47

F.—6

and Hereditary Marshal of England, K.G., then Her late Majesty's Postmaster-General, on behalf of Her late Majesty of the one part, and the company of the other part (hereinafter referred to as " the principal agreement "); And whereas in pursuance of article 37 of the principal agreement notice determining that agreement on the 31st day of January, 1905, was duly given by the Postmaster-General to the company on the 30th day of January, 1903; now this indenture witnesseth that in consideration of the matters hereinafter appearing it is hereby agreed and declared between and by the parties hereto, and the Postmaster-General (as to the covenants, agreements, and stipulations hereinafter contained on his part) doth hereby covenant and agree with the company, and the company (as to the covenants, agreements, and stipulations hereinafter contained on their part) do hereby covenant and agree with the Postmaster-General in manner following (that is to say): — 1. (1.) The said notice of determination so given by the Postmaster-General to the company as aforesaid shall be deemed to have been withdrawn and cancelled. (2.) Subject to the provisions hereof the principal agreement shall continue in force as from the 31st day of January, 1905, until the 31st day of January, 1908, and the provisions of the principal agreement shall be binding on the parties hereto in all respects, subject always to the modifications hereinafter contained. (3.) The Postmaster-General may at his option (a.) By giving to the company notice in writing at any time during the operation of the principal agreement as extended by subclause (2) hereof require the continuance of the principal agreement (as modified by these presents) until the 31st day of January, 1910; or (6.) By giving such notice as aforesaid at any time during the operation of the principal agreement as extended by subclause (2) or by subclause (3) (a) hereof require such continuance until the 31st day of January, 1912. 2. The principal agreement shall from and after the 31st day of January, 1905, be read, construed, and take effect as if in lieu of articles 5, 6, and 7 thereof the following articles were inserted: — " 5. (1.) Subject to the provisions of this agreement, all mails to be conveyed under the provisions of this agreement upon mail route No. 1 shall be conveyed in either direction between Brindisi and Bombay within a period of 278 hours (hereinafter referred to as the "period of transit "). " (2.) The period of transit shall include three hours allowed for a stoppage at Aden, and there shall be a stoppage at Aden on both the outward and Homeward voyages for that time and no less. " (3.) During the prevalence of the south-west monsoon the period of transit from Bombay to Brindisi shall be extended by thirty-six hours. " 6. (1.) Subject to the provisions of this agreement, all mails to be conveyed under this agreement on mail route No. 2 shall be conveyed from Brindisi to Shanghai within a period of 712 hours, and from Shanghai to Brindisi within a period of 718 hours (each of which periods is hereinafter referred to as the " period of transit"). " (2.) The periods of transit shall respectively include the following times allowed respectively for a stoppage at each of the following ports (that is to say): At Aden, three hours; at Colombo, twenty-four hours; at Penang, six hours; at Singapore, twenty-four hours; at Hong Kong (on outward voyage), twenty-four hours; at Hong Kong (on Homeward voyage), thirty hours. " (3.) During the prevalence of the north-east monsoon the period of transit from Brindisi to Shanghai shall be extended by forty-eight hours, and during the prevalence of the south-west monsoon the period of transit from Shanghai to Brindisi shall be extended by thirty-six hours. " 7. (1.) Subject to the provisions of this agreement, all mails to be conveyed under this agreement on mail route No. 3 shall be conveyed in either direction between Brindisi and Adelaide within a period of 662 hours (hereinafter referred to as the " period of transit "). " (2.) The period of transit shall include the time allowed for all stoppages of the mail-ships at the intermediate ports, and the mail-ships shall stop on both the outward and Homeward voyages at, Albany (or Fremantle) for six hours, and no less, and at Colombo for such period as may be necessary for the purpose of delivering, receiving, transferring, transhipping, or exchanging mails, and in no case less than the period (not exceeding twenty-four hours) appointed by the Postmaster-General in that behalf. " (3.) During the prevalence of the south-west monsoon the period of transit from Adelaide to Brindisi shall be extended by thirty-six hours." 3. (1.) Subject to the provisions hereof, the principal agreement shall, from and after the 31st day of January, 1905, be read, construed, ami take effect as if a yearly subsidy or sum after the rate of £340,000 per annum were inserted in article 33 thereof, instead of a yearly subsidy or sum after the rate of £330,000 per annum. (2.) Provided that in the event of the Postmaster-General exercising the option hereinbefore conferred upon him of continuing the principal agreement until the 31st day of January, 1910, the said yearly subsidy or sum of £340,000 per annum shall be reduced to the sum of £330,000 per annum during the whole period of five years from the 31st day of January, 1905, and the company shall repay to the Postmaster-General the payments (if any) made by him to the company in excess of the said sum of £330,000 per annum as for the period from the 31st day of January, 1905. (3.) Provided also that in the event of the Postmaster-General — (a) Exercising his said option of continuing the principal agreement until the 31st day of January, 1912; or (b) having exercised his said option of continuing the principal agreement until the 31st day of January, 1910, requiring the continuance of the principal agreement until the 31st day of January, 1912, as hereinbefore provided, the said yearly subsidy or sum of £340,000 per annum shall be reduced