D.—2

26

was yesterday instructed by telegram to afford Mr. Smith every proper assistance in making arrangements for the emigrants on board the vessel bound to New Zealand, which has been towed into Brest disabled. I am, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand. H. J. Holland

Enclosure 7 in No. 26. Lord Lyons to Earl Gbanville. My Lobd,— Paris, February 15th, 1873. I have the honor to forward herewith to your Lordship two Despatches which have been addressed to you by Mr. Bainals, Hit. Consul at Brest, respecting the damaged emigrant ship " Edwin Fox," and which have come to me to-day under Flying Seal. I should be glad to be enabled to convey the thanks of Her Majesty's Government, not only to the Prefet Maritime at Brest, but also the Departments of Foreign Affairs and of the Marine at Paris. Great promptitude and good-will have been shown by both these Departments in the case. I have, &c, The Earl Granville, K.G. Lyons. Sub-Enclosure 1 to Enclosure 7 in No. 26. Consul Eainals to Earl Geanville. (No. 3.) My Lobd, — British Consulate, Brest, 13th February, 1873. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's telegram of the 10th instant, thus worded:— " Monday. —Afford Mr. B. Smith every proper assistance for the emigrants (on) board the vessel bound to New Zealand, with (which) has been towed into Brest disabled." This gentleman arrived here to-day as the representative of the Agent-General of New Zealand ; and, in conformity with your Lordship's instructions, I shall not fail to render him every proper assistance in my power. I have, &c, The Earl Granville, K.G. H. Eainals. Sub-Enclosure 2 to Enclosure 7 in No. 26. Consul Eainals to Earl Geantille. (No. 4.) My Lobd, — British Consulate, Brest, 13th February, 1873. I have the honor to transmit herewith to your Lordship, under flying seal, a Despatch for the Assistant Secretary, Marine Department, Board of Trade, relative to the emigrant ship " Edwin Fox," now here, undergoing repairs. And I have the honor to report to your Lordship that, on the arrival of this vessel, considering it impossible to have her repaired by the ship-builders here, I applied to the Prefet Maritime for permission for her to enter the Government Arsenal, for the purpose of repairs. He at once caused a survey to be taken on board, and telegraphed to the French Admiralty for authority to comply with my request. The reply, however, was to the effect that she could only be temporarily repaired, in order to enable her to proceed to some other port to complete such repairs. I represented to the Prefet Maritime that it was out of the power of the commercial ship-builders here to repair the "Edwin Fox," as the harbour was too full of ships in distress, —amongst them, five British vessels; and that the builders were unable to comply with the requirements of these vessels ; adding, that if the " Edwin Fox " was only temporarily repaired at Brest, she would in all probability be ordered to a British port to complete her repairs, and thus French commercial interests would rather suffer than otherwise. Baron Didelot, the Prefet Maritime, entirely agreeing with me, I proposed to communicate with Her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris on the subject, which he encouraged me to do. Since then I have been in frequent communication, by telegraph and by despatches, with His Excellency Lord Lyons, and the Prefet Maritime has has been in similar correspondence with the French Admiralty, Paris, until yesterday, when I received a letter from Baron Didelot, informing me that the repairs of the " Edwin Fox " would now be completed, so as to enable her to proceed on her voyage to New Zealand. I consider that the owners of this vessel, Messrs. Gellatly, Hankey, Sewell, and Co., of London, and all interested in her, are deeply indebted to Her Majesty's Ambassador at Paris, and to Baron Didelot, the Prefet Maritime, for without their prompt and energetic interference, I am afraid the permission to repair the " Edwin Fox " so as to enable her to proceed to New Zealand would not have been granted, or that at least considerable delay would have been incurred. I have already personally thanked Baron Didelot, but it would be gratifying to me if your Lordship would authorize me to offer the thanks of Her Majesty's Government to the Pref'et Maritime for the courtesy and consideration shown by him in this matter; the more so, as though Her Majesty's Government are probably not directly interested in the voyage of the " Edwin Fox," yet, from a statement made to me to-day by Mr. Smith, now the representative here of the Agent-General of New Zealand, it appears that the Government of that Colony is so. I have, Ac, The Eight Hon. Earl Granville, K.G. H. Eainals.