13

E.—3

But while Mr. "Webb and his friends have reason to expect that Congress may make the grant during its coming session, I am especially reminded by Mr. Pish that, in view of the independent action of that body, I can make no promise, express or implied, to bind it or the Government of the United States in the case. If your Lordship should think it worth while, I shall bo glad to talk the matter over with you informally at your leisure, or with the Agents of the interested Colonies who may now be in London, and afford any further information that it may be in my power to give. I have, &c, The Eight Hon. the Earl Granville, K.G. Benjamin Moban. Sub-Enclosure 2 to Enclosure 1 in No. 19. The Ciiaieman and Membees of Post Office Committee, United States Senate, to Mr. W. H. Webb. Sib, — United States Senate Chambers, "Washington, 11th June, 1872. On the eve of the adjournment of the forty-second Session of Congress, the undersigned, Chairman and Members of the Committee on Post Office and Post Eoads of the Senate of the United States, address this communication to you, to express their unqualified indorsement of your energy and enterprise towards developing the commerce of the Pacific Ocean between our own country and that of Australia, as well as the Islands of the South Pacific. We take pleasure in further informing you that we have considered the Bill now pending before Congress to establish, facilitate, and maintain mail steam ship service between this country and the Colonies, and have unanimously recommended its passage; and they only regret the want of time, and pressure of other business having preference by right under the rules of Congress, have prevented final action upon it. But we beg to assure you, in our opinion, this Government will, no doubt, at an early date of the next session, which convenes in December next, take prompt action on the measure to aid in developing more fully this new commercial enterprise which you have inangurated. We have, &c, Alex. Eamsat, Chairman. Saml. C. Pomeeot. C. Cole. L. M. Feeey. W. H. Webb, Esq., New York City. James E. Kellt. Sub-Enclosure 3 to Enclosure 1 in No. 19. The Seceetabt, United States Navy, to Mr. W. H. Webb. Sib, — Navy Department, Washington, 12th June, 1872. In reply to your letter of this date, it gives me pleasure to say that this Department naturally takes a strong interest in all measures which tend to increase our commerce in the Pacific Ocean, either with the countries of China and Japan, or with the newer and growing Colonies of Australia and New Zealand, also with the Islands lying between the coasts of the United States on the west and those countries. Among such measures, your line of steamers from San Francisco to Australia and New Zealand via the Sandwich and Navigators Islands deserves, in the estimation of this Department, all the aid and encouragement from the Government of the United States which can with propriety be rendered, and you may rely upon all the support we can properly give you. The Department is fully aware of the convenient position of the Navigators Islands as a stopping place between San Francisco and New Zealand and Australia, and also of the advantages of the landlocked harbour of Pago-Pago as a place of a naval and coaling station, repairing ships, and generally as a mercantile port, and. of its natural capacities for defence, in which it has the preference over the reeflocked harbours in its vicinity, or any harbour in that portion of the Pacific. Wishing you a successful prosecution of your enterprise in your attempt to bridge over by steam the vast distance of sea which separates our West Coast from that of Australia and New Zealand, I have, &c, Geo. M. Eobeson, William H. Webb, Esq., Washington. Secretary of the Navy.

Enclosure 2 in No. 19. The Agent-Geneeal to Mr. H. T. Holland. Sib, — London, 4th December, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th ultimo, forwarding, by direction of the Earl of Kimberley, copies of a note and its enclosures which have recently been addressed to Earl Granville, " unofficially and informally," by the Charge d'Affaires of the United States, upon the question of subsidizing the mail packets plying between New Zealand and San Francisco. I was in hopes that I should have been favoured with a reply to the communication addressed to Lord Kimberley on the 25th June last by the Eight Hon. Mr. Childers and myself on this very subject; but probably his Lordship considered that a reply was rendered unnecessary, by the withdrawal of Victoria from the conditional contract entered into between its Government and that of New Zealand, and by the counter proposal sent in by the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury.

Enclosure No. 1.

E. No. 2, 1872, No. 42.