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No. 2. The Colonial Office to the Foreign Office. Sir, — Downing Street, April 21st, 1883. With reference to the question which is to be put on the 23rd instant in the House of Commons by Mr. A. McArthur, respecting the New Hebrides, I am directed by the Earl of Derby to transmit to you, for communication to Earl Granville, a copy of a letter from Mr. Wilson and Mr. Paton, relative to the alleged intention of the French to take possessionTif the island of Efate, and the formation of a company in New Caledonia having for its object the colonization of the New Hebrides. Lord Derby would suggest, for Lord Granville's consideration, that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty should be requested to instruct the Commodore on the Australian Station to cause an investigation to be made into the circumstances of which Mr. Wilson and Mr. Paton complain, whenever a vessel can conveniently be despatched to the New Hebrides; and that Lord Lyons should be instructed to request the French Government to take such steps as may be necessary, if these statements are correct, to restrain French subjects from interfering with the property of British subjects in the New Hebrides. I am, &c. The Under-Secretary of State, Foreign Office. Edward Wingfield.

No. 3. The Foreign Office to the Colonial Office. Sir,— Foreign Office, April 30th, 1883. I have laid before Earl Granville your letter of the 21st instant, forwarding copy of a letter from Mr. Wilson and Mr. Paton, complaining of French proceedings in the New Hebrides, and especially of the action taken by French citizens in the islands of Efate and Iririki; and I am now directed by his Lordship to state to you, for the information of the Earl of Derby, that he concurs in the expediency of instituting an investigation on the spot into the facts complained of, and that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty will accordingly be requested to instruct the British Commodore on the Australian Station to inquire into the circumstances of the case, and to furnish Her Majesty's Government with a report thereupon. . lam to add, with regard to the second suggestion contained in your letter, that Her Majesty's Ambassador has been requested to make a representation to the French Government in the sense desired, and I am to enclose herewith a copy of the instruction in question for Lord Derby's fuller information. I have, &c. i. The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. T. V. Lister.

I Enclosure. My Lord,— Foreign Office, 30th April, 1883. With reference to my despatch of the 25th instant, and to previous correspondence relating to the New Hebrides, I transmit to your Excellency herewith copy of a letter from the Colonial Office, forwarding copy of a letter from Mr. Wilson and Mr. Paton, complaining of the French proceedings in the New Hebrides, and especially of the action taken by certain French settlers in the islands of Efate and Iririki. Eeports to a similar effect have reached this country from other quarters, and have attracted some attention both in Parliament and the Press. I have, under these circumstances, to request that your Excellency will communicate the substance of this complaint to the French Government, so far as relates to the islands of Efate and Iririki; and inform them that inquiries into all the circumstances of the case will be instituted on the spot, but that, pending the result of such investigation, Her Majesty's Government trust that they will take such steps as may be necessary, "if the statements thus made should prove correct, to restrain French citizens from interfering with the property of British subjects in the New Hebrides. ; I have, &c. His Excellency the Viscount Lyons, G.C.B. Granville.

No. 4. The Foreign Office to the Colonial Office. Sir,— Foreign Office, May 2nd, 1883. With reference to my letter of the 30th ultimo, I am directed by Earl Granville to transmit to you herewith, for the information of the Earl of Derby, copy of a letter which has been addressed to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, in compliance with the suggestion contained in your letter of the 21st ultimo, relative to the New Hebrides. I am, &c. The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. T. V. Lister.

Enclosure. Sir,— Foreign Office, 30th April, 1883. With reference to your letter of the 18th instant, relating to the New Hebrides, I am directed by Earl Granville to transmit to you herewith, to be laid before the Lords of the Admiralty, copy of a letter which has been addressed to the Colonial Office by Mr. Wilson and Mr. Paton, and which contains a complaint as to certain alleged proceedings of French settlers in that group of islands, and more especially as to their action in the islands of Efate and Iririki.