D— No. 7
No. 3. JIB. T. DAY TO ME. ROWLAND HILL. 3, Winchester House, Old Broad-street, E.C., 11th September, 1858. Sir, — I have the honor to transmit to you a letter for the Postmaster-General, requesting the favour of his influence to procure the necessary delay for tenders in respect to the Australasian and New Columbian Mails by the Panama route, in order that the Australasian and Pacific Company, which is about to be constituted, may have time to submit its proposal as stated in the ■pro forma documents annexed. The promoters trust that the practical and efficient arrangements which they intend to earn out will ensure your support of their application. Referring to my previous communication of /the Bth instant, if you will be good enough to make an appointment, the promoters of the Company will be made to furnish you with any explanation you may desire. I have, Ac, Thomas Day. Sec. pro friii. Rowland Hill, Esq. P.S. —Siuce writing the above, I have received your favour of the 18th instant, and 1 have the honor to enclose the proposal you have requested. Observing the announcement in the " Times," of the intention of Sir E. B. Lytton, Her Majesty's Secretary for the Colonies, to recommend a fortnightly line, I am directed to state that the Company will be prepared to complete a semi-monthly line in 18 months from the date of the contract.
Enclosure 1 in No. 3. postal communication" to australasia ami british coll'mijiv. My Lord, — I have the honor to submit to your Lordship a proposal for postal communication with Australasia and British Columbia, together with the copy of a letter I have addressed to the Right Honorable the Lords of Her Majesty's Treasury, and 1 am requested by the promoters of the Company referred to, to beg that your Lordship, in the interest of the postal service, will have the goodness to grant the time necessary for the Company to submit its definitive tenders to your Lordship. Should your Lordship desire any explanation, the promoters will wait on your Lordship for that purpose. I have, Ac., Thomas Day, Sen. pro /nil. To the Right Honorable Her Majesty's Postmaster-General.
Enclosure 2 in No. 3. TO THE EIGHT HONORABLE HXB MAJESTY'S I'OSTMASTEB-GENEEAL. Fro forma Proposal of the Promoters of the projected Australasian and Pacific Company for Postal Communication with Australasia and British Columbia." It is proposed to establish a line of fast steamers of about 2,000 tons, and calculated for an average speed of not less than 12 knots, to run between Australia, Wellington, New Zealand, Panama, and Vancouver's Island, taking as the principal terminus in Australia either Melbourne or Sydney, as may be arranged by Her Majesty's Government. The Pacific service will be connected with Great Britain by a line of steamers in the Atlantic, running between Navy Bay and Queenstowu, embarking and landing mails at the latter port, n ith the ultimate terminus of the port of London. The proof prospectus is annexed, and it is expected that the Company will be completely formed in a month from the present time. The Company will then be in a position to tender for the conveyance of mails by special transit to Queenstowu, and thence, as proposed in the pro Jbrmd Time Table annexed, allowing five days for contingencies. From the peculiar economy and capabilities of the ships to be employed, it is expected that the tenders for the service will be much lower than those of any other parties, and the time pro-
2
PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE