F.—4a

16

agreement mentioned, we, the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, John Francis tTre, John Lennox Kincaid Jamieson, William Pearce, and Donald Eobert Macgregor, still are and will continue to be jointly and severally held and firmly bound in the said sum of £25,000 iu the said bond or obligation mentioned, in the same manner in all respects as we should be if such mails had been or should continue to be conveyed according to the routes, within the times, and at the rates of payment in the said articles of agreement mentioned; and we declare that if during the remainder of the present year, or during the year 1878, while the said mails shall be conveyed during the completion of any voyage or voyages commenced iu the present year, the mails shall be conveyed by routes other than those in the said articles of agreement mentioned, the said condition written under the said bond or obligation shall, if it be necessary so to do, be read and have the same force and effect as if during the period when the mails shall be conveyed by such other routes the words in the said condition " between Sydney and San Francisco, aud between San Francisco and Sydney, and between New Zealand and San Francisco, and between San Francisco and New Zealand, and from and to all and every or any of those ports, to and from the said ports of Honolulu and Kandavau " were not contained therein, and as if the following words, " between Sydney and San Francisco by way of Auckland or any port in New Zealand which may from time to time be appointed by the PostmastersGeneral for the time being, or either of them, and assented to or adopted by the said Pacific Mail Steamship Company, and between San Francisco and Sydney by way of Auckland or any port in New Zealand which may be so appointed and assented to or adopted as last aforesaid," were inserted in lieu thereof. And we do further declare that if the negotiations hereinbefore mentioned shall be without result, and no agreement for a permanent alteration of the routes by which, the times within which, and the rates of payment at which the said mails should according to the terms of the said articles of agreement be conveyed, shall be arrived at, the said bond or obligation shall notwithstanding remain in full force and effect, aud the said condition thereunder written shall (after the said mails shall have ceased to be conveyed by routes other than those in the said articles of agreement mentioned) cease to be read as if certain words were not contained therein, and as if certain other words were inserted in lieu thereof as hereinbefore provided for. In witness whereof the said Pacific Mail Steamship Company have hereunto caused their common seal to be affixed, and the said John Francis Ure, John Lennox Kincaid Jamieson, William Pearce, and Donald Robert Macgregor have hereunto set their hands and seals the 25th day of May, 1877. (1.5.) John F. Ure. (1.5.) John L. K. Jamieson. (1.5.) Wsi. Peaece. (1.5.) Donald. E. Macgregoe. Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-named John Francis Ure, John Lennox Kincaid Jamieson, and William Pearce, in the presence of— John Milne, Accountant, with John Elder and Co., Fairfield, Govan, Glasgow. Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-named Donald Eobert Macgregor, in the presence of— John Milne, Witness, accountant, with John Elder and Co., Fairfield, Govau, Glasgow. Enclosure 2 in No. 19. Extract from Telegram sent on 6th June, 1877. Mail Service sureties executed deed agreeing all alterations to end of year. Be careful, beyond that to stipulate for sureties' approval. See also my letter, 2nd May, 404. * * *

No. 20. The Hon. G. McLean to the Agent-Genebal. London. Sib,— General Post Office, Wellington, 9th August, 1877. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 6th June last, enclosing a copy of the deed signed by the sureties of the contractors for the modified San Francisco Mail Service, together with a copy of other correspondence relative thereto. I have, &c, Sir Julius Vogel, K.C.M.G., Geo. McLean. Agent-General for New Zealand, London.

No. 21. The Agent-Genebal to the Hon. the Postmastee-Geneeal, Wellington. 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— 19th July, 1877. Iu continuation of my letter of 6th June, I have the honor to forward for your information