A.—2.

2

To no one was the force of these facts more apparent than to Baron von Mueller, the distinguished Government Botanist of Victoria- not merely did he therefore waive his own, in many respects, pre-eminent claims to the authorship of the " Flora Australiensis," but, with singular generosity, he transmitted to this country his immense Australian Herbarium, the examination of which was indispensable to the proper elaboration of the work. He furthermore allowed duplicate specimens to be taken from his collections for preservation at Kew as the authentic types upon which the descriptions published in the "Flora" had been based. I trust that the completion of this, the most important of the series of Colonial Floras projected by my late father, will be recognized as evidence of the value of Baron von Mueller's services, and of the botanical establishments of Melbourne and Kew, in furthering the development of the inexhaustible vegetable resources of our Colonial Empire. I have, &c, The Hon. R. Meade, Assistant Under-Secretary, Jos. D. Hooker. Colonial Office.

Enclosure 2 in No. 1. The Colonial Office to Sir J. Hooker. Sir, — Downing Street, 9th August, 1878. I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th of July, calling his attention to the publication of the seventh and last volume of the " Flora Australiensis," compiled by Mr. Bentham, late President of the Linnssan Society of London. 2. I am to request that you will convey to Mr. Bentham the expression of the Secretary of State's gratification at learning that this important work, which Sir Michael Hicks Beach is aware has long engaged Mr. Bentham's. attention, and which will remain a valuable and exhaustive record of the botany of the Australian Colonies, has been brought to a satisfactory termination. 3. Sir Michael Hicks Beach will have pleasure in transmitting a copy of the correspondence to the Australian Governors and for communication to Dr. von Mueller, who has so largely and generously contributed to the success of the undertaking. 4. A copy of Mr. Bentham's work has been ordered for the use of the library in the Colonial Office. 5. Sir Michael Hicks Beach feels no doubt that the facilities which you have afforded to Mr. Bentham in carrying on the studies necessary for the elaboration of the work have been of great use to him, and that, as on many previous occasions, the colonies are indebted to yourself for much personal care and attention. I have, &c., Sir J. Hooker, K.C.5.1., C.8., Kew Gardens. R. G. W. Herbert.

No. 2. Copy of a DESPATCH from the Eight Hon. Sir Michael Hicks Beach to Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby. (No. 34) My Lord, — Downing Street, Ist September, 1878. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 25, of the 22nd of June, transmitting printed copies of communications which have taken place between Sir George Grey and yourself, respecting your submission of certain constitutional questions to the decision of my predecessor and of myself. 2. I approve of the terms in which, in your memorandum of the 17th of June, you replied to the opinions expressed by Sir George Grey in his memorandum of the Bth of that month. It may, of course, become a question of considerable delicacy whether a Governor should, without the advice of his Ministers, publish a correspondence between himself and the Secretary of State ; and there are cases in which it is obviously undesirable that Her Majesty's Government should appear to interfere. But in the present case an important point has been raised, in public documents printed by order of the House of Representatives, respecting the duty and powers of a Governor in certain circumstances; and, as you had informed Parliament that you would lay the whole case before the Secretary of State for his consideration, and he was clearly the authority to whom you had to look for an explanation of your position, and it was moreover desirable that the Parliament should know the instructions given to you on the subject, I think you did rightly iu requiring the publication of the further correspondence.