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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

ELEC.O. 885

6

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

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such assistance, but has contented itself with pointing out that the aspect of the project would undergo considerable change if an Imperial subsidy were granted.

The Canadian project includes a call at a French port on the way to and from England. At present, after leaving the Mersey, the packets for Canada touch at Londonderry, and then go direct to Halifax or Quebec; and on the return voyage they come direct to Londonderry on their way to the Mersey.

When the new scheme was mooted in 1889, much dissatisfaction arose in Ireland in view of the possible discontinuance of the call at Derry; but Her Majesty's Govern- ment was then in a position to say that, as the Dominion Government provided and undertook still to provide the service, Canada must have a free choice as to the ports to be touched at. But to such answer would be apposite if an Imperial contribution were in question.

Then it is a very important point whether the packets leaving England for Canada touch at a French port or not, and whether those from Canada call at a French port before arrival here.

If Her Majesty's Government subsidized such a service, the commercial public would probably expect some port in the United Kingdom to be the last port of departure, and First of arrival, on this side of the Atlantic; and, apart from the larger question of shipping and trade interests, much clamour would arise if the service were arranged otherwise. For, if after leaving England the packets put in at Cherbourg, the French would get the advantage of a later hour of posting than the English; and, if the packets touched at Cherbourg on the way back, the French would have earlier advices from Canada than we should.

This we could not say much about if we were not contributing to the service, seeing that Canada, with a large French population, might be supposed to follow her own but assuredly Parliament, the Press, and the Public, would object to the interests; application of British money to the disadvantage of British correspondence.

a year.

The Brisbane Conference, and it is believed the Wellington Conference also, passed resolutions favourable to the development of the Canadian-Australian part of this great scheme; and here again, the Imperial Government has been asked to contribute 25,000l. The Canadian-Australian Company, from which this application emanated, is already committed to the service by its contract with Canada for ten years, and does not offer Her Majesty's Government for the 25,000l. a year anything beyond what is already contracted for, except an undertaking that "the next steamship and all future "steamships to be placed on the line shall comply with the conditions of the Admiralty "for subvention purposes.

""

For cominunication with Australia this route, for the maintenance of which we are already contributing (not uncriticised) 45,000l. a year, is not one of which the develop- inent is urgent; and, in the actual circumstances, especially with the all-important Atlantic acceleration remaining an open question, the Government has not felt called on to accede to the request for further contributions in the Pacific.

If it were decided to do so, the chances are that New Zealand would at once open a campaign with the view of obtaining, through the aid of the Home Government, a call of the Vancouver packets at Auckland on their way to Sydney; and this monthly service would alternate well with the San Francisco service, also monthly, making a good fort- nightly service to New Zealand. But the natural and economical way of serving New Zealand and Australia by these Vancouver packets is, of course, for the steamers of the main line to go through the Sandwich and Fiji Islands to Sydney or Moreton Bay, and for a branch packet to ply between Suva or Levuka and New Zealand. To the dwellers in that colony such an arrangement would be bitter; but they may put up with a branch service if they cannot get anything better.

The talk concerning the Atlantic section of the Canadian Pacific scheme was at first of a service costing 100,000l. a year. This grew after a while to 150,000. Now rumour says that, if it is to be a service really worth setting up, 300,000l. a year will be wanted. This, of course, is for a weekly service between England and Canada, to be done by ships of the type of first-class American liners, going some 20 knots an hour. Canada is said to be ready to pay 150,000l. a year; and we are evidently expected to

find the rest.

It may or may not be that 150,000l. a year of British money would be well spent in developing our commerce and communication with Canada, and through her with Australia, China, Japan, the islands in the Pacific, &c. It does not follow that the maximum benefit to speculators should be squeezed out of the scheme, even if the amount would be well spent.

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It is notorious that the New York shipping trade is overcrowded, while the direct steamers to Canada are very slow; also that the Australian section of even the Penin- sular and Oriental undertaking is far less prosperous than other sections, while the Orient Company, which has damaged the Peninsular and Oriental by competition for freight and passengers, is working at a loss. A true economy would be to draw off the superfluous New York steamers to the Canadian line and the superfluous Australian ships to the Pacific.

So far as mail communication is concerned, New York could be served better than at present if a fleet equal in speed to the five best Cunard packets took the mails of the middle of the week to Halifax or Quebec, and left the Cunarders to take the Saturday mails to New York as now.

Similarly a weekly service to Australia might be arranged by using the eastern and western routes alternately. But whether weekly communication between Australia and the Mother-country, without trans-shipment,-is a necessity inherent in the circumstances affecting commerce and travel the Post Office is not the best judge.

If such a rearrangement were found to be practicable on other grounds, a very con- siderable sum would be liberated for application to the new undertaking. The Cunard and White Star Companies, which are paid according to the weight of mails carried, earn over 100,000l. a year in this way. The Peninsular and Oriental and Orient Com- panies receive for the weekly Australian service 170,0007, a year. If the half of this 270,000l. a year could be applied to the Canadian Pacific service, it should become a great success; but in a matter which has so many important aspects as the present, the Government ought not to be hurried to come to any decision.

(Signed) H. BUXTON FORMAN,

Controller of Packet Services.

General Post Office, June 11, 1894.

9917.

No. 35.

COLONIAL OFFICE to the HALIFAX AND BERMUDAS CABLE CO. SIR,

Downing Street, June 12, 1894. I AM directed by the Marquess of Ripon to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th instant, suggesting, on behalf of the Halifax and Bermudas Cable Co., that the West Indian Colonies should be represented at the approaching Conference at Ottawa.

2. I am to inform you that the subjects to be discussed at the Conference have been formulated by the responsible Governments and Colonies by which it has been convoked. A representative of Her Majesty's Government will, at their request, attend the Conference, but Her Majesty's Government are not prepared to propose any enlargement of the discussion.

9660.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

EDWARD WINGFIELD.

No 36.

COLONIAL OFFICE to the EASTERN EXTENSION TELEGRAPH CO.

Downing Street, June 13, 1891.

SIR,

I AM directed by the Marquess of Ripon to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant,t enclosing a copy of correspondence which appeared in the "Times" between yourself and Sir Charles Tupper, on the subject of the proposed Pacific cable.

I am to suggest that any representations which your Company may desire to place before the Ottawa Conference should be made direct, in which case his Lordship feels sure that they will receive the attention they may deserve.

I am, &c. (Signed) EDWARD WINGFIELD.

• No. 27.

↑ No. 24.

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