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Sub-Enclosure 1. At the Court at Windsor, the 4th day of March, 1884. Present: The Queen's most Excellent Majesty; Lord President, Mr. Gladstone; Lord Chamberlain, Mr. Dolson. Wheeeas by an Act of the Imperial Legislature, intituled " The Colonial Defence A ;fc, 1865," it was amongst other things enacted : In any colony it shall be lawful for the proper legislative authority, with the approval of Her Majesty in Council, from time to time to make provision for effecting, at the expense of the colony, amongst others, the purposes following —viz., for providing, maintaining, and using a vessel or vessels of war, subject to such conditions and for such purposes as Her Majesty in Council from time to time approves; and for raising and maintaining seamen and others entered on the terms of being bound to serve, as ordered, in any such vessel: And whereas, by an Act of the Legislature of the Colony of Victoria, No. 389, amended by an Act, No. 417, to which said amending Act the Eoyal assent was given, and the same was proclaimed on the 17th day of May, 1872, the Governor of the said colony was empowered, on behalf of Her Majesty, to place in commission any armed vessels that the Parliament of Victoria might from time to time direct to be maintained, and to engage the services of any persons to serve in the military and the naval forces of Victoria, and that the aforesaid armed vessels should be provided and maintained for the purpose of defending the coasts of Victoria ; and of co-operating in time of war with the ships of the Eoyal Navy in such manner and for such periods as the Governor of the said colony, with the advice of the Executive Council, should approve ; and that the men and officers of such armed vessels should, while ashore or afloat beyond the limits of the colony, be subject to all enactments and regulations for the time being in force for the discipline of the Eoyal Navy: And whereas the legislative authority of the said colony have made provision for effecting the aforesaid purposes, and the said colony have caused to be constructed three armed vessels named respectively "Victoria," "Albert," and "Childers: " Now, therefore, in pursuance of the first above-recited Act, Her Majesty is pleased, by and with the consent of Her Privy Council, to approve the provision, maintenance, and use of the said vessels, and the commissioning thereof, and the raising and maintaining the seamen and others entered thereon, for the purpose of defending the coasts of the said colony, and of co-operating in manner provided by the said Colonial Act, in time of war, with the ships of the Eoyal Navy. C. L. Peel.

Sub-Enclosure 2. At the Court at Windsor, the 4th day of March, 1884. Present: The Queen's most Excellent Majesty ; Lord President, Mr. Gladstone ; Lord Chamberlain, Mr. Dodson. Whereas by an Order in Council, of this day's date, Her Majesty was pleased, by and with the consent of Her Privy Council, to approve the provision, maintenance, and use by the .Colony of Victoria of three armed vessels, "Victoria," "Albert," and " Childers," and the commissioning thereof, and the raising and maintaining the seamen and others entered thereon, for the purpose of defending the coasts of the Colony of Victoria, and of co-operating in manner provided by an Act of the Legislature of the said colony, No. 389, amended by an Act, No. 417, in time of war, with the ships of the Eoyal Navy : And whereas by an Act of the Imperial Legislature, intituled "The Colonial Defence Act, 1865," it was amongst other things enacted that it shall be lawful for Her Majesty in Council, from time to time as occasion requires, and on such conditions as seem fit, to authorize the Admiralty to accept any offer for the time being made or to be made by the Government of a colony to place at Her Majesty's disposal any vessel of war provided by that Government, and the men and officers from time to time serving therein; and, while any vessel accepted by the Admiralty under such authority is at the disposal of Her Majesty, such vessel shall be deemed to all intents a vessel of war of the Eoyal Navy, and the men and officers from time to time serving in such vessel shall be deemed to all intents men and officers of the Eoyal Navy, and shall accordingly be subject to all enactments and regulations for the time being in force for the discipline of the Eoyal Navy : And whereas 'the Government of the Cajpny of Victoria hath offered to place the aforesaid ships, and the men and officers serving therein, at Her Majesty's disposal: Now, therefore, in pursuance of the last above-recited Act, Her Majesty is pleased, by and with the consent of her Privy Council, to authorize the Admiralty to accept, for such time as the Admiralty may approve, the offer so made by the Government of the said Colony of Victoria to place at Her Majesty's disposal the above-named vessels "Victoria," " Albert," and " Childers," and the men and officers serving therein. C. L. Peel.

No. 27. (Circular.) Sir, — Downing Street, 27th November, 1884. I have the honour to transmit to you the accompanying copies of a letter Answer, which has been addressed by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to the No- 34-Agent-General for New Zealand, notifying the appointment by the Queen of a Royal Commission for the purpose of organizing and carrying out an Exhibition in London during the year 1886 of the products, manufactures, and resources

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