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except in the case of illness, certified by a physician or surgeon, and approved by their Lordships, in which case the candidate will be allowed to present himself at tlie following examination, provided he is still within the limits of age; but under no circumstances will such a candidate be allowed to appear at more than one examination. 9. For all cadets entered under these regulations, the annual rate of payment will be at the rate of £70 per annum for the period in the " Britannia," to be paid half-yearly in advance to the Accountant-Gcneral of the Navy. ]3ut the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty reserve the power of selecting from among the candidates nominated at each half-yearly examination a number, not to exceed ten, being sons of officers of the Iloyal Navy, Army, or Marines, or of civil officers under the Board of Admiralty, with respect to whom the annual payment for the two years in the " Britannia" will be £i0 only. In selecting these their Lordships will have regard solely to the pecuniary circumstances of the parents or guardians of the cadets. No application for admission on such reduced scale will be entertained unless made before the candidate is nominated. 10. The period of training on board the " Britannia''-' will be, as now, four terms. There will be two terms in each year. The first term of each year will be from February to July, the second from August to December. The vacations will be five weeks at Christmas, two weeks at Easter, and six weeks at Midsummer. 11. There will be examinations in seamanship and study at the end of each term. 12. Cadets who pass unsatisfactory, examinations at the end of any term will bo " warned," and they will be liable to be discharged at the end of the following or any subsequent term should they again be reported as failing to attain the proper number of marks at the examinations. 13. The same rule will apply to cadets who may be reported for unsatisfactory conduct during their service in the " Britannia." 14. Any cadet who shall have been specially reported to their Lordships as for any reason unfit for the service will be removed from the Navy. 15. Cadets will, on passing out of the training-ship, take the order in which they pass their final examination. 16. The parent or guardian of every cadet will be required to provide outfit as under the regulations in force hitherto, and to sign a declaration (on the admission of the cadet to the " Britannia ") to the effect that he shall be immediately withdrawn on the receipt of an official intimation of his being considered unfit for the Royal Navy. 17. Candidates entered under these regulations must understand that they are liable, at any period of their service subsequent to the date of their leaving the training-ship, to be selected to qualify for the gunnery or navigating branches of the service at the discretion of their Lordships; who will, however, only exercise such power of selection in the event of there not being a sufficient number of volunteers for such duties. By command of their Lordships, Admiralty, Bth March, 1877. Robert Hall.

No. 46. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Eight Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach to Governor Sir Hercules Eobinson. (No. 18.) Sir, — Downing Street, 13th April, 1879. I have the honor to acknowledge the Marquis of Normanby's Despatch No. 3, of the 31st of January, relative to a letter addressed to me by Sir George Grey, referring to South African affairs. I have to request you to inform Sir George Grey that I have received and considered his letter, but that I do not think there would be any advantage in the further discussion at present of the points to which it relates. I shall be obliged if you will also intimate to him that I prefer to continue the ordinary course of communicating through the Governor with any gentleman residing in a colony, notwithstanding that he may hold a high and exceptional position, as there might be much inconvenience in establishing a precedent for direct correspondence between Her Majesty's Government and any one except the Governor. I have, &c, M. E. HICKS BEACH. Governor Sir Hercules Eobinson, G.C.M.G., &c.