala» 1 i show you how matters stand. -■" anti, *m • I see no advantages in pressing the matter ther at present, for I find that other Com • applying, are similarly answered; andlc^J 6 * there is not a doubt that when the prone • arrives, if the Australian Pacific Compan? % for the carriage of a mail, they will get it o BP iP' own term?, if the charge.be not consider!!? heavy. And why, therefore, should ther iw - payment in a similar way, for each steamer $* avoiding the disadvantages of a contract? I am writing to Auckland, New Zealand t our own packet-ship, the *Gresswell,' tomtit y Gravesend on the 28th instant. I would hi i to know if the Company entertain the piwfrom the members of the Legislative r„ - m Oll Auckland, viz : that they will lend their £?. of to the obtaining a grant of £2,000 per ann the Company if their steamers will call th » route from Panama to Sydney. "^.fli Will you have the kindness to mention to u Just, Mr. Graham's remarks about coal I sider this gentleman would be a most vtftt person to the Company, if he could but be *' bled to carry out his views in respect to woilr" the coal in New Zealand. " rQfc

Yours very truly, (Signed) Hjtar&TOw Champion, Wetton Esq. . ° # (Copy of Lord Ly ttelton's letter to Mr. Graham V 29, Berkeley Square, 19th April 185« Sir,—-I presume that- you forth information on the subject of your letter enclosed, for it is obvious that that does not Ia that the Company's steamers will call at tbeii Zealand ports, but it says it is doubtful. Since T wrote to you, I have seen one or two persons con nected with the Colony, from.whose information I draw the same conclusion that the point is still considered. I have requested to be told vhen. ever it is settled. I have also seen Lord Canning the Postmaster-General, and he tells me the Go. vernment have resolved never again to make grants to, or contract with Companies/or tbecon! veyance of mails to the Colonies. He says it must be for the parties interested in the several Colo, nies to procure the establishment of a rapid and direct communication with them; and that all that the Government will do, is to engage to avail themselves for the conveyance of mails, of but ex. isting means of communication. I therefore, can* not encourage the idea of a deputation, which would answer no purpose. Your obedient servant, (Signed) LtTnxTojr.

London, 20th April, IBSS. Dear Sin, —I am obliged for yuur -esteemed favor of yesterday's date, enclosing copy of a letter from Lord Lyttelton to you, and our direc- j tors are quite of opinion, that with the present temper of the Government, any application for a subsidy will be unattended to. There can be no doubt that eventually, if proof is established of ours being unquestionably the shortest route, an a lequate remuneration, on a moderate scale, must be given to our Company for the carriage of letters ; and certainly, if the Government of Xew Zealand were to pass resolutions granting an annual subsidy for steamers to call there en route from Sydney and Panama, it would stimulate eur exertions to avail ourselves of such a grant. I am, dear sir, yours very truly, Chxmpios Wetton,

To Henry H. Willis, Esq., Mr. Willis's exertions in the matter have evidently been assidnous, and we trust that the next accounts will inform us more satisfactorily than the present that they haveheen successful. It is to be remembered that calUng at New Zealand formed a distinctly announced part of the original scheme of the Company. In the Prospectus of May 1852 it was repeatedly referred to;—it was slated that " by the adoption of the Panama route, New Zealand and the whole of tbeAuslralisn colonies will be brought into direct and rapid communication not only with the Mother Conntry and Europe butalso with the United Slates, Central and Southern Americ?, California, and the South Sea Islands;" and again it was made prominent that "The Panama route is the only ope that embraces a rapid Mail-service between the Mother Country and New Zealand, and this not only . without detriment but with great advantage to the Australian Colonies, there being, as has been satisfactorily established before the Select Committee, an important and rapidly increasing commercial intercourse between New Zealand and Australia." A subsequent passage indeed shows that a Government subsidy " fo- the regular conveyance of the mails'" to New Zealand was anticipated; but as Mr. Willis suggests, and as Mr. Welton apparently agrees, the altered system adopted by thcGovernment (that of contracting for the carriage of each mail seperaiely) does not necessarily make any injurious change in this prospect, financially considered. We still therefore look with confidence lor the visits of the Company's steamers to Jjew Zealand. It is not unlikely that for the W* one or two voyages—in which H ShM J* a matter of obvious importance to siaoip* character on the line by reaching Sydney fc the shortest possible time—the not stop here. But we entertain JUUejQUiJ that when the plan becomes matured ana future developed, the Directors will that this colony shall not be omitted W» their plan. . u Nor can we believe that the port ot can will eventually be any oilier than Aucilakd, for even if, under mistaken JgV g preference were to be given fo **Jj*j? ais the commencement, the error-wouM oe m covered after a very few trials, » nd / u ji vantages connected with Auckland .*w soon manifest beyond dispute the J of this port for the purposes of the instill it is evidently much to be destrea w* Auckland should be chosen from theotu* j and it is very plain that the Company W be materially influenced in their decisi m , the inducements which may the way of an annual grant. In I*B .-.■. month our Provincial Council will and amongst the objects ot practical vwU which we trust they will bend —rather than to theoretical speculauons political disputations—there can sef'-L;,. one named which is better entitled to w earliest and best consideration than tne . mediate offer of such aid as may CO ?™JJJ, surate with the public sense of the wV lance of gaining this benefit for Auckianu.