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Enclosure. Sib,— Admiralty, S.W., 24th January, 1913. I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to request that you will inform the Secretary of State for the Colonies that Rear-Admiral Thomas H. M. Jerram, C.8., has been selected to succeed Admiral Sir Alfred Winsloe, X.C.8., C.V.0., C.M.G., as Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's ships and vessels on the China Station, with the acting-rank of Vice-Admiral, to date the 25th January, 1913. Vice-Admiral Jerram will take over the command of the China Station in March next. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. W. Graham Greene.

No. 107. New Zealand.—Honours. My Lord,— Downing Street, 7th February, 1913. . By command of the King I have the honour to transmit to you herewith a letter from the Secretary to the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, addressed to Leonard Stowe, Esq., containing the Sovereign's Warrant conferring upon him the dignity of Companion of that Order, together with a packet containing the appropriate insignia ; and I have to request that you will, if practicable, present them or cause them to be presented to the recipient in an official and ceremonial manner, and that you will forward to me in due course a report as to the presentation. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

No. 108. New Zealand, No. 66. My Lord, — Downing Street, 12th February, 1913. With reference to my despatch, No. 273, of the 20th September, 1912, I have the honour to transmit to you, for the information of your Ministers, the accompanying copies of a circular issued by the Board of Trade respecting the examination in this country of masters and mates in the mercantile marine, and skippers and second hands of fishing-vessels, I have, &c. L. HARCOURT. Governor the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

Enclosure. Examination of Masters and Mates, Skippers, and Second Hands. — Instructions to Examiners, and Notice to Candidates.—Sight Tests. Board of Trade (Marine Department), December, 1912. 1. The departmental committee appointed to inquire into the Board of Trade sight tests have recommended that certain modifications should be made in the wool test hitherto used, and that, in addition, a lantern test should be used in examining all candidates. The Board of Trade have decided to carry into effect these recommendations, and the following instructions will, therefore, on and after Ist April, 1913, supersede those contained in the present (1909) edition of the Eegulations relating to the Examination of Masters and Mates, in so far as the colour vision test is concerned. I. The Wool Test, 2. The wools provided are divided into five groups, one to each test skein. The test skeins are labelled respectively : I (light green), II (pink), 111 (brown), IV (purple), and V (yellow), and must always be used in the order named, Care should be taken that the labels do not become detached nor the skeins belonging to the different groups get mixed. To avoid this, only one group of skeins should be exposed on the table at one time. A special bag with five pockets is provided, in which the wools when not in use must be kept, in order that they may not become faded or dirty. 3. The examination in the wool test should be conducted as follows : The first group of wools is placed in a heap upon a table covered with a white cloth, and the first test skein a little to one side of it, care being taken that no strong sunlight falls directly upon the skeins. The person examined should be requested to note carefully the colour of the test skein, and then to divide the group into two parts, one part consisting of those skeins which have the same colour as the test skein in them