F.—B.

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(May 3, 1875.) For Greece i A' Mansolas> -or eaeece (Alb. Betant. „ Italy ... ... ... ... Tantesio. „ Luxemburg... ... ... ... Yon Roebe. ~ Norway ... ... ... ... C. Oppen. J.i -nt j.i i -i f Hofstede, „ the .Netherlands ... ... ... -„ „ ' -, T -, I]r , , (__. Sweerts do Landas Wyborgh. „ Portugal ... ... ... ... Eduardo Lessa. ~ Roumania ... ... ... ... George F. Lahovari. n • (Baron A Telho, „ IIUSSia ... ... .., ... <r, -n ' ~ ( Georges roggenpohl. ~ Servia ... ... ... ... Mladen Z. Radojkovitsch. „ Sweden ... ... .., ... AY. Roos. ( Eugene Bore], ~ Switzerland ... ... ... •< Naeff, (Dr. J. Heer. „ Turkey ... ... ... ... Yanco Macridi. Pinal Clause. The undersigned Plenipotentiaries of those Governments which have this day signed the Treaty regarding the establishment of a General Postal Union have agreed to the following:— In case the French Government (which has reserved the right of an open clause, and belongs consequently to those parties contracting the Treaty without having as yet declared their willingness to adhere to it) should not decide to sign it, this Treaty shall be no less definite and binding for all the other contracting parties whose representatives have signed it this day. In faith of which the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have drawn up tho present clause, which shall have the same value and power as if the dispositions which it contains had been included in the Treaty itself, and they have signed a document which shall be deposited in the archives of the Government of the Swiss Confederation, and a copy of which will be handed to each party. Here follow the signatures of the delegates of the several Governments. Berne, 9th October, 1874.

No. 3. The Seceetaey of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Goyeenoe. Sic, — Downing Street, Ist April, 1876. With reference to my circular despatch of the 11th of December, 1874,* I have the honor to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a letter from the Treasury and enclosures, relative to the Union rates of postage on letters for the colonies. I have, &c, The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand. Caenaeyon.

Enclosure in No. 3. The Treasury to the Colonial Office. Sir, — Treasury Chambers, 15th March, 1876. I am commanded by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to transmit to you herewith copy of a letter from the Postmaster-General, calling attention to an opinion expressed at the Postal Conference recently held at Berne, to the effect that no higher rate of postage than 6d. the half-ounce should be charged on correspondence with any countries which may enter the Postal Union. I enclose also an extract from a letter addressed to the Postmater-General by tho PostmasterGeneral of Germany, which will show the nature of the scheme referred to by Lord John Manners, as having been put forth by the German Post Office. Also copy of a memorandum showing tho financial effects of the two proposals on the postal revenue of this country. I am to request that you will lay these papers before Lord Carnarvon, and will invite his consideration of the question so far as it affects the colonies. The principle of the Postal Union is that each country admitted into it becomes responsible for the transmission of its own correspondence outwards, and consequently has to bear its proper share of any loss that may be caused by a reduction in the rate of postage, in accordance with the rules of the Union. Looking however to the position of the colonies in relation to this country, and to the engagements already subsisting and confirmed by contracts which cannot at once be terminated, my Lords would not insist on the rigid application of this principle to colonies desiring to enter the Union; but, inasmuch as entrance would confer much greater benefit on a colony than it would on this country, their Lordships think it would be only fair to ask that any colony coming in should be required to bear half the additional loss on the conveyance of its mails, which its admission to the Union may entail. Thus, if the principle of a maximum tariff of 6d. be adopted by the Union, Ceylon would have to contribute £1,650 to the cost of tho mail service between it and this country, and the AVest Indian Colonies £6,G00 over and above any contribution that they may already make. My Lords request that, if Lord Carnarvon concurs with them in this opinion, his Lordship will cause inquiries to be made in order to ascertain how far these terms would be accepted by the several Colonial Governments. I have, &c, R. G. W. Herbert, Esq., Colonial Office. William Law. ._ _________________ . . . . * Vide No. 1.