A.—2a

8

The faculty for making translations is optional on the part of Boards of Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce, which are entitled but not obliged to do them. 4. When certificates are presented drawn up in the language of the country of origin, and likewise in Spanish, the Spanish version will be treated as null and the translation will be effected in the form above indicated. 5. Certificates of origin of Chinese and Japanese produce, especially destined for Spain, will be drawn up in Spanish at the Spanish consulates in those countries, with the Consul's visa, attached ; and vessels carrying such produce can transfer it to other bottoms without prejudice to the benefits to which it may be entitled, so long as the transhipment be justified. Should a merchant receive certificates wanting in the aforementioned formalities, he may return them before clearing the goods, in order to have the omissions repaired, availing himself meanwhile of the time allowed for storage by the Custom Eegulations, on the understanding that when clearance is asked for goods accompanied by a certificate, the latter is to be considered as definitely presented. Custom-houses will admit certificates which fulfil the aforesaid conditions, passing over any accidental defect in the form in which they are drawn up. If at any time the certificate should bear the impression of being of false character, it will be handed to the tribunals to be dealt with accordingly. Should certificates not be presented at the time of inspection, should they when presented not fulfil all requirements, or not tally with the merchandise to which they relate, they will be considered as null and void, the duties in the first column of the tariff being applied to the merchandise. Should differences exist between the gross weight of the packages described in the certificates and that arrived at on clearance, if such differences do not exceed a maximum of 20 per cent, beyond or short of what is stated on the certificates, the said documents will be admitted as effective; but they will be considered null when the differences are in excess of that rate, the duties in the first column of the tariff being in such case applied to the merchandise. Certificates issued in one country for the produce of another will likewise be considered null. Merchandise from a treaty nation, destined for Spain and accompanied by the necessary certificate of origin, which may pass through another country also enjoying treaty privileges, needs no justification for such transit; but when the transit takes place through a country having no treaty, the goods must be identified by a special certificate issued by the Spanish Consul or foreign custom-house of the locality. Merchandise belonging to treaty nations, and coming from them, will enjoy treaty privileges, even if the vessels conveying it touch during their voyage at ports belonging to nations without a treaty, engage in commercial operations there, or transfer to other bottoms the cargo destined for Spain. To this effect merchandise must come consigned to Spain in the manifest prepared in the port of loading of the treaty nation concerned. If afterwards it be transferred to another bottom, the Spanish Consul at the place, after taking cognisance of the proper documents, must enter on the manifest then prepared that the merchandise was loaded in a country having a treaty, and is destined for Spain. In addition to these formalities the certificate of origin must be exhibited, should the goods be such as to need one. All articles, even if their origin be a country without a treaty, which have undergone, owing to industrial processes in one which a treaty exists, such transformation or manipulation as may raise their value, will enjoy the benefits extended to treaty nations. In order that merchandise requiring a certificate and intended for deposit may pay duty under the second column of the tariff, the said document must be presented at the moment of clearance for consumption.

No. 10. My Lord,— Downing Street, 12th February, 1892. With reference to my Despatch No. 42, of the 25th of September last, and to your reply No. 74 of the 28th November, I have the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Government, a copy of a letter from the Admiralty respecting the entry of Australasian men and boys in the Royal Navy. You will observe that copies of the pamphlets referred to will be forwarded to the Commander-in-Chief on the Australian Station. I have, &c, ENUTSFORD, The Right Hon. the Earl of Onslow, G.C.M.G.

A.-2., 1892, No, 25. A.-1., 1892, No, 22.

Enclosure. Admiralty to Colonial Office. Sir,— Admiralty, 6th February, 1892. With reference to your letter of the 12th ultimo, and to previous correspondence relative to the entry of men and boys of Australian, New Zealand, and Tasmanian birth in the Eoyal