A.—No. la.

18

DESPATCHES EBOM THE SECEETABY OE STATE

Majesty's vessels, respecting the payment, in certain cases, by the Colonies of the cost of coal expended by Her Majesty's ships on Colonial service. I have, &c, The Officer Administering the Government KIMBEBLEY. of New Zealand.

Enclosure in No. 20. Admiralty, 28th November, 1871. (Coals used on Colonial Service.) It has been decided, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that whenever any of Her Majesty's ships are specially employed, on the requisition of the Governor or other Colonial authority, in conveying any officer or persona belonging to a Colony, or on any other similar purely Colonial service, the cost of coals expended by Her Majesty's ships whilst so employed shall be borne by the Government of the Colony for which such service may be rendered. My Lords, therefore, desire that in all such occasions a separate account shall be kept of the fuel expended, with a view to a claim for the cost of the same being subsequently raised against the Colonial Department. It must, however, be understood that this rule is not intended to apply to a voyage made by one of Her Majesty's ships from one part of a station, in order to perform some Colonial service in another, as the ship might in such case probably be employed during the voyage on general services, but the value of the fuel will only be claimed from a Colony when the expenditure is bond fide rendered necessary for Colonial service on Colonial requisition. The cost of the fuel is to be calculated at the local rate at which supplies may be obtainable by Her Majesty's ships at the period during which the services required are carried out. The coals thus expended are to be distinguished in the Store Expense Books of the ships employed, and a return of the quantities consumed and of the local rates at which the issues should be computed, duly approved by the Commanding Officer, and certified by him to be a transcript as to quantities of the ship's expense accounts, is to be forwarded on each occasion by the first opportunity to the Accountant-General of the Navy. A comparison of these returns will be made with the Store Expense Books of the ship when received. By command of their Lordships. To all Commanders-in-Chief, Captains, Commanders, G. Shaw Lefeybe. and Commanding Officers of Her Majesty's ships and vessels.

No. 21. Copt of a DESPATCH from the Eight Hon. the Earl of Kimbeelet to Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G.O.M.G. (Circular.) Sir,— Downing Street, 21st December, 1871. With reference to my Circular Despatch of 14th July last, I transmit to you, for your information, a copy of a correspondence which has taken place with the Foreign Office, on the subject of the convicts sent to New Caledonia by the French Government. I have, &c, The Officer Administering the Government KIMBERLEY. of New Zealand.

Enclosure 1 in No. 21. Mr. Hammond to the Undeb Seceetaby of State, Colonial Office. Sib,— Foreign Office, 23rd November, 1871. I am directed by Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to transmit to you, to be laid before the Earl of Kimberley, the accompanying copy of a Despatch from Mr. West, reporting the departure for New Caledonia of a certain number of French convicts. I have, &c, The Under Secretary of State, Colonial Office. E. Hammond.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure 1 in No. 21. Mr. "West to Earl Gkanville. Mi Loed, — Paris, 19th November, 1871. With reference to your Lordship's Despatch No. 425, of the 20th June last, I have the honor to inform you that the French transport " Jura " is reported to have left Toulon for New Caledonia, with a considerable number of convicts. The vessel proceeds by way of the Isthmus of Suez. I have, <&c, The Earl Granville, E.G. L. S. Sackyille West.