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difficulty was experienced in arranging time-tables which would give the maximum of satisfaction to the department, and at the same time allow a reasonable stay in Sydney for the Vancouver steamers for overhaul; but the time-tables finally adopted appear to fairly meet requirements, although it will be necessary to revise the running when the time comes for renewing the services. For the- first few voyages of the Vancouver steamers, owing to financial troubles and the subsequent liquidation proceedings, the Canadian-Australian Royal Mail Steamship Company was unable to despatch its steamers from Sydney on time-table date, but, these difficulties having now been overcome, regular running is resumed, and will no doubt be maintained. The time of delivery of the mails in London via Vancouver has, as a rule, exceeded the time allowed, but this irregular running may be regarded as inseparable from a new service, particularly one which met at the outset with the adverse circumstances already mentioned. Until the establishing of the proposed fast steam service between Canada and the United Kingdom the mails are conveyed across the Continent of America by the Canadian Pacific Eailway Company between Vancouver and Portal, a station on the borders of Canada and the State of North Dakota, thence by the St. Pa.ul and Sault Ste. Marie line to Chicago, whence they are despatched by the best route to New York to connect with the Atlantic steamer. The transport of the mails across the territories of Canada and the United States costs the department only 17'28d. per pound for letters and 2-16 d. per pound for other articles, as against 25-92 d. per pound for letters and B'64d. per pound for other articles for the conveyance of mails vid San Francisco across the United States only, a gain of about three-fourths in favour of the Canadian route, which gain will be increased when the fast Atlantic steamers are running, and the mails vid Vancouver cease to pass through United States territory. It would appear from a recent Press telegram that the contract between the Canadian Government and Messrs. Petersen, Tate, and Co., which originally provided for the commencement of a fortnightly service in May, 1900, and a weekly service in May, 1901, has been modified to provide-for a weekly mail from the former date. The following statement of distances between New Zealand and America by different routes, and length of voyage at different rates of speed, may be of interest for future reference : —■ Distance, and Time, from Wellington and Auckland to Vancouver, by way of Intermediate Ports, and allowing for Stoppages en route. Wellington, Fiji, Honolulu, Vancouver. Miles. Days. Hours. Wellington to Suva ... ... 1,470 Through time, at 14 knots ... 20 17 Suva to Honolulu ... ... 2,780 « 15 » ••• 19 10 Honolulu to Vancouver ... 2,410 « 16 „ ... 18 6 , 17 „ ... 17 5 6,660 Stoppages allowed for, 22 hours, as follows: — Fiji, 10 hours ; Honolulu, 12 hours. Auckland, Fiji, Honolulu, Vancouver. Miles. Days. Hours. Auckland to Suva ... ... 1,100 Through time, at 14 knots ... 19 15 Suva to Honolulu ... ... 2,780 « 15 * ••■ 18 9 Honolulu to Vancouver ... 2,410 « 16 „ ... 17 7 . „ - 17 „ ... 16 8 6,290 Stoppages allowed for, 22 hours, as follows : ==• Fiji, 10 hours ; Honolulu, 12 hours. Auckland, Honolulu, Vancouver. Miles. Days. Hours. Auckland to Honolulu... ... 3,800 Through time, at 14 knots ... 19 0 Honolulu to Vancouver ... 2,410 „ 15 „ ... 17 18 „ 16 „ ... 16 16 6,210 « 17 „ ... 15 17 Stoppage allowed for, 12 hours, at Honolulu. Wellington, Honolulu, Vancouver. Miles. Days. Hours. Wellington to Honolulu ... 4,100 Through time, at 14 knots ... 19 21 Honolulu to Vancouver ... 2,410 „ 15 „ ... 18 14 „ 16 „ ... 17 11 6,510 „ 17 16 11 =■= Stoppage allowed for, 12 hours, at Honolulu. Distance and Time from Wellington and Auckland to San Francisco, by way of Intermediate Ports, and allowing for Stoppages en route. Wellington, Apia, Honolulu, San Francisco. Miles. Days. Hours. Wellington to Apia ... ... 1,871 Through time, at 14 knots ... 19 4 Apia to Honolulu ... ... 2,262 „ 15 „ ... 17 22 Honolulu to San Francisco ... 2,080 „ 16 „ ... 16 20 „ 17 „ ... 15 21 6,213 Stoppages allowed for, 16 hours, as follows : *=» Apia, 4 hours; Honolulu, 12 hours.