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The attention of the Colonial and India Offices has also been called to the proposed celebration. I am, &c, The Secretary to the General Post Office. F. H. Villibrs.

Sib,— Foreign Office, 12th June, 1899, With reference to your note of the 6th of April last, I have the honour to inform you that Her Majesty's Government have great pleasure in accepting the invitation of the Government of the Swiss Confederation that British representatives should attend the festival to be held at Berne in the summer of next year, to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the foundation of the Postal Union. I shall, at a later date, have the honour of notifying to you the names of the British delegates. I have, &c, Monsieur Bourcart, &c. Salisbury.

No. 24. (No. 71.) My Lord,— Downing Street, 2nd November, 1899. I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, with reference to your telegram of the 24th August last, a copy of the correspondence noted below respecting the saluting-stations in the Australian Colonies and New Zealand for foreign men-of-war. I have, &c, EDWAED WINGFIELD, For the Secretary of State. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Date. Nature of Document. 16th June, 1899 ... ... Foreign Office to Colonial Office (without enclosure). 28th September, 1899 ... ... Colonial Office to Foreign Office.

Enclosures. Sik,— Foreign Office, 16th June, 1899. I am directed by the Marquis of Salisbury to transmit to you, to be laid before the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the translation of a note from the German Ambassador, inquiring on behalf of his Government whether Thursday Island is to be regarded as a salutingstation for foreign ships of war, and what other ports in the British colonies of Australia are to be so regarded. I am to request that Lord Salisbury may be informed what reply should be made to Count Hatzfeld on these points. The required information with regard to Zanzibar has been obtained from the Admiralty. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. T. H. Sanderson.

Enclosure. Sir, — Downing Street, 28th September, 1899. I am directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th June, inquiring as to saluting-stations for foreign ships of war in Australia, and I am to express his regret that he has not been in a position to return an earlier reply. 2. I am to request you to inform the Marquis of Salisbury that telegrams have now been received from the Governors of the Australian Colonies and New Zealand, from which it appears that the following are the only saluting-stations : New South Wales— Sydney ; South Australia — Outer anchorage, Largs Bay, or neighbourhood, seaward; Queensland —Battery, Queen's Park, Brisbane, and 9-pounder battery, Thursday Island ; Western Australia—Albany; Tasmania— Hobart; New Zealand—Wellington and Auckland. 3. With regard to Victoria, the Governor telegraphed, in the first instance, that there is no saluting-station, but in reply to a further inquiry whether foreign war-ships do not salute in the neighbourhood of Melbourne, he has telegraphed that the local defence harbour-ship "Cerberus" returns the salute of foreign men-of-war when she is at her moorings in Hobson's Bay. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Foreign Office. H. Bektbam Cox.