F : —8.

Enclosure in No. 19. The London Manager and Secretary, Pacific Cable Board, London, to the High Commissioner for New Zealand, London. The Pacific Cable Board, Queen Anne's Chambers, London S.W., Sir,— Ist March, 1912. I am directed to acquaint you, for the information of your Government, with the following facts in connection with the award of the contract for the supply and laying of the AucklandSydney and the Doubtless Bay-Auckland cables : The following tenders were received and opened in the presence of a subcommittee of the Board : — Messrs. Siemens Bros, and Co. (Limited)— £ Sydney-Auckland ... ... ... ... ... 135,600 Doubtless Bay-Auckland ... ... ... ... ... 19,400 155,000 The Indiarubber and Guttapercha Company (Limited) — Sydney-Auckland ... ... ... ... ... 133,220 Doubtless Bay - Auckland ... ... ... ... ... 19,200 152,420 The Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company (Limited) — Sydney-Auckland ... ... ... ... ... 141,000 Doubtless Bay-Auckland ... ... ... ... ... 19,000 £160,000 The samples of the cores accompanying the tenders were sent to the Board's consulting engineers, after labels bearing only a number had been substituted for the labels bearing the contractors' names. The engineer's report is attached. The numbers quoted refer to the samples of the contractors as follows: — No. 1. 130/130 core ... The Indiarubber and Guttapercha Company (Limited). No. 2. 180/160 „ ... No. 3. 180/160 ~ ... Messrs. Siemens Bros, and Co. (Limited). No. 4. 130/130 ~ ... No. 5. 130/130 ~ ... The Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company. No. 6. 180/160 ~ ... In view of the statement that the Board's engineers regard all of the samples as fully equal to the average quality of modern guttapercha coverings, and that the sample of the core (No. 2) to be supplied by the Indiarubber and Guttapercha Company for the Sydney-Auckland cable behaved satisfactorily under tests, the Board accepted the tender of this company. It may be mentioned that the successful tenderers —who are generally known as " Silvertown " —have manufactured and laid an enormous quantity of submarine cable, and bear a very high reputation. I am, &c, A. S. Baxendale, London Manager and Secretary. The High Commissioner for New Zealand, London.

No. 19. Messrs. Clark, Forde, and Taylor, London, to the London Manager and Secretary, Pacific Cable Board, London. Sir, — 4 Great Winchester Street, London E.C., 27th February, 1912. We yesterday received six samples of core numbered respectively 1 to 6; two samples had been furnished by each of the three contractors tendering for the above cable. Though none of these samples were definitely marked with the contractor's name, we were able, with fair certainty, to distinguish each contractor's manufacture. Our attention, and such examination that has been possible in the short time at our disposal, has been directed to the behaviour of the 180/160 core at different temperatures. Of the three specimens treated, those numbered 2 and 6 behaved similarly, whilst No. 3 had a tendency to soften at a lower temperature than those cores previously mentioned. A very approximate analysis of all the specimens indicates that Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 are similar in composition. The result of testing Nos. 5 and 6 in the same manner goes to show that the guttapercha on these two cores is probably of a more expensive quality than that on the other four specimens. We are not prepared, however, to take exception to any of the cores sent to us, as we regard all of them as fully equal to the average quality of modern guttapercha coverings. The mechanical properties of all of them appear satisfactory, and it only remains for us to say that the contractor whose tender is accepted should abide by article 2 of the contract. Yours, <fee, Clark, Forde. and Taylor, A. S. Baxendale, Esq., Pacific Cable Board, London S.W,

15