E.—No. 4b.

No. 117. The Hon. J. Vogel to Mr. Webb. Sie, — Charing Cross Hotel, London, 4th April, 1871. Great inconvenience is occasioned here by its not being known by what vessels the New Zealand mails leave New York, and at what port in this country they will arrive. Will you be so good, therefore, as each month to telegraph, on the day of sailing, the name of the steamer by which the mails leave, and the port at which they will be landed. It will be sufficient to frame the message in this manner —" New Zealand mails left by for ," and to address the telegram " New Zealand Government Agency, London." I have, Ac, W. H. Webb, Esq., New York. Julius Vogel.

No. 118. Mr. Webb to the Hon. J. Vogel. United States, New Zealand, and Australia Mail Steamship Line, Sie,— 54 Exchange Place, New York, 19th April, 1871. I duly received your favour of the 4th instant, suggesting that the despatch from this point of the New Zealand mails, be cabled to London. This I have arranged to do, and beg you will be good enough to advise the New Zealand Government Agency, London, that, on receipt of a steamer's name from me by cable, it will invariably mean the New Zealand mails have been forwarded from the New York Post Office by that ship; and knowing the name of the ship, they can readily add all else needed to the message, such as date of departure from New York, and port at which it lands the mails, as they are always well known in London. I have, Ac, W. H. Webb, Per C. Metzgae, \ T ___ ___ H. McLell_n, { Jomt Attom °y»The Hon. J. A 7ogel, Charing Cross Hotel, London.

No. 117 of this series.

No. 119. The Hon. J. Vogel to Mr. Webb. Sie, — Charing Cross Hotel, London, 15th April, 1871. I have requested the Post Office authorities here to advise you, month by month, as to the steamer by which tho New Zealand mails are forwarded to New York. The authorities have acceded to my request; and they will advise you monthly, " Mails for New Zealand have gone on by " —naming the vessel in each case. It will be for you to ascertain from your Post Office by what train the mails will be forwarded, and when it will reach San Francisco, so that you may insure that the contract steamer shall not leave that port without having the mails on board. I have, Ac, W. H. Webb, Esq., New York. Julius Vogel.

No. 120. Mr. Tilley to the Hon. J. Vogel. Sir,— General Post Office, London, 28th April, 1871. As it is very desirable that the public should be officially informed, without further delay, of the new arrangements made by the New Zealand Government for the due carriage of its mails from San Francisco, and, more particularly, when the next mail will be despatched from this country, I am directed by the Postmaster-General to request that you will be good enough to furnish him, at your earliest convenience, with full information on this subject, in order that a notice may at once be issued. This Department would wish to have a few copies of any contract that may have been concluded for the carriage of the New Zealand mails. I am, Ac, The Hon. Julius Vogel, London. John Tilley.

FURTHER PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.