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the vertical-keel plate continuous and scored over the continuous transverse frames. This system of construction could well be applied to the vessel shown on Mr Isbister's drawings, but it would be preferable to work a double-bottom, and this is usual in recent practice. This double-bottom is of great service, both for using water-ballast, and for further subdividing the bottom of the vessel into watertight compartments by means of watertight frames worked about 20 feet apart, and adds largely to her safety in the event of grounding, &c. There appears to be a great want of longitudinal strength, which should be obtained by means of side keelsons, stringers, &c, which should run continuously through the watertight transverse bulkheads, and the watertightness completed by means of collars, angle-irons, &c. Diagonal tie-plates, or binders, as they are called by Mr Isbister, are very good for connecting the frames, &c, together, but sufficient longitudinal strength to the structure is not derived from them. In short, it appears to me that Mr Isbister has set before himself some objects which are altogether distinct from unsinkability, and which, in so far as they add weight which is not necessary, are of course adverse to the unsinkable quality Ido not understand why this is so. lam strongly of opinion that no such radical change in the construction of iron or steel ships as Mr. Isbister proposes is at all necessary or desirable as a means of making a ship unsinkable ; all that is needed is to greatly increase the amount of subdivision in the ordinary type of ship (with some modifications of form), great care and judgment being exercised in order to secure the subdivision without undue interference with the passenger and cargo accommodation. I need hardly say, if desired, I should be happy to give effect to these views in a design. I have, &c, Sir F D. Bell, K.C.M.G., Agent-General for New Zealand. E. J Eeed.

No. 23. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Minister of Immigration. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W., sth December 1883. In continuation of my letter of 30th November (No. 348), I have to state that the two shipping companies have not been able to come to any agreement upon proposals to be made by them in concert, either for a temporary continuance of the steam service until the meeting of the General Assembly, or for more permanent arrangements afterwards. But they have intimated to me their desire to be allowed to continue the arrangements now existing between themselves and me relating to Government immigrants and freight. There will, accordingly, be no difficulty in continuing to carry on these arrangements temporarily, and you will have ample time to reconsider the whole question bofore any new proposals are made to the Government by either of the companies prior to the meeting of Parliament. I enclose copies of the correspondence with the companies. I referred in my letter of the Bth November (No. 318) to the trouble that is occasioned by the circumstance that the interest of the shipping companies in deciding whether to make sure of the Government immigrants first, or wait to see what paying passengers they can get, can never be the same as the colony's, and lam bound to tell you that this difficulty may be expected to continue to exist, an,d, indeed, is not likely to be ever entirely escaped. For instance, in the case of the steamship " Doric," I asked the New Zealand Shipping Company on the 23rd October whether they would take immigrants by her, but it was not until the 19th November that the matter was finally settled in the negative, and embarkation orders could be issued for the sailing-ship " Eangitikei," instead of the steamer In the meanwhile the immigrants, who had been for some time ready to go, had become more and more impatient, and their disappointment was very great when they found that their hope of being sent in a steamer had vanished, and that they were relegated to a sailing-ship. The same difficulty may become aggravated if the stream of paying passengers should continue to fill the New Zealand Shipping Company's monthly steamers to the same extent as the " Tongariro " and the " Aorangi" were filled, but I have no doubt we shall be able to meet the trouble if it occurs, as we have had to do before. I take this opportunity of saying that I understand the two companies have not been able to act in concert about the rates for produce to come Home. One of the companies was, I am told, dissatisfied with the arrangements which the New Zealand agents of both had made for the rates of the coming season, and thereupon a proposal was made that the companies should agree, in London, upon rates superseding those fixed by the agents in the colony When, however, these higher rates were telegraphed to the respective agents, it was found that they would not be given, whereupon the two companies fell out once more. This seems to me to confirm what I have so frequently pointed out, that it is exactly the existence of a competition of the kind I am referrin" to which secures the producers in the colony against unduly high rates for their produce Home , and, therefore, although the quarrel which has just happened, about the rates complicates the relations between the companies, and helps to keep them apart from any general proposals to the Government, I feel strengthened by it in the antagonism I have so long expressed against a monopoly being given to either of them for the Government business. With regard to the rate of passage-money, I have already, as you are aware, expressed my own opinion that it would not pay the Government to give any higher price than £15 for bringing out immigrants by steam. If a higher price were asked for a permanent contract it would be far better to pay its amount as a direct subsidy, and with the full control which a contract alone can give, rather than pay the same amount of subsidy in an indirect shape. I was therefore very glad to receive your instructions that the cost per head was not to exceed that which had obtained in recent shipments by steamers. In reference to the discretion which the Government were pleased to give me as to whether I should insist on a lower rate than £15, I beg to say that, all things