A.—2B

7

Commissioners of the Admiralty to request you will state to the Earl of Carnarvon that their Lordships have already been in communication with the Committee of Lloyd's on this question. 2. I am also to forward, for his Lordship's information, a copy of a letter addressed to the Secretary at Lloyd's on the 10th instant, stating the views of this Board on this subject. I have, &c, The Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, &c, &c. Robert Hall.

Sir,— Admiralty, 10th May, 1876. With reference to your letters of the 3rd instant, drawing attention to the fact that three first-class ships, trading between Great Britain and Australia, within the last nine months, are unaccounted for, and requesting that one of Her Majesty's ships should visit from time to time the islands lying in the ordinary track of vessels making the Australian voyage, or that one of the Australian squadron should be despatched on that service, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for information of the Committee for managing the affairs at Lloyd's, that, with every wish to meet their request, my Lords are unable to give directions for one of Her Majesty's ships on the Australian Station to search the outlying islands, as they are quite beyond the limits of the Australian command. 2. Orders, however, will be given for any vessel proceeding from the Cape of Good Hope to Australia, when possible, to sight the Crozet Islands sufficiently near to examine them. 3. In making this communication my Lords desire me to observe that it has come to their knowledge that ships, in making the passage from this country to Australia appear to incur very great risk by going too far south, and making the run amongst icebergs and floating ice, and that if this is the general practice their Lordships cannot feel surprised at several vessels being now missing. 4. My Lords further desire me to call attention to the first page of the sixth edition of the " Australian Directory," Vol. 1., which directs that, " after rounding the Cape of Good Hope, vessels bound to the south coast of Australia should run down their longitude on or about the parallel of 39° S., where the winds blow almost constantly from some western point, and seldom with more strength than will admit of carrying sail. In a higher latitude the weather is frequently more boisterous and stormy, and sudden changes of wind, with squally wet weather, are almost constantly to be expected, especially in the winter season, and after passing the islands of St. Paul and Amsterdam. Islands of ice have also been encountered in those regions, as was almost fatally proved by Her Majesty's ship ' Guardian' striking against one in lat. 46° or 47° S., and nearly foundering in the beginning of summer." I am also to draw your attention to the foot-note on page 1 of the same work, indicated by an asterisk. 5. As an illustration of the above remarks, a chart of the southern hemisphere is herewith transmitted, showing the late tracks ofthe steamship " St. Blyth."* I have, &c, The Secretary at Lloyd's. Robert Hall.

No. 4. The Earl of Carnarvon to Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G. Sir,— Downing Street, 30th May, 1876. 1 caused to be forwarded, for the consideration of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, a copy of your despatch of the 7th of March,f with the ministerial memorandum which accompanied it, pointing out the desirability of occasional visits on the part of Her Majesty's ships to the groups of uninhabited or unfrequented islands lying, more or less, in the outward and homeward tracks of vessels trading between Great Britain and the Australian Colonies ; and I have the honor to transmit to you, for your information, a copy of a letter, with its enclosures, which has been received from their Lordship's department in reply. J I have, &c., Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G. Carnarvon.

No. 5. The Marquis of Normanby to the Earl of Carnarvon. (Received 31st January, 1877.) My Lord, — Wellington, 12th December, 1876. I have the honor to bring under your Lordship's notice a memorandum which has been handed to me by my Government, in which they express their hope that Her Majesty's Government may be induced to establish a depot of food and clothing on the Crozet Islands, for the use of any persons who may unfortunately be wrecked there. 2. The recent loss of the "Strathmore," together with the fearful sufferings experienced by the crew and passengers who succeeded in reaching the shore, has naturally attracted much attention to these islands, which, from their position in the direct course of ships trading to New Zealand and Australia, are a constant source of danger to vessels employed in that trade ; and, in view of the largely increased and still increasing trade between England and these colonies, it would seem desirable, now * Printed in H.C. No. 289 of 1876. t No. 1. % No. 2.