F.—6a

4

INCIDENTS OF UNITED STATES AND ATLANTIC TRANSIT

No. 8. The Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. Sir,— General Post Office, Wellington, Ist May, 1906. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 29th March last [not printed: see No. 11, F.-6, 1906], transmitting a letter from the Superintendent, Railway Mail Service, San Francisco [not printed], in explanation of the delay in transit across the United States of seventy-six bags of mail in August last. It is noted that the delay was due to a failure on the part of a transfer-clerk, who is not now connected with the Railway Mail Service. I have, &c, Thomas Rose, Acting-Secretary. H. Stephenson Smith, Esq., Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco.

EARTHQUAKE AT SAN FRANCISCO AND FOLLOWING EVENTS.

No. 9. The Officer in Charge, Telegraph Office, Auckland, to the Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington. (Telegram.) Auckland, 19th April, 1906. Bamfield advises: "10.40 a.m. —Vancouver advises San Francisco cut off all routes. Communication established several times this morning. Hope get in this afternoon."

No. 10. The Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco. (Telegram.) Wellington, 19th April, 1906. Is the report true respecting earthquake? Are you and Lindsay safe? I anxiously await particulars.

No. 11. The Acting-Secretary, General Post Office, Wellington, to all Postmasters. (Telegram.) Wellington, 19th April, 1906. The General Manager of the Pacific Cable Board has handed the following telegrams to the Premier, who desires that they be made public: — (Received at Wellington, 0.32 p.m., 19th April.) Seattle advises unable obtain any information re Commercial Pacific. All harbour cables gone, but Commercial trenched several miles from beach to city. Last report at 12.30 p.m. Local magnitude disaster grows. Fires raging all directions. AVater-mains burst. Authorities using dynamite to localise. Palace Hotel and Spreckels's building destroj-ed. City under martial law. All troops called out. Present no communication. (Received at Wellington, 1.15 p.m., 19th April.) Short bulletin just through from San Francisco says whole water front in flames. No means arresting. Post Office, Grand Opera House destroyed. Gasworks blown up, starting other fires. Impossible estimate loss life, but heaviest in tenement district.