The Southland Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1870.
Ekom being reduced to depend on chance for the fetching and carrying of our mails, it would appear that we are likely shortly to have a wide choice of conveyances. Several new lines of steamers are talked of as projected, but all of them via the [Pacific, and making one or other of the northern harbors the port of call for this colony. The Panama Company, if it did nothing else, demonstrated the practicability of the western route. The opening of the railway across the North American continent shortened the sea voyage, and suggested not only a new channel for a j trade already existing, but the creation of f a large and profitable commerce between two quarters of the globe hitherto holding but limited intercourse — the Australian Colonies, and the United States. Urged by their necessities, the northern provinces agitated, and were powerful enough to induce the Government to make terms for, the establishment of a service via the route indicated by the opening of the American central railways and the existence of a line of American steamers between Honolulu and San Prancisco. Scarcely, however, had the pioneer boat of the new line left our shores when fresh competitors for our favors were announced, and at the present moment the representative of one of the wealthiest and most enterprising steamship owners in the world is in "Wellington, endeavoring to make such negotiations as will justify his principal in placing several of his finest and most powerful steamers on the line between San Erancisco and Melbourne. The Americans are evidently fully alive to the benefits they would derive from the passage across their country of the European and Australasian trade ; of the direct trade which would naturally spring up with themselves ; and, probably, more than i either, to the importance of owning the steamers carrying the traffic on the high seas. Having foreseen an opportunity, they are just the people to grasp it. Having \ once made the attempt, they are not the people to be easily foiled, so that the establishment of the San Eraneisco route, and the diversion of a very large proportion of colonial commerce into that channel, may be regarded almost as a certainty, especially so when it is remembered that the energy of the promoters is backed up by the undeniable advantages which that line offers. What is thought of the scheme on the other side of the ocean may be gathered from the following extracts from the Alta California of February Ist : — ■ " During some months past a series of communications, from an Australian source, have appeared in the Alta in reference to an Australian steam line, which have been the means of stirring up unusual interest in certain commercial circles both here and in the East, and not on this continent alone, but also in England. At this moment there is a very general commotion among steamship companies and proprietors in regard to the subject. So clear and convincing were the facts and figures of our correspondent that they at once went home to the minds of business men. It was seen that an amountof traffic was involved in his suggestions that bids fair to grow into vast proportions. Hitherto our continent has been as a barrier across the direct track between England and the wealthy colonies of Australia. Our Pacific Railway has bridged that barrier, and now San Francisco, from the very nature of her position, can command a trade to come westward which has hitherto passed easterly, and has not only been the principal means of building up probably the wealthiest steamship company in the world — the Peninsular and Oriental Company — but has also greatly enriched the channel along which jt has passed. Very interesting have been the calculations put forth by our correspondent on these points; so much so that they have attracted the attention of the best authorities in connection with steamships here and elsewhere. Now, the only question seems to be as to who shall carry the line out. That there shall be a line, seems to be thoroughly determined upon. Suddenly there appears to be a
general awakening to the fact that there is money in the suggestion, and that it is going to be ' a big thing.' "Then a statement has reached this city that the proprietors of the Cunard line are about to transfer certain of their steamers from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, with a view to occupy the proposed route from San Francisco to Australia, and it has been positively asserted that tlie first steamer will be quietly despatched from Ireland in. a , day or two. If this be so, Cunard evidently means to realise the value of the old adage, "It is the early bird that catches the worm." There is reason, however, to believe that this haste is more apparent than real. In other words, there is the strongest ground to suppose that this talk about taking immediate action is indulged in to frighten off other competitors. If this be so, it will defeat itself. There are men concerned in this matter the speed of whose movements ! will be rather accelerated than retarded by talk of. the nature referred to. # • ' # # * # # "It is known that there are at least two different American steamship proprietors who are competitors for the line, and within the past two days it is said that a third and formidable one has arisen in New York. The two competitors who are openly and avowedly in the field are Messrs Holladay and Brenham, of this city, and Mr W. H. "Webb, of New York. The former gentlemen, it is said, propose to send their present Honolulu steamers through to Sydney, or connect with a line from Honolulu to Sydney. " The last, but by no means tl'e least, of the competitors is Mr W. H. Webb, the wealthy shipbuilder and steamship proprietor of New York. Mr Webb recently paid this city a visit, and although it was not known at the time, yet it was a fact that' his business related to this matter of establishing a steam line to Australia. Prom the facts that are within our knowledge it is safe to say that Mr Webb is as far ahead in the progress he has made in his negotiations as he is in capacity to effectively carry the line out. - Already have the Govern--1 ments of New South Wales, New Zealand, and Queensland pledged themselves to his agents to pay a certain, subsidy. With his well-known influence at Washington, and with the steps he has already taken there, it is pretty certain that he will obtain any subsidy our Government may offer. # # * # # # " The great capacity of Mr Webb's steamers is well known. Certainly they cannot be beaten in point of accommodation or speed. He proposes to put the following steamers on theroute, viz : — Nebraska, 2143 tons, 850 horse-power; Nevada, 2145 tons ; Dacotah, 2150 tons ; Santiago de Cuba, 1627 tons, 560 horsepower. These boats are unequalled for speed, passenger accommodation, comfort and safety, and were originally built for the North American Steamship Company, regardless of cost. The Nebraska is now laid up in this port, awaiting orders to proceed to Australia as soon as it may be deemed . desirable for her so to do. She will be the pioneer ship of the line. She is well known as a magnificent Vessel, and will do full credit to her owner. No such ship has ever appeared in the Australian waters, and should she proceed thither, she will, to use an expression common in that country, •'■ surprise the natives.' # # * # # # " There is, however, one difficulty which Mr Webb- understands. Hitherto the Q-overnment at Melbourne has kept aloof from any movement looking to the establishment of such a line, because she feared that it would be so worked as to injure her present central and commandingposition as the entrepot of the Australian intercolonial trade. The fact is, in a commercial sense, Melbourne is Australia, as much as Paris is France in a political one. Mr Webb, therefore, some time since despatched an agent to Melbourne to fix up the matter to suit the views of the Government there. Certainly Melbourne will be the terminus of the line, and any reasonable request its Government may make will be complied with. Mr Webb feels that that is essential to the working of the line." At the above date, resolutions had been proposed in the Californian Senate for subsidising a line of first-class boats, such as Mr Webb proposes to run. The route outlined in the circular issued by Messrs Collie, Stewart and Co. (Mr Collie is the agent now in New Zealand, acting for Mr Webb) ; was via, Honolulu, New Caledonia, Queensland, Sydney, and Melbourne, but as that course would scarcely suit New Zealand, she could not be expected to support it ; moreover, as it is not the best, it seems subsequently to have been abandoned, in favor of that via Honolulu and this country. The Auckland people are, of course, positive that the Waitemate is the proper port of call, but there is every, likelihood that Wellington will have the preference, as will be seen from the intelligence in another column."
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Southland Times, Issue 1240, 22 April 1870, Page 2
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1,542The Southland Times. FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 1870. Southland Times, Issue 1240, 22 April 1870, Page 2
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