A.—2

15

Enclosure. Sib,— Foreign Office, 12th June, 1899. I am directed by the Marquis of Salisbury to enclose, for the information of Mr. Secretary Chamberlain, copies of correspondence, as marked in the margin, respecting a festival to be held in the summer of next year at Berne, to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the foundation of the Postal Union. Mr. Chamberlain may think proper to bring the matter to the knowledge of the self-governing colonies, in case they may wish to be represented either directly or indirectly at the festival. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. F. H. Villiebs.

Sub-enclosures. Monsieue le Maequis,— Londres, le 6 Avril, 1899. D'orde de mon Gouvernement, j'ai l'honneur d'informer votre Seigneurie gui le 9 Octobre, 1899, l'union postale universelle, fondee a Berne le 9 Octobre, 1874, accomplira le vinqt-cinquieme anne de sou existence. Le Conseil f£d&ral a etc pressenti par l'une dcs administrations de l'union postale universelle sur la question de savoir s'il ne conviendrait pas de feter le vinqt-cinquieme anniversaire de cette grande institution dans la ville meme gui fut son berceau et ou reside le bureau international dcs postes. Dans la pensee gui la proposition gui lvi etait si heureusement suggeree rencontrerait l'assoutiment dcs Etats formant l'union postale universelle, le Conseil fed6ral s'est declare pret a organiser une fete commemorative et a y convier les Etats de l'union. Mon Gouvernement n'eut done prier les Hauts, Gouvernements de ces Estats de vouloir bien s<3 faire represented par dcs delegues, a la reunion projetee gui aura lien a Berne le 2 Juillet, 1900. Cette date ne coincide pas, il est vrai, avec le jour ou le traite postal a etc sique. Mais la date anniversaire dv 9 Octobre, 1899, N'Aurait pas laiss6 a la confederation le temps necessaire pour les indispensables de cette reunion. Les autorites federates tenaient aussi a faire le choix dune saison plus propice. Le programme de cette festivity, gui nest pas encore definitivement arrete, comprendra, entre autres une seance soleunelle d'ouverture avec discours et dans laquelle ou nommera une commission charged de referer sur la question dun monument a clever en souvenir de l'oeuvre de 1874: une excursion de deux ou trois jours dans les Alpes : une seance de cloture, ou seront discutees la question dv monument et d'autres propositions eventuelles. Mon Gouvernement aime a experer que tousles etats faisant partie de l'union postale universelle et notamment le Haut Gouvernement de la Majeste Britannique voudront bien accepter cette invitation et communiquer au Conseil federal, en temps utile, les noms de lecurs delegues. Veuillez agreer, &c, Sa Seigneurie, le Marquis de Salisbury, K.G., &c. C. D. Boubcabt.

Sib, — General Post Office, London, 2nd June, 1899. With reference to your letter of the 11th April, 1899, enclosing a copy of a note from the Swiss Minister at this Court on the subject of the festival which is to be held at Berne in the summer of 1900, to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the foundation of the Postal Union, I am directed by the Duke of Norfolk to state, for the information of the Marquis of Salisbury, that in His Grace's opinion the time is not yet come when it would be possible to inform Monsieur Bourcart of the names of the British delegates who will take part in the celebration. Lord Salisbury may perhaps think that the best course will be to accept formally the invitation which has been sent to Her Majesty's Government, and to reserve the question of representation. In the meantime, the Postmaster-General would be glad to learn the views of the Secretary of State on the question whether the representation should be diplomatic or postal, or both —the invitation as finally formulated being to the Government, and not specifically to the Post Office. The proposal to consider the question of arranging a monument in memory of the foundation of the Union in 1874 will, of course, involve a reference to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury. I am, &c, Secretary of State, Foreign Office. G. H. Mubbay.

Sib,— Foreign Office, 12th June, 1899. I am directed by the Marquis of Salisbury to enclose, for the information of Her Majesty's Postmaster-General, a copy of a note which, in accordance with the suggestion made in the second paragraph of your letter of the 2nd instant, his Lordship has addressed to the Swiss Minister, accepting the invitation of his Government to send British delegates to the festival to be held at Berne next summer, to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the foundation of the Postal Union. It may bo desirable, when the time comes, that, in addition to any delegates nominated by Her Majesty's Postmaster-General or other departments, the British Minister at Berne should also attend the festival. This point may, however, be left for consideration at a later date. In the meantime copies of the correspondence have been forwarded to Mr. St. John, with instructions to report any information that reaches him with regard to the representation of other States.