A.—2

2

la Nouvelle Zelande ne se croirait pas oblige d'ordonner la poursuite ct l'arrestation dcs matelots deserteurs dcs batiments etrangers, excepte pour ceux dcs nations gui, par l'entremise dcs Consuls respeclifs, ont formellement declare d'accepter tousles Articles dune loi coloniale, promulgee le 24 Septembre, 1860, gui se refere non seuloment au cas de desertion, mais aussi a toutes les matieres de contraventions disciplinaires gui peuvent avoir lieu a bord dcs navires etrangers dans les eaux de la Nouvelle Zelande. II est necessaire de faire remarquer que l'ltalie ne se trouve pas comprise parmi les nations gui ont declare accepter la loi dv 24 Septembre, 1860, soit en consequence de I'Article 14 de cette meme loi gui etablit que l'aceeptation en etait facultative et non obligatoire, soit pour que cette loi contenait dcs dispositions incompatibles avec les lois et les reglements dv Eoyaume d'ltalie. Dans cet etat de choses d'apres le desir gui vient de rn'etre exprime par S. E. le Commandeur Malegan, j'ai l'honneur de m'addresser a la bienveillante courtoisie de V. E. en sa priant de vouloir bien faire parvenir a la connaissance dv Gouvernement de la Nouvelle Zelande les considerations suivantes: Notre droit de demander l'arrestation de matelots deserteurs clans cette colonie existe independamment dcs dispositions de la loi speciale promulgee dans la Nouvelle Zelande ; en efl'et il est fonde sur l'Ordonnance ci-dessus, celui de S. M. la Eeine, en date de l'annee 1863, laquelle soit pour le but general qu'elle se propose, soit aussi par les termes dans lesquels elle est conyue peut etre presquo considered comme une convention entre Italic et la Eoyaume Uni applicable egalement a tous les domains de la Grande Bretague. A l'appui de ces observations, je pouvais faire remarquer a V. E. que dans les autres Colonies de l'Australie ou sont aussi en vigueur dcs lois analogues a celle de la Nouvelle Zelande les autorites locales u'ont jamais conteste a nos Agents Consulaires le droit de requerir l'arrestation dcs matelots deserteurs dcs batiments Italiens, et n'ont jamais oppose a notre demande la condition prealable d'accepter les articles dcs lois coloniales respectives. Dans l'espoir que V. E. voudra bien prendre en consideration avec son obligeance bien connue cc que je viens d'avoir l'honneur de lvi exposer, Je saisis, &c, S. E. M. le Comte de Derby, &c, &c. Menabhea.

Enclosure 2 in No. 1. At the Court at Windsor, the 11th day of June, 1863. Present: The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty in Council. Whereas by " The Foreign Deserters Act, 1852," it is provided that, whenever it is made to appear to Her Majesty that due facilities are or will be given for recovering and apprehending seamen who desert from British merchant ships in the territories of any Foreign Bower, Her Majesty may, by Order in Council, stating that such facilities are or will be given, declare that seamen, not being slaves, who desert from merchant ships belonging to a subject of such Power, when within Her Majesty's dominions, shall be liable to be apprehended and carried on board their respective ships, and may limit the operation of such order, rind may render the operation thereof subject to such conditions and qualifications, if any, as may be deemed expedient: And whereas it hath been made to appear to Her Majesty that due facilities will be given for recovering and apprehending seamen (not being Italian subjects) who desert from British merchant ships, in the territories belonging to His Majesty the Eing of Italy : Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by virtue of the powers vested in her by the said " Foreign Deserters Act, 1852," and by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, is pleased to order and declare, and it is hereby ordered and declared, that, from and after the publication hereof in the London Gazette, seamen, not being slaves (and not being British subjects) who desert from merchant ships belonging to subjects of the King of Italy, within Her Majesty's dominions, shall be liable to be apprehended and carried on board their respective ships : Provided always that, if any such deserter has committed any crime in Her Majesty's dominions, he may be detained until he has been tried by a competent Court, and until his sentence (if any) has been fully carried into effect. And Her Majesty, by virtue of the powers vested in her by the said " Foreign Deserters Act, 1852," and by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, is further pleased to order and declare that, npon and after the publication hereof in the London Gazette, the Order in Council relating to seamen who desert from merchant ships belonging to subjects of the King of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies made by virtue of the said Act on the 19th day of August, 1853, and published in the London Gazette on the 23rd day of August, 1853, and the Order in Council relating to seamen who desert from merchant ships belonging to subjects of the King of Sardinia, made by virtue of the said Act on the 10th day of March, 1855, and published in the London Gazette on the 13th day of March, 1855, shall be revoked, and the same are hereby revoked accordingly. And the Eight Honorable the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, and the Secretary of State for India, in Council, are to give the necessary directions herein accordingly.

No. 2. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon to Governor the Most Hon. the Marqxus of Normanby. (Circular.) Sir,— Downing Street, 7th December, 1877. I have the honor to transmit to you a copy of an Order of the Queen in Council, dated the 28th December, 1866, applying " The Eoreign Deserters Act, 1852," to the Kingdom of Madagascar.