3

A.—2

This order appears to have been sent out in original to the Governor of Mauritius, without any steps having been taken at the time to communicate it to the rest of the colonies. It is therefore now forwarded for your information, and for publication in the colony under your Government. I have, &c, CARNARVON. Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanbv, G.C.M.G, &c, &c.

Enclosure in No. 2. At the Court at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, the 28th day of December, 1866. Present: The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty in Council. W^iiereas by " The Foreign Deserters Act, 1852," it is provided that, whenever it is made to appear to Her Majesty that due facilities are or will be given for recovering or apprehending seamen who desert from British merchant ships in the territories of any Foreign Power, Her Majesty may, by Order in Council, stating that such facilities are or will be given, declare that seamen, not being slaves, who desert from merchant ships belonging to such Power when within Her Majesty's dominions, shall be liable to be apprehended and carried on board their respective ships, and may limit the operation of such order, and may render the operation thereof subject to such conditions and qualifications, if any, as may be deemed expedient: And whereas it has been made to appear to Her Majesty that duo facilities are given for recovering and apprehending seamen wdio desert from British merchant ships in the territories of Her Majesty the Queen of Madagascar : Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by virtue of the powers vested in her by the said " Foreign Deserters Act, 1852," and by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, is pleased to order and declare, and it is hereby ordered and declared, that, from and after the publication hereof in the London Gazette, seamen, not being slaves, and not being British subjects, who within Her Majesty's dominions desert from merchant ships belonging to the Kingdom of Madagascar, shall be liable to be apprehended and carried on board their respective ships: Provided always that, if any such deserter has committed any crime in Her Majesty's dominions, he may be detained until he has been tried by a competent Court, and until his sentence (if any) has been fully carried into effect. And the Eight Honorable the Earl of Carnarvon, the Eight Honorable Viscount Cranborne, and the Eight Honourable Spencer Horatio Walpole, three of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, are to give the necessary directions accordingly. Edmund Harrison.

No. 3. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon to Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby. (Circular.) Sir, — Downing Street, 15th December, 1877. With reference to my circular despatch of the sth February last, I have the honor to inform you that I have received a communication from the Earl of Derby, stating that the intention at one time announced by the Austro-Hungarian Government to conclude a new Treaty of Commerce with this country, with full j>rovisions on all matters usually comprised in such treaties, has not been carried into effect. Instead of this course, it has been found advisable to prolong the duration of the treaty concluded for the term of one year on the sth of December, 1876, of which copies were enclosed in my circular despatch above referred to. That treaty has now been prolonged indefinitely, the two Powers reserving to themselves the usual right to terminate it upon twelve months' previous notice. It will be remembered that its stipulations provide for most favoured nation treatment, without specific provisions in regard to details of tariff. I have, &c, CARNARVON. Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby, G.C.M.G, &c, &c.