H.—32

1876. NEW ZEALAND.

HER MAJESTY'S SHIPS CALLING AT THE ISLANDS BETWEEN THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE AND AUSTRALIA, (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. The Agent- General to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. 7, "Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sib,— 24th July, 1876. I have the honor to enclose, for the information of the Government, a copy of a correspondonce which has lately taken place between the Lords of the Admiralty and the Committee of Lloyd's, in which the Committee, adverting to the loss of several first-class vessels bound for the Australasian Colonies, and especially to the case of the " Strathmore," wrecked on the Crozets Islands while on its voyage to New Zealand, requested my Lords to direct the Commodore on the Australian Station to detach a vessel occasionally to visit the Crozets, and the other unfrequented islands lying in the ordinary track of ships making the Australian voyage. 2. You will observe that my Lords, in their reply, while declining to comply with the request that a ship on the Australian Station should be occasionally detached for this duty, have given a general order that Her Majesty's ships shall in future, when proceeding from the Cape of Good Hope to Australia, pass, whenever it is possible, sufficiently near the Crozet Islands to sight and examine them. I have, &c, W. Tyeone Powee, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Agent-General.

Enclosure 1 in No. 1. The SbobJ&taby of Lloyd's to the Lobds Commissioners of the Admiralty. My Loeds,— Lloyd's, 3rd May, 1876. I am instructed by the Committee of Lloyd's to call the attention of your Lordships to the fact that three first-class ships, the " Strathnaver," " Culzean Castle," and " Loch Laggan," trading between the United Kingdom and the Australian Colonies within the last nine months, are unaccounted for. In the case of another, the " Strathmore," the loss of which has been subsequently authenticated, the survivors had to remain for many months on the uninhabited islands of the Crozet before they were rescued by a passing vessel. The Committee would respectfully urge upon your Lordships that, in order to prevent as far as possible the recurrence of such an event which might lead to the loss of valuable lives, the Commodore on the Australian Station should be instructed by your Lordships to visit from time to time the Auckland, Crozet, and other unfrequented islands lying in the ordinary track of ships making the Australian voyage, and even occasionally to send a vessel from the Australian Station for that purpose. The Committee, in pressing this subject upon the attention of your Lordships, desire it to be understood that they are acting solely in the cause of humanity, as they are aware that the matter has already been brought under the notice of Her Majesty's G-overnment, in consequence of the loss of the " General Grant " in 1868 ; and they are also given to understand that another representation upon this subject is about to be made by the Legislative Assembly of Australia; and they trust that, if such is the case, your Lordships may be enabled to accede to the application. I have, &c, J. T. Ollaed, The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. . Assistant Secretary, pro Secretary.