A.—2.

Sub-Enclosure. Telegkam to Genebal Officeb Commanding in China and the Straits Settlements, Hongkong. Inspection local troops Australasian Colonies approved. Make arrangements with Governors. You may be accompanied by aide-de-camp. Adjutant-Genebal.

No. 16. (New Zealand, No. 17.) My Lord, — Downing Street, 6th July, 1889. With reference to a minute by Sir H. Atkinson of the 11th April, a copy of which was received from the Agent-General for New Zealand, recording a resolution unanimously adopted by your Lordship's Ministers on the occasion of the retirement of Sir W r. D. Jervois, I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of a letter from the War Office expressing the appreciation of the Secretary of State, and of His Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief, of the valuable services rendered by that officer in advising on questions of colonial defence. I have, &c, KNUTSFORD. Governor the Right Hon. the Earl of Onslow, G.C.M.G., &c.

Enclosure. The Wab Office to the Colonial Office. Sib,— War Office, 27th June, 1889. I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 29th ultimo and 19th instant, forwarding copies of despatches from the Governments of the Colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, and New Zealand, expressing appreciation of the services rendered to them by Lieut.-General Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G., C.8., Eoyal Engineers, in advising upon questions of colonial defences. In reply I am to acquaint you, for the information of Lord Knutsford, that Mr. Secretary Stanhope and His Eoyal Highness the Commander-in-Chief have perused these reports upon the valuable services of Sir William Jervois, and desire that the expression of their appreciation may be conveyed to that officer in any communication that may be addressed to him on the subject. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Ealph Thompson.

No. 17. Lord Knutsfohd to the Goveknobs of the Austkalian Colonies and New Zealand. My Lokd,— Downing Street, Bth July, 1889. In the despatch which I addressed to the Officer Administering the Government of Queensland on the 30th November, 1888,1 stated that on another occasion I should deal further with the communications which I had received from New South Wales and South Australia, as well as from Queensland, representing that the colonial Ministers ought to have an opportunity of expressing an opinion before any Governor is appointed, and also with the question whether the area of selection should be limited in the case of appointments to Australian Colonies. Of the remaining Australasian Colonies under Responsible Government, Victoria has declared strongly against any communications with the colonial Ministers in regard to the selection of the Governor, and the Governments of New Zealand and Tasmania have made no representation on the subject to Her Majesty's Government. I may add that, although there has been no official correspondence with Canada on this question, I have been informed that the Dominion Government are decidedly of opinion that the appointment of a Governor-General shojild be made without any reference to the Responsible Ministers. Her Majesty's Government hay« read with attention the debates in the colonial Parliaments, and without referring in-detail to those discussions it may suffice for me to say generally that the fuller reports of them have confirmed the opinion which Her Majesty's Government had been led to form after considering

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