E.—No. 6

agree that there shall be paid to the said Company (out of such aids or supplies as may be from time to time provided and appropriated by Parliament for the purpose) so long as they perform the voyages between Point de G-alle and Sydney and the other services herein contracted to be performed in the manner and with such vessels as herein respectively mentioned the sums of money following (that is to say) A sum after the rate of £120,000 per annum so long as the said Company shall upon the requisition of the Postmaster-General cause to be performed one such voyage each way in every calendar month. A sum after the rate of £130,000 per annum if and so long as the said Company shall upon the requisition of the Postmaster-General cause to be performed one such voyage each way in every lunar month of four weeks. A sum after the rate of £170,000 per annum if and so long as the said Company shall upon the requisition of the Postmaster-General cause to be performed two such voyages each way in every calendar month. A sum after the rate of £181,166 per annum if and so long as the said Company shall upon the requisition of the Postmaster-General cause to be performed two such voyages each way in every lunar month of four weeks. And that the said payments shall be made in equal quarterly payments on the first day of April the first day of July the first day of October and the first day of January in each year and shall accrue due from day to day and the said payments shall be received by the said Company as full compensation for all costs and expenses which they may incur or be put unto by reason or on account of all and singular the services hereby contracted to be performed subject however to the abatement of any sums of money in respect of forfeitures which the said Company may have incurred or to the addition of any sums in respect of premiums as the case may be as herein provided. And it is hereby further agreed and declared between and by the said parties to these presents 30. That if at any time during the continuance of this agreement or after determination thereof any dispute shall arise between the parties hereto or their successors respectively concerning any breach or alleged breach by or on the part of the Company of this agreement or the sufficiency of any such breach to justify the Postmaster-General in putting an end to the same or concerning the. amount of consideration to be paid to or allowed by the Company as the case may be for such altered services as hereinbefore in that behalf mentioned or concerning any of the covenants matters or things hereinbefore contained or in anywise relating thereto and notwithstanding the power herein contained to determine this agreement and any execution or attempted execution of such power such dispute shall be referred to two arbitrators one to be chosen from time to time by the PostmasterGeneral and the other by the Company and if such arbitrators should at any time or times not agree "in the matter or question referred to them then such question in difference shall be referred by them to an umpire to be chosen b) r such arbitrators before they proceed with the reference to them and the joint and concurrent award of the said arbitrators or the separate award of the said umpire when the said arbitrators cannot agree shall be binding and conclusive upon both parties. 31. That the whole postage of all mails conveyed in the vessels employed under this agreement shall belong to Her Majesty and shall be at the disposal of Her Majesty's Postmaster-General. 32. That this agreement shall commence on and from the first day of February 1866 and shall continue in force until one of the said parties hereto shall give to the other of them twenty-four calendar months' notice of his or their desire to determine the same and on the expiration of such notice this agreement shall determine accordingly without prejudice nevertheless to any right of action or other proceeding which shall then have accrued to either party for any breach thereof. 33. And it is hereby further agreed that in case the Company shall fail to commence the performance of the services herein agreed to be by them performed on the first day of February 1866 then and in such case the Company shall forfeit and pay unto Her Majesty Her heirs and successors the sum of £100 and also the further sum of £100 for every successive period of twenty-four hours which shall elapse after the first day of February 1866 until the actual and honafide commencement of the performance by the Company of the services herein agreed to be by them performed and further that in case the Company shall fail to have the said vessels to be used in the execution of this contract complete and ready for final survey on the fifteenth day of January 1860 the Company shall forfeit and pay unto Her Majesty Her heirs and successors the sum of £10 for every successive day which shall elapse after the said fifteenth day of January 1866 until such vessel shall be so complete and ready for final survey as aforesaid Provided always that the total amount of the penalties to be incurred by the said Company by reason of such failures as aforesaid respectively shall not exceed the sum of £25,000. 34. That the Company shall not assign underlet or dispose of this agreement or any part thereof without the consent of the Postmaster-General signified in writing under his hand or under the hand of the Secretary or one of the Assistant Secretaries of the Post Office and that in case of the same or any part thereof being assigned underlet or otherwise disposed of or of any great or habitual breach of this agreement or of any covenant matter or thing herein contained on the part of the Company their officers agents or servants and whether there be or be not any penalty or sum of money payable by the Company for any breach it shall bo lawful for the Postmaster-General if he shall think fit (and notwithstanding there may or may not have been any former breach of this contract) by writing under his hand or under the hand of the Secretary or one of the Assistant Secretaries of the Post Office to determine this agreement without any previous notice to the Company or their agents nor shall the Company be entitled to any compensation in respect of such determination. 35. That if on the determination of this agreement any vessel or vessels should have started or should start with the mails in conformity with this agreement such voyage or voyages shall be continued and performed and the mails be delivered and received during the same as if this agreement had remained in force with regard to any such vessels and services and with respect to such vessels and services as last aforesaid this agreement shall be considered as having terminated when such vessels and services shall have reached their port or place of destination and been performed.

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CONVEYANCE OE MAILS VIA SUEZ.