5

A.—2b

2. If any ship of war of either belligerent shall, after the time when this order shall be first notified, and put in force in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands, and in the several colonies and foreign possessions and dependencies of Her Majesty respectively, enter any port, roadstead, or waters belonging to Her Majesty, either in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands, or in any of Her Majesty's colonies or foreign possessions or dependencies, such vessel shall be required to depart and to put to sea within twenty-four hours after her entrance into such port, roadstead, or waters, except in case of stress of weather, or of her requiring provisions or things necessary for the subsistence of her crew, or repairs ; in either of which cases the authorities of the port, or of the nearest port (as the ease may be), shall require her to put to sea as soon as possible after the expiration of such period of twenty-four hours, without permitting her to take in supplies beyond what may be necessary for her immediate use; and no such vessel which may have been allowed to remain within British waters for the purpose of repair shall continue in any such port, roadstead, or waters for a longer period than twenty-four hours after her necessary repairs shall have been completed: Provided, nevertheless, that in all cases in which there shall be any vessel (whether ships of war or merchant ships) of the said belligerent parties in the same port, roadstead, or waters within the territorial jurisdiction of Her Majesty, there shall be an interval of not less than twentyfour hours between the departure therefrom of any such vessel (whether a ship of war or merchant ship) of the one belligerent, and the subsequent departure therefrom of any ship of war of the other belligerent; and the time hereby limited for the departure of such ships of war respectively shall always, in case of necessity, be extended so far as may be requisite for giving effect to this proviso, but no further or otherwise. 3. No ship of war of either belligerent shall hereafter be permitted, while in any port, roadstead, or waters subject to the territorial jurisdiction of Her Majesty, to take in any supplies, except provisions and such other things as may be requisite for the subsistence of her crew, and except so much coal only as may be sufficient to carry such vessel to the nearest port of her own country, or to some nearer destination, and no coal shall again be supplied to any such ship of war in the same or any other port, roadstead, or waters subject to the territorial jurisdiction of Her Majesty, without special permission, until after the expiration of three months from the time when such coal may have been last supplied to her within British waters as aforesaid. 4. Armed ships of either party are interdicted from carrying prizes made by them into the ports, harbours, roadsteads, or waters of the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, or any of Her Majesty's colonies or possessions abroad. I have, &c, The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. Derby.

No. 3. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon to the Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. (Circular.) Sir, — Downing Street, 3rd May, 1877. I enclose a copy of a paper recently presented to Parliament, containing correspondence in regard to Her Majesty's ships visiting the groups of uninhabited islands lying in the track of vessels trading between this country and the Australian Colonies. You will see that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty are of opinion that great and unjustifiable risks are incurred by the captains of those vessels who persist in making their course in very high latitudes; and I have to request that you will make their Lordships' views as widely known as possible in the colony under your Government. I have, &c, CARNARVON. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosures. No. 1. Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G., to the Earl of Carnarvon. (Received 6th May, 1876.) My Lord, — Government House, Melbourne, 7th March, 1876. At the request of my Responsible Advisers, I have the honor to forward, and to recommend to the favourable consideration of your Lordship and of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the enclosed ministerial memorandum by Sir James McCulloch,