F.—6

12

Enclosure in No. 28 [The Examiner, San Francisco, 18th August, 1894.] New York, 17th August.—The Cunard line steamer ' Campania," which arrived this evening from Liverpool and Qaeenstown, left Daunts Eock at 12.45 p.m. on the 12th August and arrived at Sandy Hook lightship at 5.45 this evening. Her time of passage was five days nine hours and twenty-nine minutes, which beats all previous records by about three hours and ten minutes.

No. 29 The Seceetaey, General Post Office, Wellington, to the Resident Agent, San Francisco. Sib,— General Post Office, Wellington, 4th October, 1894. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th August last, enclosing newspaper extract giving an account of the " Campania s record run from Queenstown to New York, and suggesting that, as the "Campania" and " Lucania were now making very fast passages, the question of making Wednesday in the place of Thursday the sailing-day from San Francisco should be further considered. I scarcely think it would be advisable to make the suggested change meanwhile as it is uncertain how soon either one or the other of these fast boats may be replaced. Until it is assured that the present quick delivery of mails at New York can be maintained permanently I am of opinion that it would be undesirable to make any change in the sailing-day from San Francisco. I have, &c, H. Stephenson Smith, Esq , W Gray, Secretary Eesident Agent for New Zealand, San Francisco, California.

No. 30. The Agent-Geneeal to the Hon. the Peemiee. Westminster Chambers, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W., 17th August, 1894. (Memorandum.) San Francisco Mail-service. Eefeeeing to the Hon. Minister's memorandum of the 30th May last [see No. 77, F.-6, 1894], I beg to transmit copy of letters which have passed with the General Post Office, London, respecting the transmission of the mails from London to New York. Waltee Kennaway The Hon. the Premier For the Agent-General.

Enclosure 1 in No. 30. The Agent-Genebal to the Seoeetaby, General Post Office, London. Sib,— 13, Victoria Street, S.W., 18th July 1894. I have the honour to inform you that I have received a communication from my Government in which it is pointed out that the present plan of sending the earlier portion of the New Zealand mails, which go by the San Francisco route, by steamers in advance of the steamer appointed to leave on the mail-day has frequently resulted in its late arrival at New York—the portion despatched later having arrived meanwhile—thus necessitating the detention of the mailvessels at San Francisco for several hours, and in some instances even a whole day I beg, therefore, that you will bring these circumstances under the notice of the PostmasterGeneral, with the view of effecting an arrangement by which, when only slow vessels are available for the conveyance of the earlier portion of the mails from Queenstown, such vessels be not used, but that the entire mail may be sent by the fast steamer appointed to leave on mail-day I have, &c, W B. Pebceval. The Secretary, General Post Office, St. Martin's-le-Grand.

Enclosure 2 m No. 30 The Seceetaey, General Post Office, London, to the Agent-Geneeal. Sib,— _ General Post Office, London, 16th August, 1894. With reference to your letter of the 18th July, calling attention to the circumstance that the preliminary despatch from this country of mails for New Zealand, via San Francisco, has frequently arrived at New York later than the final despatch conveyed by a faster steamer I beg leave to inform you that, according to the records of this department for the past two years or so the only instance in which such an occurrence has taken place was in January last, when the preliminary despatch conveyed by the " Adriatic was overtaken by the final despatch conveyed by the " Umbria." Arrangements will be made to avoid as far as possible any future delay in the transmission of the New Zealand mails to New York. I am, &c, W Boche, Sir Westby B. Perceval, K.C.M.G. For the Secretary