A.—s

2

Enclosure 1. -» The Colonial Office to the Admiralty. Sib, — Downing Street, 23rd March, 1889. -I am directed by Lord Knutsford to transmit to you, to be laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, a copy of a despatch, with its enclosure, which has been received from the Governor of New Zealand, recommending that the Macquarie Islands should be annexed to the colony, and I am to request to be informed whether their Lordships are aware of any objection to the proposal, which may possibly be intended to include Emerald Island, which lies to the southeast of the Macquarie Islands, and whether the records of the Admiralty contain any information respecting these islands which would be of use in considering the application. A similar letter has been addressed to the Foreign Office. I have, Ac, The Secretary to the Admiralty. John Beamston.

Enclosure 2. The Admiralty to the Colonial Office. ■Sib,— Admiralty, 30th March, 1889. With reference to your letter of the 23rd instant, respecting the proposed annexation of the Macquarie Island and Emerald Island to New Zealand, I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to request that you will state to Lord Knutsford that Macquarie Island has never been inhabited, nor, so far as any records go in this department, has it ever been taken formal possession of by any nation. 2. The United States ship " Peacock " visited it in 1841—the only record of a man-of-war's visit—but, beyond landing to examine the island (a work of great difficulty), nothing was done. Should it be deemed necessary that a vessel should visit this desolate spot for the purpose of annexation, the summer —December to February—is the most likely to permit a landing to be effected. 3. Emerald Island finds a place on the chart merely from a report from a ship in the year 1821 that she saw high land at a distance. The probability is that it has no existence. I am, &c, The IJnder-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Evan MacGeegob.

No. 3. Telegram from His Excellency the Goveenor to the Secbetahy of State, 21st December, 1889. Eeferring to your Despatch No. 8, of the 7th May, Governor of Tasmania advises by telegraph that Macquarie Island included in letters patent creating office of Governor of Tasmania. What is the correct version ? Is it necessary to proceed with proposed annexation ?

No. 4. Telegram from the Seckjbtaby of State to His Excellency the Governob, 28th December, 1889. Eefeebing to your telegram of 21st December, do not proceed with proposed annexation. Will wait for your despatch. Governor of Tasmania quite right.

No. 5. The Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow to the Eight Hon. Lord Knutsfokd. My Lord, —■ Government House, Dunedin, New Zealand, Ist January, 1890. In accordance with your Lordship's Despatch No. 8, of the 7th May, 1889, the Colonial Government steamship " Hinernoa " was prepared to start, with provisions, and a wooden house for the accommodation' of any persons who might land on the Macquarie Islands, having on board Mr. S. Percy Smith, the Surveyor-General, to whom I was about to issue a warrant directing him to make a Proclamation declaring her Majesty's sovereignty over the islands in question, when I received a telegram from the Governor of Tasmania stating that he had read of my intention in the newspapers, and informing me that the Macquarie Islands were included in the letters patent constituting the office of Governor of Tasmania. I accordingly transmitted my telegram of the 21st December to your Lordship, arßl in reply received your Lordship's telegram of the 28th December. Under the circumstances, I have directed the captain of the "Hinemoa" to refrain from exercising any act which may be deemed to denote an intention on the part of the Government of this colony to assume any rights over those islands, until I hear further from your Lordship. I have, &c, The Eight Hon. Lord Knutsford, &c. Onslow.