SAN FRANCISCO MAIL ROUTE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 35, 23 September 1871, Page 9

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL ROUTE.

The following paragraph with regard to negotiations for the extension and alteration of the route adopted by Webb’s steamers, appears in the “Age” of the sth inst:—“ We understand that the Chief Secretary has received a communinication from Mr J. B. M. Stewart, of San Francisco, as representative of the United States, NewZealend, and Australian Mail Steamship Line, intimating that he will be prepared immediately to submit to the Government an offer for carrying our mails between Melbourne, via San Francisco. It is, we believe,. in contemplation, should sufficient subsidy be granted, to make Melbourne the terminus of the main line, and to run the large steamers, the Nevada, Nebraska, and the Dacotah (now on the way out from New York) direct from San Francisco to Melbourne, calling at the Navigator’s Island and Sydney. It is proposed to run a branch line from the Navigator’s Islands to New Zealand,, the steamers calling at Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin, as at present. The Navigator’s Islands are preferred as a coaling station to Fiji, as they are said to be directly in the route, and the navigation is much safer, more particularly in the hurricane season. To carry out this arrangement, however, the consent of the New Zealand Government will be required, and Mr Stewart is now in Wellington making the necessary arrangements. In the meantime it. is probable that the Nebraska will visit Melbourne on her next trip, when she will take passengers and cargo for San Francisco. Mr Stewart has also, we are informed, made such arrangements with the Central Pacific Railway companies, that he is prepared to convey wool from Melbourne to San Francisco in the large steamers belonging to the line, and thence by rail to the manufacturing centres of the Eastern States, at a lower rate than it can be carried for by sailing vessels round the Horn. The result of this negotiation is, that one large Boston firm have intimated their acceptance of his offer, and have despatched an agent (now on his way out) to Melbourne for the purpose of purchasing wool for their factories. This one firm will be prepared to purchase of this season’s wool to the extent of 4,000,000 dollars. Other manufacturers are also preparing to send representatives to our market, who are expected to become equally large purchasers. Should the opening up of this route thus enable us to dispose of a large portion of our wool without the trouble and expense of sending it to London, the result will be in the highest degree important.