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reconsideration of their Lordships' decision upon the proposal that the Imperial Government should join with the Australian Colonies in the payment of subsidies to the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company, and in sharing with them the guarantee to the company in connection with the reduction of the cable rates between Australia and the United Kingdom. In reply, I am to express their Lordships' regret that after renewed consideration of the subject they find themselves unable to depart from their decision. I am to request that in conveying this intelligence to the Governor of New South Wales you will assure him of their Lordships' full appreciation of the spirit in which the Australian Colonies have put forward the proposal, and of the reluctance with which their Lordships find themselves unable to meet the wishes of the colonies in this matter. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. E. E. Welby.

No. 25. (Circular.) Sic, — Downing Street, 11th September, 1890. I have to request that you will cancel the sixth and seventh paragraphs No. 16. of my circular despatch of the 27th June last from the words " I am led to make " to " naval warfare." The statement there quoted as to the possible landing of twenty or thirty thousand men for hostile purposes was taken from a paper forwarded to me from Queensland, but upon the arrival of my circular despatch in Australia I was informed by telegraph that the figures should have been two or three thousand. The observation following the quotation must therefore be withdrawn, and I have to express my regret that the remark of the Commandant of the Queensland Forces should have been misrepresented. The statement as to the respective functions of the Colonial Defence Committee and the commandants of the local forces rests however upon more general reasons, and I would observe, in connection with this matter, that a force of two or three thousand men could be so easily coped with in any settled part of Australia that such a landing would be useless to the enemy and would not be likely to be attempted. I have, &c, KNUTSFOBD. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

No. 26. (New Zealand —General.) My Lobd, — * Downing Street, 19th September, 1890. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 39, of the 22nd July, relative to the cancelled certificates of competency in the mercantile marine, which I caused to be referred for the consideration of the Board of Trade, and to state to you, for the information of your Government, that a reply has now been received stating that " when the Board are of opinion " that the justice of the case requires it they can, under section 23 of " The " Merchant Shipping Act Amendment Act, 1862" (25 and 26 Vict., c. 63), " without reference to the length of service, reissue and return any certificate, " or grant a new certificate to a person whose certificate has been cancelled." I have, &c, KNUTSFOED. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Onslow, G.C.M.G., &c.

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No. 27. (New Zealand, No. 41.) My Lobd, — Downing Street, 20th September, 1890. With reference to your Lordship's Despatch No. 34, of the Ist July, requesting information as to the manner of marking meat for the purpose of identifying the country of its origin, I have the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Government, copies of letters, with their respective

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