A.— 2

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I request that you will move your Government to cause the necessary inquiries to be instituted, with the view of obtaining the information desked by the Board of Trade. A similar despatch has been addressed to the Governor of New South Wales. I have, &c, Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G., C.B. GEANVILLE.

Enclosure. Sir,— Board of Trade (Marine Department), London, S.W., 18th May, 1886. I am directed by the Board of Trade to transmit herein a copy of a letter which they have received from the Foreign Office, together with copies of a despatch from Her Majesty's Minister at Washington, and of a Bill of the House of Eepresentatives of the United States referred to therein, authorizing the payment of $10,000 as compensation to the late owners, officers, and crew of the whaling barque " Chance," on account of indirect losses caused to them in connection with the rescue of shipwrecked crews of the American whaling fleet in the Arctic Sea in September, 1871. As this Board are requested by the Earl of Eosebery to undertake to deal with the sum awarded whenever it reaches the hands of Her Majesty's Government, and as they do not possess any information respecting the parties entitled to share in the amount awarded by the United States Government, and as it has been suggested that the necessary information might be obtained from Sydney, and possibly from Invercargill, New Zealand, I am to request you to move the Earl of Granville to cause inquiries to be made there as to the names of the persons who were entitled to share in the compensation, or, in case of their decease, the names of their present representatives, and also as to the proper share of each of such persons. I am to add that the port of registry of the " Chance " at the time of the services in question was Sydney, and her official number was 42867, and her port number 45 of 1869. Her port of registry was subsequently changed to Invercargill, New Zealand, No. 3, 1874, in consequence of change of ownership. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Geobge J. Swanston.

Sub-Enclosures. Sib,— Foreign Office, 4th May, 1886. I am directed by the Earl of Eosobery to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a despatch from Her Majesty's Minister at Washington, enclosing copies of a Bill introduced into the United States House of E'jpresentatives, and copies of the report of the Committee of Claims thereupon, authorizing compensation to the late owners, officers, and crew of the whaling barque " Chance," on account of indirect losses caused to them in connection with the rescue of shipwrecked crews of the American whaling fleet in the Arctic Sea. A copy of a memorandum upon the case, prepared in the library of this office, is likewise transmitted herewith ; and I am to request that, in laying this letter before the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade, you will state that Lord Eosebery will be glad if their Lordships will undertake to deal as they may consider proper with the sum awarded whenever it reaches the hands of Her Majesty's Government. I have, &c, The Secretary, Board of Trade. P. W. Cuebie.

My Lobd,— Washington, 12th April, 1886. With reference to the Earl of Derby's despatch to Sir E. Thornton, No. 31, 1877, relative to the claim of the late owners of the whaling barque " Chance " for compensation, and to the correspondence with the United States Government in connection therewith, I have the honour to enclose to your Lordship herewith copies of a Bill introduced into the House of Eepresentatives to authorize such compensation, as well as copies of the report of the Committee of Claims thereupon. It will be seen that the Committee are of opinion that the sum of §10,000 should be paid to the British Government for the purpose of distribution among the owners, officers, and crew of this vessel. I have, &c, The Earl of Eosebery, &c. L. S. Sackville West.

H.E. 7477 (Esport No. 1431). In the House of Bepresentatives, March 30th, 1886. Eead twice, committed to the Committee of the whole House, and ordered to bo printed. Mr. Gallingeb, from the Committee on Claims, reported the following Bill as a substitute for H.E. 1093:— A Bill for the Belief of Owners, Officers, and Crew of the British Barque "Chance." Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Eepresentatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, that the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to draw his requisition upon the Secretary of the Treasury for the payment out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated of the sum of $10,000 to the duly-accredited representative of the Government of Great Britain at Washington to enable said Government to pay the same to the owners of the British barque " Chance," of the Port of Sydney, New South Wales, to indemnify them and the officers and crew of the said'barque for abandoning their whaling voyage in the Arctic Ocean in the month of September in the year 1871, and rescuing from shipwreck ninety-six American seamen and transporting them to Honolulu.