D.—2.

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No. 28. The Aoent-General to the Hon. the Minister for Immigration. Sir, — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, 3rd December, 1879. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a telegram (copy attached) from the Hon. the Premier respecting the "Knowsley Hall," and desiring me to urge on the Admiralty the desirability of their sending a vessel to search the Crozet Islands. Immediately on its receipt I waited personally on Admiral Hall, the Secretary to the Admiralty. I found that Admiral Hall was not at all favourable to a compliance with my request. He, however, on my pressing its urgency, left me, to discuss it with the Lords of the Admiralty. After some time, he returned with an unfavourable answer. I felt the matter was too important to be left in this condition, so I asked the First Lord to see me himself. After most courteously listening to the strong representations I made, he asked me to embody them in a letter. This I did; and lam glad to say that the reply was favourable. I herewith transmit copy of the correspondence, by which you will observe that the Admiralty have decided to order H.M.S. "Comus" to examine the Crozet Islands for the purpose of ascertaining whether any shipwrecked people are among them. I may remark that I agree with the Admiralty as to the danger and inexpediency of ships running so close to these islands; and I would suggest for the consideration of the Government whether, in arranging for any shipping contract, it would not be well to insert a provision by which the ships taking Government emigrants or cargo shall not proceed above the latitudes recommended by the Admiralty in the parliamentary papers long since published. You will observe by the letter from the Admiralty that the Imperial Government will not take any steps towards establishing a depot on these islands. Under such circumstances, and as, no doubt, the feeling of enterprise which pervades the mercantile marine will from time to time prompt captains to take their vessels along the route which lies in their neighbourhood, I think it would be very desirable, if possible, to establish a depot there by means of private contributions, aided by the colonial Governments. With this object in view, I added to the telegram, which I have this day sent to the Hon. the Premier informing him that H.M.S. " Comus " would search the Crozets, a paragraph asking if the Government in New Zealand will grant any aid towards the cost of such a depot. I have, &c., Junus Vogel, The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. Agent-General.

Enclosure 1 in No. 28. The Premier to the Agent-General. (Telegram.) Wellington, 26th November, 1879. Great anxiety respecting ship " Knowsley Hall." Urge Admiralty order search Crozets. Vogel, London. Hall.

Enclosure 2 in No. 28. The Agent-General to the Right Hon. the First Lord of the Admiralty. Sir., — 7, Westminster Chambers, London, 28th November, 1879. I have the honor to avail myself of the permission you gave me at the interview I had with you yesterday to reopen the question of sending one of Her Majesty's ships to the Crozet Islands to search for supposed survivors of the " Knowsley Hall." It is, of course, impossible to express a positive opinion that the " Knowsley Hall " was wrecked off the Crozet Group, but, looking at the various causes which may have contributed to her loss, I am fortified by good authority in saying that wreck off the Crozets is the most probable. Such also is the opinion in ISlew Zealand, as the telegram of the Premier of the colony which I submitted to you yesterday attested. The question then is, should the doubt be set at rest by succour being sent in case of its being needed. Actual experience has shown, in the case of the wreck of the " Strathmore," that life may be supported for a considerable time on these desolate islands; but, even were it otherwise, and no survivors remain to tell the tale, it would at least be satisfactory that the dead should be buried, and some precaution taken for the future. For it is much to be regretted that no stores were deposited on the islands when H.M.S. " Wolverine " called there. I would indeed submit that in the interests of humanity, if there were no reason to suppose that the survivors of the '.' Knowsley Hall " were in the islands, stores should be deposited there. I would further submit that the nearly three years which have elapsed since the last visit was paid to the islands, is a long interval to leave without inspection a dangerous group of islands in the immediate vicinity of the commonly-used track to Australia and New Zealand. It is true that the adoption of a high-latitude route, which brings vessels near to the Crozets, is in opposition to the express recommendation of the Admiralty. This is, indeed, one of the arguments which I understood Admiral Hall to lay stress upon as a reason for not sending one of Her