5

A.—2

Enclosure. Sin,— Admiralty, 6th October, 1885. I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you, for the information of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that communications have been received through the Foreign Office from the following Governments, signifying their readiness to assent to the proposal that colonial armed vessels should be recognized as ships of war : France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Norway and Sweden, Holland, Belgium, United States, Denmark, Turkey, Brazils, Japan, Peru, Ecuador, Chili, Guatemala. 2. Eussia has also conveyed her assent to the proposal, but on'certain conditions, which are now the subject of correspondence between this office and the Foreign Office. 3. The only Government which has declined to comply with the wishes of Her Majesty's Government in this respect is that of Costa Eica. 4. My Lords desire me to request that it may be suggested to the several Colonial Governments that their armed vessels should adopt the same formalities as regards the exchange of international courtesy as are observed by the ships of the Eoyal Navy. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Evan MacGeegor.

No. (i. (New Zealand, No. 4.) Sic, — Downing Street, 26th January, 1886. With reference to previous correspondence relating to the French Habitual Criminals Deportation Law, I have the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Government, a decree which has appeared in the French Journal Ojficiel, containing the regulations, or " Beglement d'Administration Publique," for the execution of that law. I have, &c, FEED. STANLEY. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G., C.8., &c.

A.-6,183G, No. 5

No. 7. (New Zealand, No. 5.) Sir, — Downing Street, 26th January, 188 G. I have the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Ministers, a copy of a letter with its enclosures from the Board of Trade, relative to the acceptance in this country of docking certificates issued by the Governor of New Zealand. I have, &c, FEED. STANLEY. Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G., C.8., &c.

Enclosure. Sir,— Board of Trade (Marine Department), London, S.W., 22nd January, 1886. I am directed by the Board of Trade to forward, for the information of Colonel Stanley, the accompanying copy of a letter which they have received from the Now Zealand Marine Department, and to request that you will be good enough to move the Secretary of State to cause the New Zealand Marine Department to be informed that the Board of Trade have no power to accept the docking certificates of this colony. Section 17 of "The Merchant Shipping Act, 1876," however, provides for the acceptance of colonial passenger certificates in the United Kingdom under certain conditions, and subject to the issue of an Order in Council. The Board would also suggest that the New Zealand Marine Department may be informed that, if they desire the passengej? certificates issued under "The [New 7 Zealand] Shipping and Seamen's Act, 1877," to be so accepted, they should, in the first place, furnish this Board with full particulars as to their surveys, which must be of equal value to those conducted in accordance with the " Instructions" issued by this department, a set of which is forwarded herewith, for the information of the New Zealand Marine Department. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Thomas Geay.

Sub-Enclosure. Sir, — Marino Department, Wellington, 3rd December, 1885. It has been represented to this department that the steamers belonging to the New Zealand Shipping Company (Limited) which trade between this colony and England are required by the Board of Trade to be docked in London for survey before the Board will grant them passenger certificates, although they are periodically docked in this colony, as the Board of Trade does not accept the certificates of the surveyors who inspect them in dock in New Zealand. This department will therefore feel obliged if the Board of Trade will consent to accept the certificates