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the Wesleyan and the Free Church as regards doctrine, &c, has had a great effect. I called upon Messrs. Moulton, Baker, and Watkin to each give me his views on this point, and I append these documents. I would also refer to the opinion of a very intelligent native minster, Joeli Nau (No. 10), who, when examined by me on this point, said, " I should have had no difficulty in joining the Free Church had it not been for the persecutions." The chief Lajike (No. 103), and the Free Church native minister Filipe Togilava (No. 131), also gave intelligent evidence on this point. 68. The conclusion to which I have arrived is not favourable to Mr. Baker; although great allowances must be made for the difficulties of his position in the earlier, and for the perturbation of mind (caused by the attempt to assassinate him) during the later, period. I should, undoubtedly, have exercised the power vested in me, under the Western Pacific Order in Council, of prohibiting Mr. Baker from remaining in Tonga for a period, had it not been that I felt that his presence with the King would, after the warning which my visit to Tonga had given, be the best means of preserving peace. 69. I therefore determined on writing to the King, and advising him to at once take steps to reverse his former action, and to restore to the Wesleyans their religious privileges; also to take steps to restrain the action of his chiefs ; and I decided to show the King that the retention of Mr. Baker in Tonga would greatly depend on what the terms of the answer to my letter should be. A copy of my letter and of the reply of the King have already been attached (see paragraph 11). 70. I submit that the King's answer is satisfactory, and that if he keeps his promises—and I believe he will do so to the best of his ability —there will be no further trouble of any importance with regard to the religious differences in Tonga. 71. I beg to convey to you my sense of appreciation of the valuable help afforded to me throughout this inquiry by Mr. Clarke, the Chief Justice of Fiji and Chief Judicial Commissioner of the High Commission. His calm judgment and power of sifting evidence were of the greatest use to me ; and, without his aid, I question if I should have been able to complete my task in even the considerable time it actually occupied. To Mr. Collet, the Secretary to the High Commissioner, I am also indebted for the cheerfulness with which he undertook the tedious work of taking down evidence during a period of over six hours a day for eighteen days. In conclusion, I trust that the direction contained in your telegraphic message to " report fully " has been carried out. I have, &c, C. B. H. Mitchell.

Sub-Enclosure 1. Sir C. Mitchell to the King of Tonga. Sib, my Friend, — " Diamond," at Nukualofa, Tonga, 25th April, 1887. I have concluded the task intrusted to me by Her Majesty's Government, and it only remains for me to thank your Majesty, as I now do, for the ready aid which you have afforded me, and for the kindness with which you have received me. I told your Majesty at our last interview that the one wish of Her Majesty's Government, as regards Tonga, was that your Majesty's rule should continue to be as wise and beneficent as, before the breaking-out of the late unhappy differences, it had always been. I told you that the good-will always felt by Great Britain for Tonga would enable me to come to your Majesty as to a friend, and to tender to you such advice as to your Majesty's future course as would, in my opinion, tend to blot out the memory of the past trouble, and to confirm your Majesty in the affections of your people, and to establish you in the good opinion of the civilised world. This advice I now proceed to offer, in the full hope that it will be received by your Majesty in the same friendly spirit as that in which it is tendered. I find that, during the two years succeeding the establishment of the Free Church in Tonga, many of your subjects were harassed by their chiefs in order to compel them to join that Church. It has not been asserted that this was done in consequence of orders received from your Majesty, but it was evident that, in acting as they did, the chiefs believed that they were carrying out your Majesty's wishes. I find that the attempt on Mr. Baker's life was not the result of a Wesleyan conspiracy. When, however, the men summoned by your Majesty from Haapai and Vavau arrived in Tonga, I find that they at once proceeded, in conjunction with certain of the tribes of Tongatabu, to beat, despoil, and generally persecute those who still adhered to the Wesleyan Church ; and that, although your Majesty on more than one occasion personally interfered to prevent these actions, they nevertheless continued for a considerable time—until, in fact, nearly the whole of the Wesleyans had, under compulsion, joined the Free Church. I need not point out to your Majesty that actions such as these are in contravention of the Constitution granted by your Majesty to your subjects. I am well aware that your Majesty regards these actions with displeasure. I will therefore proceed to point out what I think your Majesty should do, now that the land is tranquil, in order to heal the sores left by these unfortunate events. I think that a general amnesty for acts done during the past disturbances should be proclaimed, and that all political prisoners now in confinement should be released, under such conditions as to your Majesty may seem right. I advise that a Proclamation be issued restoring, in the fullest degree, liberty to your Majesty's subjects to worship in accordance with their conscience ; and that your Majesty should intimate to the various chiefs that your grave displeasure would follow any acts on their part designed to prevent the enjoyment by your people of their full religious rights. If your Majesty could also take measures to repeal the laws known as "of the Sis " and " of 3—A. 3.