The unwise renewal of the West Indian Mail Packet contract naturally led to demands for similar facilities elsewhere. The fact is, as already intimated, that the West Indian packet service was established not for postal, but for political purposes, and the term Royal mail-packets was a misnomer, which, while it could not blind our neighbours, tended much, as has already been shown, to mystify ourselves. The chief effect at this period was that other colonies, less favoured hitherto, began to put in claims to which, under the circumstances, it was difficult to reply; those of Australia, then rapidly rising in importance through the discovery of their gold-fields, naturally taking the lead. In the consideration of this matter the Post Office was called on to take a part, and it was at length decided that a monthly line of steamers in each direction should be maintained, half the very heavy expense to be defrayed by the mother country, and the other half by the colonies conjointly; the several contributions of these latter to be proportionate to their respective amounts of correspondence and the distance performed in their respective services. South Australia, indeed, refused at first to bear any part of this expense, save on conditions which we deemed quite inadmissible; but, as the Home Government stood firm, resistance was eventually abandoned.
Panama route to Australia.
Another controversy relative to the Australian service was as follows:—
About the year 1857 a demand arose in this country for sending the Australian mails by way of Panama, a line of steamers across the Pacific having been projected. The projectors hoped to divert a portion of the mail service to that route, which of course it became their interest to extol above all others. Their recommendation was based on two alleged advantages; first, that the new route was the shortest, and second, that its adoption in addition to the existing communication would turn the monthly mail into a bi-monthly one. The comparative shortness of the route seemed to be received by the public as a fact too obvious to admit of question; and as it was in connection with this route that the suggestion of an intermediate mail was originally made, the two projects became so associated in the popular mind, that the adoption of the one seemed essential to the establishment of the other. Besides the new company, there were other parties interested in the plan, viz., the colonies of New Zealand and New South Wales, which, lying eastward of the other Australian settlements, would, by the proposed arrangement, receive their mails earlier than their neighbours; thus obtaining whatever advantage attaches to priority of information. Whether these colonies urged upon their friends in England agitation in favour of the new route, I cannot say. At all events, the demand was strongly backed at home, some of the newspapers becoming quite clamorous for the change, the Government being strongly pressed for immediate action, and all hesitation denounced as imbecility or red-tapism. It really seemed as if globes, maps, and gazetteers were unknown or inaccessible, and common sense fast asleep. The outcry increasing in volume and intensity, Government at length expressed its intention to call for tenders. How wide-spread was the delusion was curiously exemplified by the following incident. Happening to meet at the Athenæum a friend, who had long held an important office in the far East, almost on the shores of the Pacific, a man of great acquirements and extended information, I was at once challenged with the inquiry of the day, “Why do you not establish an Australian mail by the Panama route?” and upon putting the counter-question, “Why should we?” was promptly answered, “Because it is the shortest.” I proposed that we should forthwith submit this allegation to the test of measurement, and, obtaining a piece of string, we repaired to the large globe in the drawing-room, where a few moments settled the question. So far as I was able to analyze the popular error, it consisted mainly in practical ignorance of the enormous breadth of the Pacific Ocean.
Of course it was not sufficient to convince private friends; my business being to act upon Government, which seemed to be upon the point of incurring a very large and very useless expense. I accordingly wrote a report on the subject, which, as the project may some day be revived, I give in the [Appendix (K)]. This, being backed by Lord Colchester, was sent to the Treasury, and the plan was given up. A line of steamers across the Pacific was, indeed, afterwards established by a special company subsidised by the New Zealand Government, and to this were of course consigned the mails to New Zealand, and such other letters, &c., as were specifically directed for conveyance by that route. The enterprise, however, was the reverse of profitable, and has at length been abandoned.[150]
Peninsular and Oriental Company.
It must be added that, in the year 1858, the conveyance of the Australian mails by the usual route was transferred, with no small public benefit, to the Peninsular and Oriental Company,[151] by which it has ever since been well performed, the passage to Melbourne viâ Marseilles being brought within fifty days, while a punctuality is maintained, which, considering the vast distance to be traversed, is extraordinary. This remarkable regularity, however, while proceeding in great measure from the excellent management of the company, is, in this case, as in several others, due in part to the gradual introduction of that system of fines and rewards[152] to which we so long strove in vain to induce railway companies to consent.
Indian Mutiny.
It may well be supposed, however, that during the critical period of the Indian mutiny, when all thoughts were directed to one great end, and when the rapid conveyance of intelligence was of the utmost importance, the Post Office, so far from being left unconsulted, was called on for every effort that could be made. After careful examination of the packet service as it stood, we discovered the means of doubling the number of mails to Calcutta and Madras (then two per month), with but moderate change of existing arrangements, and at comparatively small additional expense.[153] I wrote (Sept. 12th, 1857) to the chairman of the Peninsular and Oriental Company, informing him of our plan, and inviting him to a conference on the subject. I also wrote (Sept. 16th) to Mr. Wilson, then Secretary to the Treasury, to mention what we had done, and to advise the postponement of all other negotiations for the same purpose. Little time was lost in the matter, the company thankfully adopting our recommendation, and the new arrangement being at once approved by the Treasury; and thus was obtained, at the annual cost of £16,000, a duplication of service, which but for the expedient employed would scarcely have been procured at the rate of £100,000. Every effort was also made, even at considerable expense, to shorten the journey between London and Paris. By the cordial assistance of the French Post Office, and the zealous co-operation of the directors of the English and French railway companies, this was frequently brought within nine hours;[154] no easy matter, perhaps, even now in 1868, but certainly very difficult in 1857.