A.—l.

5. Concerning the infrequency of the visits of Her Majesty's ships to this colony, to which reference was made in my former despatch and elsewhere, I transmit herewith a copy of a memorandum from my Ministers covering a return on the subject. I have, &c, Wm. E. DRUMMOND JERVOIS. The Right Hon. the Earl of Derby.

Enclosure A. Bear-Admiral Teyon, C.8., to Goveenoe of New Zealand. (Telegram.) 25th April. Teust your Excellency will accept without further question the assurance I gave on two occasions in my cabin, when by chance we met at Sydney with the charts and plans of New Zealand before us, and at Melbourne when you were on your way to South Australia, I trusted that New Zealand, of all places, w*as not forgotten, would have been fully brought horiie to your Excellency. I have broken up the armament of two cruisers in order to enable me to send the 64-pounder guns I offered to New Zealand. I offered you every mine I was supplied with for naval service. I personally requested the Government of New South Wales to let me have two miles of cable. I have bought another mile, making three, as your Excellency has been already informed, for New Zealand. Besides, lam sending from my ship certain stores to complete the mine service. Such an arrangement, your Excellency must be aware, was only made after grave consideration. I can only regret that the naval establishment on this station, while sufficient for the purpose for which it was created, is not on a scale sufficient to provide you with any more. I deprecate the delay from the 13th April till now. I fully expected you, as with Queensland, would overcome the legal difficulty, and would send a ship or would freight one hence; " Zealandia " refused to take them. I have already informed your Excellency I had no ship to send with them at my disposal. I beg to thank you for assurance as to coal and financial arrangements. The intended employment of Her Majesty's ships during a period of war is necessarily of a secret nature, but they probably will not be kept in ports.

B. Sir William Jeevois to Admiral Teyon, Sydney. (Telegram.) 27th April, 1885. Beceived your second telegram of 25th April. Answer by post.

c. Sir William Jeevois to Admiral Teyon. Sie, — Government House, Wellington, Ist May, 1885. With reference to your second telegram of the 25th ultimo, I have the honour to transmit herewith a copy of a memorandum from my Ministers on the subject. - I have, &c, Bear-Adrniral Tryon, C.8., &c. Wm. F. Deummond Jeevois.

D. Ministees return herewith the telegram from Admiral Tryon to His Excellency dated the 25th instant. 2. They desire that their thanks be conveyed to the Admiral for the exertions he has made to supply them with armaments, arid are sorry to learn that these exertions have entailed such sacrifice. 3. They concur with the Admiral in deprecating the delay that has taken place with reference to the despatch of armaments. This, however, has not been through any fault of theirs. The Admiral did not draw their attention to the legal difficulty that arose at Sydney until his telegram to His Excellency of the 16th instant (received 17th instant) ; and immediately on receipt of that they took steps to arrange with the Union Steamship Company. The case of New 7 Zealand is not analogous to that of Queensland : it is not easy to command shipping at a distance of 1,200 miles. Ministers had made all arrangements for the carriage of the explosives by the " Hauroto " within three days from the receipt of the Admiral's telegram definitely promising the armament. 4. Ministers greatly regret that the Admiral is still of opinion that the naval establishment on this station is not on a scale sufficient to enable him to adopt the course which they consider to be essential for the protection of New Zealand, and can only hope that the arrangements to which he refers in the last paragraph of his message will include some provision of an analogous character. Julius Vogel, 25th April, 1885. (in absence of Premier.)

E. Sir W. Jeevois to Bear-Admiral Teyon. Sie, — . Government House, Wellington, 30th April, 1885. Since you have referred, in your telegram to me of the 25th instant, to conversations I had with you when I was recently at Sydney and Melbourne, I feel bound to state that on the occasions

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