A.—2

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It is, nevertheless, understood that the said special favours, exemptions, and privileges shall not be capable of application to products similar to those of Great Britain, nor be extended to navigation. The present Convention shall be ratified and the ratifications exchanged at Monte Video as soon as possible. It shall come into force from the day on which the ratifications are exchanged, and shall continue in force until the expiration of one year from the day on which one of the high contracting parties shall have given notice to the other of its intention of terminating it. The undersigned plenipotentiaries trust that in the time during which the present Convention remains in force the necessary negotiations may be carried on for the conclusion of a new treaty more in keeping with the reciprocal interests of the two States. In witness whereof they have signed the present Convention in duplicate at Monte Video, the 15th day of July, 1899. Walter Baking. Manl. Hbeebeo y Espinosa.

No. 21. (No. 63.) My Loed, — Downing Street, 29th September, 1899. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch (No. 53), of the 4th ultimo, on the subject of the recent appointment of an Acting British Consul at Samoa. I understand that you have been informed of the circumstances in which Mr. Hamilton Hunter was appointed to fill this post, and that when the British High Commissioner applied to you to send an officer from New Zealand for the purpose, he had reason to believe that the Governor of Fiji would be unable to comply with the similar request which had been made to him. In the critical situation which then existed in Samoa, it was of course very undesirable to leave the British Consulship vacant longer than necessary, and Mr. Eliot thought that the opportunity for filling it afforded by the unexpected arrival of Mr. Hunter should not be lost. Her Majesty's Government, however, cannot but greatly regret that your Ministers and Major Mair were put to needless trouble in the matter, and that it was impossible to utilize the services of that officer on his arrival in Samoa in the capacity which he was sent to fill. Her Majesty's Government will be glad if you will convey an expression of their regret to your Ministers, together with their cordial acknowledgments for the promptitude with which they responded to Mr. Eliot's appeal. I have, &c, J. CHAMBEELAIN. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Eanfurly, K.C.M.G., &c.

A.-l, 1900, No. 15.

No. 22. (No. 64.) My Lord, — Downing Street, sth October, 1899. In my telegram of the 3rd instant I communicated to you the acceptance by Her Majesty's Government, on the terms stated, of the offer which your Government have made of troops for service in South Africa. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, copy of a letter from the War Office on which that telegram was based. I have, &c, J. CHAMBEELAIN. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Eanfurly, K.C.M.G., &c.

Enclosure. Sib,— War Office, London, S.W., 2nd October, 1899. In view of the many offers of troops for co-operation with Her Majesty's Forces in South Africa which have been made, either officially by colonial Governments on behalf of their colonies, or unofficially by officers and gentlemen on behalf of bodies of men whom they know to be willing to serve, the Secretary of State for War will be obliged if the Secretary of State for the Colonies will express to both the Governments and the individuals concerned his gratification at the fact that such offers have been made. The Secretary of State for War and the Commander-in-Chief highly appreciate this signal exhibition of the patriotic spirit by which Her Majesty's colonial subjects are animated.