PROPOSED STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 128, 21 October 1846, Page 4

PROPOSED STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.

[At the request of several subscribers we insert the following report of the proceedings of this meeting — more full and correct than that which at so late a period of the week we were able to present to our readers in our last number, borrowed from an evening contemporary ; which, among other inaccuracies, spoke of '.* Port Essenden in Batavia," instead of Port Essington, Northern Australia.] - A public meeting was held on Friday, the 17th April, at noon, at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, for the purpose of hearing from Mr. Waghorri an explanation of the benefits ta be derived from steam communication between England and Australia. There was a numerous attendance of highly influential gentlemen, amongst whom we noticed — Sir G. Larpent, Bart., the Hon. F. Scott, M. P., Mr. J. W. Sutherland, Mr. Mark Boyd, Mr. J. Connell, Mr. S. Browning, Mr. R. Brooks, Mr. Boyd, sen., Capt. E. Robinson, R.N., Mr. L. Boyd, Mr. H. Wise, Mr. D. Brown, Captain Barber, Mr. A. Robinson, Mr. J. Crawford, Mr. D. M'Laren, Mr. G. Capper, Mr. G. H. Wray, Captain Bushby, R.Nv, Mr. T. R. Todd, Mr. F. Maitland, Mr. H. Buckle, Mr. G. R. Donaldsou, Mr. J. Lambert/ Capt. Henderson, Mr. W.S cott, Mr. J_ C. Lyail, Captain H. Bavarne, Mr. Serjeant Mereweather, Mr. S. J. Capper, Mr. J. Gore, Mr. D. Hagen, Mr. T. Sutherland, -Mr. A. Fleming, Major Al-

cock, 95th regiment, Mr. A. Maclaren. Mr. J. Smith, Mr. J. Maguire, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. J. Livingston, Mr. G. Borradaile, Mr. D. Cooper, Mr. W. Merrithorpe, Mr. J. A. Smith, Mr. H. H. R. Aikman, Mr. F. S. Dutton, of South Australia., &c< Letters were read from the Liverpool and Manchester Chambers of Commerce, and from an eminent house in Leeds, all approving of the design, and giving answers within thirty,six hoars of the despatch of the inquiries. On the motion of Mr. Waghorn, Sir George Larpent was called to the chair, who, after thanking the meeting for the honour done him, stated that the object of this meeting was to establish a branch on the great trunk steam line to China and the remote East. With the benefits of steam navigation all were acquainted, and it was needless, therefore, to attempt to enter upon them, but this much he might observe, that, in a great commercial empire like this, steam communication was the great bond by which it was to be tied together in one firm unity, and that, in fact, it might be said to be essential to its security. His own correspondence with Australia' quite justified the belief that the scheme would be eminently beneficial to both portions of the empire. But the question was, how were the expenses to be met ? It appeared, then, that the Government were ready to approve of the plan which Mr. Waghorn had devised, and it might, therefore, be anticipated that some assistance from that quarter might, with reason, be expected ; butyetit must be met by the energetic co-operation of those around him, and of the other merchants of Great Britain. With this remark, he would call upon Mr. Scott, the agent of Australia, to move the first resolution. (Cheers.) Mr. Scott, in moving the first resolution, which was approving of Mr. Waghorn's plan, alluded to the anxiety universally felt on the arrival of the news from India ; and, after referring to the superior benefits of peace over the glorious triumphs of war, he would not hesitate to assert, that the boundless plains of Australia would be productive of far greater wealth than the mines of Mexico and Peru. He believed that the difference between the value of the trade with foreign countries and that with the colonies was but little known, and he would, therefore, take the opportunity of contrasting the value of these several trades now carried on with countries comprising one fourth of the population of the globe, a population indeed nut less than 160,000,000. He found, then, Prussia took 6d. a head of our goods and manufactures, the countless millions of Russia took Bd. a head, France Is. sd. a head, the united States of Germany 3s. 10d., and the United States of America now took ss. Bd. a head, but he should observe that before the United States ceased to be a colony of this country it took £1 a head. But what was the case with the colonies ? Why, Canada takes £1 15s. a head, the West Indies takes £2 17s. 6d. a head, and at one time New South Wales took £10 a head, though now it had declined to £7 10s. ; and the whole average consumption of the colonies was £1 14s. 6d. a head, and he found that this country absolutely furnished, on an average, as much as Is. a head to every inhabitant of the globe. In 1840, the Australian colonies took as much as £2,630,000 worth of the produce and manufactures of this country, while from all the world beside they took only £385,000 among apopulation of 1 30,000. On an average of the last five years, the number of ships inwards was 605, with a tonnage of 141,000, and of those cleared outwards was 138,000, though during the last year these numbers had declined respectively to 417 ships inwards, with a tonnage of 87,000 and 569 ships outwards, with a tonnage of 109,000. On an average of the last five years the imports had been £1,895,000, although last year they had declined to £931,000. The exports, during the same period, had been £1,158,000, but last year £1,128,000, giving employment, one way or the other, to upwards of 3,000,000 individuals. During the year 1844, no less than 13,500,0001b5. of wool had been 'imported into this country alone ; and, if he might trespass still further, he would observe that, within the fifty years in which this colony had been brought to its present importance, the stock bad risen from three ewes and one ram, to flocks consisting in the aggregate of 6,000,000 sheep ; and from two cows and one bull to herds of upwards of 1,200,000 head of cattle. It had been ascertained that the southern provinces of Australia were in every way fitted for the growth of the orange, the mulberry, and tobacco, while the northern provinces were equally adapted for rice, cotton, and other products of tropical and semi-tropical countries. By the establishment of this means of communication the benefits would be conferred on larger and more populous countries than any other. He had made these remarks because he believed that the value of Australia was yery insufficiently known, and with this remark hp would move the resolution. (Cheers.)

Mr. Mark Boyd, in seconding the resolution moved by his hon. friend Mr. Scott, said he must congratulate Mr. Waghorn on the large and influential meeting which they had ; and when he recollected that it was only a few days ago that a near relative of his, own, prevented by indisposition from being now present, in conjunction with his friend Mr. Samuel Browning , and himself, consulted Mr. Waghorn on the important, subject for which they had met, he felt satisfied that .whatever Mr. Waghorn undertook he would see carried through, and that the great object would be achieved for which they had assembled, viz., a steam communication with the colony of Australia, via India. For some time past, in consequence of the urgent entreaties of friends in Australia, this most important subject had occupied the serious attention of the agent for Australia (Mr. Scott), and Mr. Browning, a gentleman intimately acquainted with Australia and her coasts, as well as the different islands in the Indian Archipelago. We well knew from experience that Mr. Scott would urge the claim of Australia for this great commercial boon with the Government, with his usual energy and attention, but it appeared to us that the initiative must be taken in the City, and that Government would wait for this ; our eye was immediately directed to that man, who, having brought Bombay within twenty-six days and eight hours of London, might likewise bring Sydney, New South Wales, within fifty-six days and eight hours of the British Metropolis. Mr. Waghorn was of all men the one to be consulted ; he to whom all classes, commercial and otherwise, were under so heavy a debt of gratitude. " Palmam gui meruitferat." Some people had, in reference to a steam communication with Australia, mooted the idea of the route by Panama ; my humble opinion differed from theirs, coinciding entirely with my friend Mr. Pheips Robinson, the member for Melbourne, who so ably brought the subject before the Legislative Council of New South Wales in September last, when he moved an address to the Queen, praying " her Majesty would be graciously pleased to extend to the colony the benefit of the arrangements under which mails are despatched by steam communication to India and China, on the same terms as other British colonies." By a reference to Mr. Robinson's statement, the route from Point de Galle and Singapore to Sylney, north and south about, are distinctly shown. Mr. Waghorn, without any previous knowledge of Mr. Robinson's views, had come to the same conclusion. " Why, gentlemen," he said, " the road is now opened to you by that great and successful company the Peninsular and Oriental. Take your departure from Point de Galle or Singapore — the latter, if you follow my advice ; but do not tell me that via South America, with an inciease of distance of two thousand miles, and no places to coal at, is the shortest way to Australia !" I hope we shall be enabled to enlist the sympathies of the Earl of St. Germains, Colonel Maberly, Mr. Lawrence, and Mr. Campbell, the high authorities at the Post-office ; for they may be assured that, whenever a steam communication with Australia is established, the number of letters and newspapers, under the present postal arrangements, will be vastly increased. Ido not wish to detain the meeting by entering into statistics ; but, with their permission, I will give an extract from Mr. Robinson's return, which may not be uninteresting :—": — " In 1844, received from London 66,318 letters, 105,087 newspapers: from Liverpool 2182 letters, 1018 newspapers ; total letters received, 68,500 ; total newspapers received, 106,105. Sent to London in 1844, 66,262 letters, 91,232 newspapers ; to Liverpool, 2390 letters, 3202 newspapers; total letters sent, 68,652 ; total newspapers sent, 95,134. Received from Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras, 2855 letters, 651 newspapers. Sent to Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, and Ceylon, 2491 letters, 3779 newspapers." To attempt to define a limit to the advantages which the introduction of steam would afford Australia is impossible, but there can be no question as to the following. It would facili- | tate the investment of capital for the gradual development of the boundless resources of Australia and New Zealand. It would establish much greater confidence in all mercantile transactions connected with the colony, by preventing loss from overstocked markets, and also obviate the inconvenience arising from the scarcity of supplies of European merchandize. It would enable the merchants and j shippers in the colony to duly effect insurance of their ships and merchandize in England. It would enable East India invalids either to settle or recruit their health in that most congenial climate ; ; the distance to Swan River only occupying fourteen d,ays, to, Sydney thirty. It would, lead to a lapgt emigration of a; highly respectable class of capitalists, with their wives and families, who are at present deterred undertaking the voyage fronr its tediousness. A steam communication would therefore be of incalculable advantage to the colony, b,pth. morally and politically. It would.

greatly facilitate. the pacification, of; New Zealand, by affording- the means, of ,projsiptiy; introducing the precautionary! .measures, in case, of need. Jt would; likewisejproducethe .same effect as in, Australia,, by f encouraging, the introduction of wealthy settlers, -and, the consequent employment- of -the^native population. It would be of the utmost,adv«ntage by affording facilities for the further.extension of, the present Pacific trade i carried on from our Australian, colonies, and the civilization of the inhabitants of the islands Jn the .Pacific Ocean. 111 1 would enable ,us promptly to anticipate and frustrate any attempts of foreign aggression, either upon our settlements or trade in those seas. It would {accelerate the introduction of numerous necessary reforms in the local Governments of the Australian colony, and permit public opinion sin - England to exert its salutary influence on the acts of the colonial; executives, and aid in preventing the colonists suffering. the mostigrievous wrongs to which they are at present constantly subjected. In conclusion, by ths establishment of an Australian jSteam,communication, the entire link between Great Britain and all the colonies will be complete, as well as those colonies with each i other respectively. (Loud cheers.) The resolution was then put, and carried unanimously, in the following Jorm : — " That this meeting highly approves <of a scheme for a steam communication to Sydney, New South Wales." Mr. Wise moved — " That a committee be formed, to bring the subject as forcibly as .possible before her Majesty's Government j^and that the committee do use their endeavours with the Colonial Government of New South Wales to induce them to pay their portion of such an establishment, as far as it may be equitable." Agreed to. After some conversation, with respect to the appointment of the committee, it was suggested that the committee should consist of (he chairman and the movers and seconders of the resolutions, with power to add to their number ; and this suggestion was unanimously approved. The Chairman said it would be for the committee to judge which route was the most advisable ; but they would only have the power of inquiry, and they would afterwards report to another meeting. (Hear.)- There would be nothing exclusive about their proceedings, and he should be very sorry to have Jtsupposed that those gentlemen only who believed the Singapore route to be the best were on the committee. But a small committee would probably perform the work best ; and, as they were likely to have amongst them gentlemen who had taken a very active part in forwarding the steam communicatibn from England to India and China, they should doubtless get a very sound opinion from them. (Hear.) He believed the proceedings of the day were now brought to a close. Mr. Ridgway said there was one duty which they must not omit to perform. Every one present felt the great importance of the steam communication to India ; and the individual to whom they were indebted for the establishment of that communication was Mr. Waghorn. (Cheers.) It would be quite a reflection on a meeting of this kind, were they to separate without coming to a resolution acknowledging the eminent services which had been rendered in this respect by Mr. Waghorn. He would therefore propose, " That the thanks of this meeting are eminently due, and are hereby tendered, to Thomas Waghorn, Esq,, of the Royal Navy, for his general services in originating the sttam communication with India ; and more especially in calling the present meeting." — (Cheers.) Mr. Laing said he had the greatest possible pleasure in seconding this resolution. The Chairman, in putting the motion, said that no person in the room had a more intimate knowledge than himself of .the benefit which this country had derived from the in* domitable courage and resolntion of Mr. Waghorn ; and no man had endeavoured more to. show his sense of this, and to promote the testimonial which he considered was due to Mr. Waghorn from this country. The reaolution was then, put and carried, amidst loud applause. . Mr. J. W. Sutherland moved the thanks of the meeting to Sir. George Larpent for presiding. Mr. Samuel Browning seconded the motion, which, being adopted, was briefly acknowledged by the. Chairman ; and the proceedings, then terminated. — Colonial Gazette^