E.—No. 6

No. 1. Copy of a Despatch from the Eight Hon. Edward Cabdwell, M.P., to Governor Sir Geohge Gbet, K.C.B. (No. 101.) Downing Street, Sib,— 14th December, 18G5. ' I have the honor to transmit for your information the accompanying copies of the New Contract which has been concluded with the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, for the conveyance of the Mails between Point de G-alle and Sydney, via King George's Sound and Melbourne, and which will come into operation on the Ist February next. I have, &c, Governor Sir George Grey, X.C.8., &c, &c. Edwaed Cabdwell. Enclosure in No. 1. Contbact 17th Noyehbeb, 1865. —ArsTBALiAN Mails. Articles of Agreement made this seventeenth day of November one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five between the Eight Honorable Edward John Lord Stanley of Alderley Her Majesty's Postmaster-General for the time being of the one part and the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company of the other part Witness that the Company for themselves and their successors hereby covenant with the Post-master-General his executors administrators successors and assigns Her Majesty's Postmaster-General for the time being in manner following (that is to say) 1. That the Company will at all times during the continuance of this agreement or so long as the whole or any part of the services hereby agreed to be performed ought to be performed in pursuance thereof provide keep seaworthy and in complete repair and readiness for the purpose of conveying as hereinafter provided. aIL Her Majesty's mails (in which term "Mails" all boxes bags or packets of letters newspapers books or printed papers and all other articles transmissible by the post without regard either to the place to which they may be addressed or to that in which they may have originated and all empty bags empty boxes and other stores and articles used or to be used in carrying on the Post Office Service which shall be sent by or to or from the Post Office are agreed to bo comprehended) which shall at any time and from time to time by the Postmaster-General or any of his officers or agents be required to be conveyed as hereinafter provided -between Point de Galle in Ceylon and Sydney in New South Wales via King George's Sound and Melbourne a sufficient number of good substantial and efficient steam vessels of adequate power and supplied with first-rate appropriate steam engines. ' 2. That the vessels to be employed under this agreement shall be always furnished with all necessary and proper machinery engines apparel furniture stores tackle boats fuel lamps oil tallow provisions anchors cables fire-pumps and other proper means for extinguishing fire lightning conductors charts chronometers nautical instruments and whatsoever else may be requisite for equipping the said vessels and rendering them constantly efficient for the service hereby agreed to be performed and also manned and provided with competent officers with appropriate certificates granted pursuant to the Act or Acts of Parliament in force for the time being relative to the granting certificates to officers in the merchant service and with a sufficient number of efficient engineers and a sufficient crew of able seamen and other men to be in all respects as to vessels engines equipment officers engineers and crew subject in the first instance and from time to time and at all times afterwards to the approval of the PostmasterGeneral or of such other person or persons as he shall at any time or times or from time to time authorize to inspect and examine the same and the Company shall (if required by the PostmasterGeneral) submit the designs plans and sections of every vessel intended to be employed in the performance of this agreement to the Postmaster-General and be bound to adopt such fittings and scantlings as he or the Lords Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland shall consider suitable and requisite and no vessel shall be employed under this agreement until it and its machinery shall have been previously tried under weigh and finally approved as aforesaid. 3. That one of such vessels so approved equipped and manned as aforesaid shall on such days and at sucli hours as shall be fixed by the Postmaster-General upon or before the day hereinafter appointed for the commencement of this agreement (until and unless any other days or hours shall under the proviso herein in that behalf contained be substituted instead thereof) and immediately after the mails are embarked put to sea from the ports of Point de Galle and Sydney and the Company shall convey in such vessels to and from and cause to be delivered and received at such of the ports and places hereinbefore mentioned all such mails as shall or may be tendered or delivered to or received by the Company or any of their agents officers or servants by or from the Postmaster-General or any of his officers or agents.

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CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO CONTRACT FOR CONVEYANCE OF MAILS VIA SUEZ.