D.—7

2

I enclose a small plan on letter-paper of the docks, and I will send you a larger plan to-morrow. They are in a very unfinished state, but on the Dock Company's property there is a fine site for a depot. The railway; runs right into the docks, and although there is no wet dock at present for ships to enter, there is a pier—which you will see in the plan with the word " lighthouse " at the end—on either side of which a vessel could lie and take in her emigrants, there being 21 or 22 feet alongside at low water. The approach to the port is well marked and lighted, and when a ship is clear of the Lizard, which is only about 12 or 13 miles S.S.AV. of Falmouth, she may be said to be clear of nearly all Channel dangers. Sir Julius Vogel, K.C.M.G., I have, &c, Agent-General for New Zealand. Edwd. A. Smith.

Enclosure 2 in No. 1. Mr. E. A. Smith to the Ageot-General. Dear Sib,— Plymouth, 23rd April, 1879. With reference to my report of yesterday respecting Falmouth, I have now the pleasure to furnish you with sundry information, &c, which I obtained respecting the port, my limit of inquiry being restricted by your not wishing my errand to be known there. The harbour dues are one halfpenny per ton, the dock dues are threepence per ton : both these dues would have to be paid by any ship using the pier to embark passengers. There is only a charge of one shilling per ship at Plymouth, called " salt ash dues," but there is a charge of, I believe, ninepenee per statute aduli for every passenger embarked in the Sound : this is for the steamer which takes them on board. The comparative cost for, say, a 1,200-ton ship embarking 300 passengers would be—at Plymouth, £11 65.; at Falmouth, £17 10s. The charge for pilotage would, I believe, be about the same at both ports. The difference of mileage by land is 65i miles, and the extra cost is ss. 5-J-d. —that is to say, the rail way-fare from London to Plymouth is 18s. Bd., and from London to Falmouth £1 4s. l^-d.; and the extra time occupied in the journey is about three hours. There is a second line of railway projected—a continuation of the South-AVestern —which is completed as far as Holsworthy, and requires only a few miles to be laid to connect it with mineral railways already in existence, which would then bring the South-Western and all the narrow-gauge system in direct communication with Falmouth. The difference of mileage from London by sea is about 50 miles, and the time occupied would be about six hours. There is, of course, a saving of sea voyage for the emigrants coming from Ireland. There is 22 feet of water alongside the pier at low water, and there would be great advantage in the people being able to walk directly aboard the ship instead of being transhipped from a steamer; the people landing from the Irish boats would only have a very short distance to walk to the depot, and the railway terminus adjoins the docks, in fact there is a wicket-gate leading from the terminus directly into the dock premises through which the emigrants could be passed. There is a block of warehouses, marked in the plan, which I send you by this post, A, which might possibly be converted into a depot, but I was unable to ascertain its fitness for such a purpose without betraying the purport of my visit. As far as I could learn it is generally occupied, and therefore the Dock Company might not bo disposed to alienate it from its present use, though if it could be made available for a depot the Dock Company might build sheds which would answer the purpose of warehouses, as they have already a number of such sheds. These are marked in pencil on the plan. Altogether Falmouth would be a very desirable port for emigration, if you did not consider the extra railway journey objectionable. It is not a garrison town as Plymouth is. There is a splendid site on which a depot could be built, if either the Railway or the Dock Company would entertain the question; and if the projected line of steamers to New Zealand were to be established, there could be no better place for a port of call than Falmouth. I have, &c, Sir Julius Vogel, K.C.M.G. Edwd. A. Smith.

No. 2. Sir G. Gtbet to Sir Julius Vogel. (Telegram.) "Wellington, 22nd July, 1879. Decline your proposals Falmouth. Vogel, London. Geey. By Authority: George Didsbuey, G-oyeminent Printer, Wellington.—lB79. Price 3d.]