CO885-(16-18) — Page 782

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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Reference :-

C.O.885

18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

Fifteenth Day.

14 May 1907.

MAIL SERVICE

AND NEW

ZEALAND ciâ CANADA.

:

138

ALSO PRESENT :

The Right Honourable D. LLOYD GEORGE, M.P., President of the Board

of Trade.

Mr. H. LLEWELLYN SMITH, C.B., Permanent Secretary to the Board of

Trade.

Mr. A. WILSON Fox, C.B., Comptroller-General of the Commercial,

Statistical, and Labour Departments of the Board of Trade.

The Right Honourable Sir EDWARD GREY, Bart, M.P., Principal

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

Mr. ALGERNON LAW, of the Foreign Office.

The Right Honourable SYDNEY BUXTON, M.P., Postmaster-General. Mr. H. BABINGTON SMITH, C.B., C.S.I., Secretary to the Post Office.

>

CHAIRMAN: Gentlemen, there are one or two notices which I have received, one of them from Sir Wilfrid Laurier, which Mr. Lloyd George has attended, in order to speak to. As Mr. Lloyd George has to leave, perhaps the Conference will allow that to be mentioned first.

MAIL SERVICE TO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND VIA CANADA.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER: Lord Elgin and gentlemen, on different TO AUSTRALIA occasions during the present Conference mention has been made of the idea of connecting all parts of the Empire, so far as it can be done, with an improved system of communication; and I said at the last meeting that I would be prepared to lay on the table a resolution, which I now read: "That in the opinion of this Conference the interests of the Empire demand that in so far as possible its different portions should be connected by the best possible means of mail communication, travel, and transportation; that to this end steps should immediately be taken to establish a fast service from "Great Britain to Canada, and through Canada to Australia and New Zealand, "and also to China and Japan; that such service upon the Atlantic Ocean "should be carried on by means of steamships, equal in speed and character to the best now in existence, and upon the Pacific Ocean by steamships of a speed of not less than 18 knots, and in other respects as nearly equal to the Atlantic ships as circumstances will permit; that for the purpose of carrying "the above project into effect, such financial support as may be necessary "should be contributed by Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New "Zealand in equitable proportions."

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The resolution I have now the honour to submit to the Conference resolves itself into two parts: the part which affects the Atlantic Ocean and the part which affects the Pacific Ocean. At the present time Great Britain has a mail service between the United Kingdom and New York of a very high character. We have a mail service also between Canada and Great Britain not aided by the British Government. If we had on the Atlantic Ocean

139

between Canada and Great Britain a mail service equal in speed and character to the service now in existence between England and New York, there is no doubt, and there can be no doubt at all, that we would save in the journey at least two days, or about two days, inasmuch as we have an advantage in our favour in distance of nearly 900 miles. Taking the figures between Liverpool and New York and Liverpool and Halifax, the distance in our favour, I think, is exactly 882 miles, or in the neighbourhood of 900 miles. Therefore, it follows, as a thing which cannot be disputed, that if we have a service of equal speed, and offering the same advantages and inducements as the service which now plies between New York and Liverpool, we would save in distance to be travelled at least two days. The actual miles between Liverpool and Halifax are exactly 2,342. The distance between Liverpool and Quebec, which might be the summer route by way of the Strait of Belle Isle, is 2,636 miles. The distance between Liverpool and Vancouver by way of Halifax is 6,004 miles; the distance from Liverpool to Vancouver viâ Quebec is 5,330; it is a little shorter viâ Quebec. Halifax nearer than Quebec from Liverpool. I do not think there can be any dispute but that a great advantage would be derived and easily a service could be made in eight days -four days on the Atlantic, and four days crossing the Continent or probably less.

Sir WILLIAM LYNE: That is to Vancouver.

Sir WILFRID) LAURIER: Yes, to Vancouver. As to this proposition I do not apprehend that there can be any two views upon the subject. The facts cannot be disputed that a service can be abbreviated and very much shortened by using the line from England to Halifax in preference to the line from England to New York.

With regard to the Pacific Ocean, in the motion which I have proposed I say that the object we should have in view should be to establish a steamship service of at least 18 knots. If this be accepted, the distance between Vancouver and, say, Sydney, taking that as an objective point, would be 6,818 knots.

Sir WILLIAM LYNE: That is leaving out New Zealand.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER: I take Sydney as an objective point. The figures might be modified with regard to the different ports. The distance would be 6,818 knots to Sydney. The distance could be covered in 16 days, and therefore we should have between England and Sydney a service of about 24 days four days across the Atlantic, four days across the Continent, and 16 days on the Pacific Ocean.

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE: How many miles to New Zealand?

Sir WILFRID LAURIER: A little less-about 300 miles less.

Mr. LLOYD GEORGE: That would make it about 23 days.

Sir WILFRID LAURIER: The only objection I see to the plan which I now propose, as far as the Pacific Ocean is concerned, is having at once a service of 18 knots. I think it is an object, however, which should be kept in mind, as a goal to be striven to. I do not say that it would be possible to have it in operation immediately, but the proposition that I lay before the

Fifteenth Day.

14 May 1907.

Mail ServICE TO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND via CANADA.

(Sir Wilfrid Laurier.)