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Enclosure 1 in No. 2. The Teeasury to the Colonial Office. Sic, — Treasury Chambers, 25th May, 1875. I am desired by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to transmit herewith, to be laid before the Earl of Carnarvon, copy of a communication from the Postmaster-General, announcing that the General Postal Union Treaty was duly ratified at Berne on the 3rd instant; and I am to state that copies of the Treaty were laid before Parliament on the 21st instant. I am, &o, R. G. W. Herbert, Esq., Colonial Office. AVilliah Law.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure 1 in No. 2. The Geseeal Post Office to the Treasury. My Lobus, —■ General Post Office, 14th May, 1875. I have the honor to inform your Lordships that the contemplated meeting for the exchange of ratifications of the General Postal Union Treaty took place at Berne on the 3rd instant, and, in accordance with the authority conveyed in your letter of the 10th March last, I deputed Mr. Maclean, of the Secretary's Office of this department, to attend it on behalf of the British Post Office. I transmit herewith copy of the Proces-Verbal which was drawn up on the occasion, and was signed by ail the delegates present, from which you will see that the ratifications were found to be in good and due form; and, further, that the French Government has, subject to the approval of the National Assembly, declared its intention to adhere to the Treaty on the Ist January, 1876. The Treaty having been duly ratified, I presume that your Lordships will now think it well to lay it before Parliament. I have, &c, The Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury. John Mannees.

Enclosure 2 in No. 2. The Treaty. Treaty concerning the Formation of a General Postal Union, concluded between Germany, AustroHungary, Belgium, Denmark, Egypt, Spain, the United States of America, France, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Luxemburg, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, Rotimania, Russia, Servia, Sweden Switzerland, and Turkey. The undersigned, Plenipotentiaries of the Governments of the countries above enumerated, have by common consent, and subject to ratification, agreed upon the following Convention :— Article I. The countries between which the present Treaty is concluded shall form, under the title of " General Postal Union," a single postal territory for the reciprocal exchange of correspondence between their Post Offices. Article 11. The stipulations of this Treaty shall extend to letters, post-cards, books, newspapers, and other printed papers, patterns of merchandise, and legal and commercial documents originating in one of the countries of the Union, and intended for another of those countries. They shall also apply to the exchange by post of the articles above mentioned between the countries of the Union and countries foreign to the Union whenever such exchange takes place over the territory of two at least of the contracting parties. Article 111. The general Union rate of postage is fixed at 25 centimes for the single prepaid letter. Nevertheless, as a measure of conversion, the option is reserved to each country, in order to suit its monetary or other requirements, of levying a rate higher or lower than this charge, provided that it does not exceed 32 centimes or go below 20 centimes. Every letter which does not exceed 15 grammes in weight shall be considered a single letter. The charge upon letters exceeding that weight shall be a single rate for every 15 grammes or fraction of 15 grammes.* The charge on unpaid letters shall be double the rate levied in the country of destination on prepaid letters. The prepayment of post-cards is compulsory. The postage to be charged upon them is fixed at one-half of that on paid letters, with power to round off the fractions. For all conveyance by sea of more than 300 nautical miles within the district of the Union, there may be joined to the ordinary postage an additional charge, which shall not exceed the half of the general Union rate fixed for a paid letter. Article IV. The general Union rate for legal and commercial documents, patterns of merchandise, newspapers, stitched or bound books, pamphlets,^ music, visiting cards, catalogues, prospectuses, announcements and notices of various kinds, whether printed, engraved, or lithographed, as well as for photographs, is fixed at 7 centimes for each single packet. Nevertheless, as a measure of conversion, the option is reserved to each country, in order to suit its monetary or other requirements, of levying a rate higher or lower than this charge, provided that it does not exceed 11 centimes or go below 5 centimes. * By Article 24 of the Detailed Regulations for carrying this Treaty into effect, any country which has not adopted the decimal metrical system of weight may substitute half an ounce for 15 grammes.