A.—2,

58

exception of a difference in the mode in certain steamers of estimating the allowance for engineroom, and such rules are now in force in that country, having come into operation on the Ist day of July, 1878, Her Majesty is hereby pleased, by and with the advice of her Privy Council, to direct as follows :— 1. As regards sailing ships, that merchant sailing ships of the said Kingdom of Greece the measurement whereof after the said Ist day of July, 1878, has been ascertained and denoted in the registers and other national papers of such sailing ships, testified by the date thereof, shall bo deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in such registers and other national papers, in the same manner, and to the same extent, and for the same purpose, in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of British sailing ships is deemed to be the tonnage of such ships, 2. As regards steamships, that merchant ships belonging to the said Kingdom of Greece whicb are propelled by steam or any other power requiring engine-room, the measurement whereof shall after the said Ist day of July, 1878, have been ascertained and denoted in the registers and other national papers of such steamships, testified by the dates thereof, shall be deemed to he of the tonnage denoted in such registers or other national papers, in the same manner, and to the same extent, and for the same purpose, in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of British ships is deemed to be the tonnage of such ships : Provided, nevertheless, that if the owner or master of any such Greek steamship desires the deduction for engine-room in his ships to be estimated under the rules for engine-room measurement and deduction applicable to British ships, instead of under the Greek rule, the engine-room shall be measured and the deduction calculated according to the British rules. C. L. Peel.

No. 73. Copy of a DESEATCH from the Eight Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach to Governor Sir Hercules Eobinson. (Circular.) Sir, — Downing Street, 21th September, 1879. I have the honor to transmit to you, for your information and for that of your Government, copies of an Order of Her Majesty in Council, dated the 11th day of August, 1879, amending the Western Bacific Order in Council of the 13th of August, 1877, a copy of which accompanied my circular despatch of the 13th of June last. 2. It will be observed that the present order, which is to be read as if it were part of the original Order in Council, does not commence and have effect, except when it is expressed to operate from its making, until proclaimed under the hand and official seal of the High Commissioner for the Western Bacific, and that such Broclamation is to be published in the Boyal Gazette of Eiji. I have accordingly instructed Sir A. Gordon to inform you of the date of the issue of his Broclamation bringing the amending order into full operation. 3. I take this opportunity of suggesting that, with the view of making widely known the scope and power of the High Commission, the original order should be published in full, if this has not already been done in the colony under your government, and that the amending Order in Council should be similarly published. 1. It may possibly be convenient to defer the publication until you are informed by Sir A. Gordon that the Broclamation bringing the amending order into full operation has been issued. I have, &c, M. E. HICKS BEACH. Governor Sir Hercules Eobinson, G.C.M.G, &c.

Enclosure in No. 73. Amendments as to Constitution, &c, of High Commissioners' Court under Western Pacific Order in Council of 1877. (See New Zealand Gazette, 20th November, 1879.)