A.—2,

50

mittee make this request. Such information, as soon as communicated to Lloyd's agent, is telegraphed by him to Lloyd's, and is published in the daily newspapers for general information ; and all details concerning shipping in possession of Lloyd's are always open to the Government offices. I may add that the Government of India have been good enough to give instructions to the Governors of the various Presidencies in India to issue orders to the Collectors of the various East Indian ports to arrange for communicating this information to Lloyd's agents. The Board of Trade have also given instructions to the Receivers of Wreck and Collectors of Customs in the United Kingdom and Ireland to give similar information to Lloyd's agents; and Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has issued similar orders to all British consular officers throughout the world. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, li. M. Hozier, Colonial Office, S.W. Secretary.

Enclosure 3 ia No. 61. The Colonial Office to tho Secretary of Lloyd's. Sir, — Colonial Office, Downing Street, 2nd August, 1879. I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th ultimo, requesting to be informed whether he would have any objection to extending to the Governors of other colonies the instructions given to the Governors of the South African Colonies, in 1877, with reference to informing Lloyd's agents of casualties, wrecks, and salvages. 2. In reply I am to request that you will state to your Committee that Sir Michael Hicks Beach will be happy to transmit to all the colonies (other than the South African) a copy of your letter, with au intimation that he will be glad to learn that the colonial Governments have given the instructions desired. Sir M. Hicks Beach would also propose at the same time to send to the colonies a copy of your previous letter of the 10th of October, 1877 (No. 6,739), and lie would therefore request that this department may be furnished with 250 copies of the forms which it enclosed, for transmission in the proposed circular despatch. I have, &c, The Secretary, Lloyd's. E. Wingfield.

No. 65. Copy of a DESEATCH from the Eight Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Eeach to the Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. (No. 44.) Sir, — Downing Street, 26th August, 1879. On the 25th instant I communicated to you by telegram, through the Governor of South Australia, the arrangements proposed for the transmission via, Brindisi after January next (when the existing contract with the Eeninsular and Oriental Company will expire) of the Eastern and Australian mails, and the proposed abandonment of the service via Southampton. I now enclose for the information of your Government copies of a correspondence between the Treasury and this department, upon which that telegram was founded. I have, &c., M. E. HICKS BEACH. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosure 1 in No. 65. The Treasury to the Colonial Office. Sir, — Treasury Chambers, 23rd July, 1879. I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to transmit to you herewith, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, copy of a letter from the Postmaster-General, dated the 17th instant, respecting future arrangements for the conveyance of the portion of the Eastern mails now carried via Southampton; and I am to request you to move Secretary Sir Michael Hicks Beach to favour my Lords with any observations he may have to offer in regard to the proposals contained therein so far as they affect the correspondence with the Australian Colonies, New Zealand, Ceylon, the Straits Settlements, and Hong Kong. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. H. Selwin Ibbetson.