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(Teanslation.) , •.; Count Hatzfeldt to the Earl of Iddesleigh. My Lord, — German Embassy, 20th December, 1886. I am instructed to inform Her Majesty's Government officially that that part of the Solomon Islands which lies to the north of the line of' demarcation drawn by the Anglo-German declaration of the 6th April, 1886, has, subject to the reservation of well-founded rights of third parties, been placed under the protection of His Majesty the Emperor, and that the flag has been hoisted as a sign of the taking of possession. I avail, &c, The Earl of Iddesleigh, &c. Hatzfeldt.

The Foreign Office to the Colonial Office. Sib,— Foreign Office, 31st December, 1886. With reference to my letter of the 23rd instant, I am directed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to transmit to you, to be laid before the Secretary of State for the Colonies, a copy of a despatch, as marked in the margin, relating to the Solomon Islands. I have, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. J. Pauncefote.

Sir E. Malet to the Earl of Iddesleigh. My Loed, — Berlin, 18th December, 1886. I have the honour to transmit to your Lordship herewith translation of a letter of pro T tection over the Solomon Islands granted by the Emperor to the German New Guinea Company, which was published in the official Gazette of the 16th instant. I have, &c, : Edwaed B. Malet.

(Translation.) Lettee of Peotection issued to the New Guinea Company with respect to the Islands of the Solomon Group which are under German Protection. His Majesty the Emperor has been graciously pleased to grant the following letter of protection to the New Guinea Company : — " We, William, by God's grace German Emperor, King of Prussia, &c, announce and publish as follows: — " The New Guinea Company having made a request in Berlin that those islands of the Solomon Group which lie to the north of the dividing-line agreed to by our Government and that of Great Britain on the 6th April, 1886, should be annexed to the territories under their protection ; and the New Guinea Company having also declared itself ready to undertake the government (' Herrschaft') of the said islands under our sovereignty (' Oberhoheit'), in accordance with the regulations contained in our letter of protection of the 17th May, 1885; and the said islands having since been placed under our protection by the officer of one of our men-of-war appointed for that duty; " We therefore grant to the New Guinea Company this our letter of protection over the abovementioned islands of the Solomon Group in accordance with the regulations laid down in our letter of protection of the 17th May, 1885, and certify hereby that we have taken over the sovereignty over these islands. " In witness whereof we have signed this our letter of protection with our own hand and affixed our seal thereto. " Done at Berlin, the 13th December, 1886. " (1.5.) William. " Countersigned for the Chancellor, Count Bismarck."

No. 15. The Peemiee to the Agent-Genekal. Sir,— Premier's Office, Wellington, 26th February, 1887. You will have seen the telegrams relative to the recent disturbances at Tonga, and I now have the honour to forward, for your information, copies of the telegrams that have passed between Admiral Tryon and this Government as to the desirability of despatching a British man-of-war to the scene. I have, &c, Sir F. Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G., G. 8., Agent-General. Eobeet Stout.

Enclosures. The Peemiee to Bear-Admiral Teyon. His Excellency Admiral Tryon, ship "Nelson," Auckland. Ido not know if your attention has been called to the serious disturbances in Tonga. It was pointed out some time ago by our Government that disturbances were imminent. As His Excellency the Governor is out of reach of the telegraph, I would, on behalf of Government, most strongly urge that a British man-of-war should be sent with the utmost despatch to Tonga. lam afraid that either one of the combatants may ask the aid of some foreign man-of-war, and were such done it would mean in the end the permanent occupation of the island by a foreign Power. Ihis would 3—A. 3.