F.—4

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Enclosure 2 in No. 159. The Agent-Geneeal for New South Wales to Mr. Tilley. Sic, — London, 13th December, 1876. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of letter and circular letter, dated Bth instant, respecting the conveyance to America of the Australian mails via San Francisco. I note that under the new arrangements entered into by the Postmaster-General, it will be necessary to despatch the January San Francisco mail from London on the 10th, in place of on the 11th January, and that it will be conveyed to America by the Guion instead of by the Inman line, due notice to this effect being given by you to the public. I need hardly point out that the necessity for the monthly notice is somewhat prejudicial to the San Francisco Mail Service; and it is the more to be regretted because the date of departure of the mail steamer from San Francisco is notified in America, and arranged with the Contractors for a fixed day. This day is subject to postponement in case of late arrival of the mails at San Francisco ; but under existing arrangements it cannot conveniently be changed to an earlier date. Thus every change to an earlier date has the disadvantage, in addition to the inconvenience and disappointment likely to be caused by the uncertainty of the day of departure from London, of lengthening the total time of transit from London to Sydney. Under these circumstances, it is of great importance that as early notification as possible be given of the London dates of departure; and if these dates could be intimated, so far as the San Francisco mail is concerned, say for throughout the year 1877, the efficiency and success of the service, which has now, after repeated disappointments, been thoroughly established, would in all probability be more certainly and surely maintained. I have, &c, The Secretary, General Post Office, London. William Foestee.

Enclosure 3 in No. 159. Mr. Tilley to the Agent-General for New South Wales. Sic, — General Post Office, London, 14th December, 1876. I hasten to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday on the subject of the proposed alteration of the day of despatch of the mails for New South Wales and New Zealand, via San Francisco, in the month of January next. In reply, I beg leave to inform you that the alteration has not yet been notified to the public, and it is not too late to make a different arrangement, should it be thought expedient in the interest of the service to do so. If, therefore, you would prefer that the mails should be despatched from London on Saturday, the 13th proximo, by Cunard packet, instead of on the previous Wednesday, by Guion packet, the Post-master-General will be happy to adopt this plan, provided, of course, that it also meets with the concurrence of the Agent-General for New Zealand. Under these circumstances, perhaps you will at once place yourself in communication with that gentleman, and inform me of your wishes in the matter at your earliest convenience, in order that the necessary arrangements may be made by this department. I have, &c, William Forster, Esq., 3, AVestminster Chambers, S.W. John Tilley.

Enclosure 4 in No. 159. Minute by Captain Jopp on General Post Office Letter. A Saturday Cunard will probably reach America almost as soon as a Wednesday Guion. AVednesday is the Southampton (P. and O.) day ; but the Southampton route is chosen by those adopting the P. and 0. route for bulk only, letters for quick transmission being reserved for Brindisi on the following Friday week. The delay of three days, from Wednesday to Saturday, might divert some of the Southampton matter to San Francisco. Three days will also be gained for replying to the homeward 'Frisco mail, which will be an advantage in case the latter should be late. Twenty days is allowed in the present time table from London to San Francisco. With fast Cunard boats, and the promised increased rapidity across America, eighteen days ought to be sufficient, in which case a Saturday mail would reach San Francisco about the same time as the present Thursday's It is a question, however, whether the Cunard's Saturday boats will be their fastest. To those who dislike making up their mail on a Saturday, there is the obvious alternative of completing it, or at least the bulk of it, on Friday. Sir Julius Vogel is disposed on the whole to prefer the Saturday. He suggests saying to the General Post Office that while the Agents-General cannot actually sanction any alterations in the time table (this power being vested in the Colonial Postmasters-General), they would advise that if the General Post Office are obligod to change the day, they should make it the Saturday following the Thursday now fixed, as the contract provides for the contingency of late arrival of the mail at San Francisco. Sir Julius Vogel spoke of making it the previous Saturday, instead of the one following the present day (Thursday) ; but as this would only give two days to answer the inward mail, he thought such an arrangement undesirable for the present. To make the departure earlier than tho present dates would tend to establishing what has frequently been spoken of—namely, a fortnightly service by 'Frisco and Brindisi alternately. In connection with this scheme, I venture to urge the following consideration: —The Brindisi mail is on