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The plan, therefore, which my Lords propose, may be thus shortly summed up : 1. That they shall instruct the Admiralty to obtain tenders, by open competition, for a monthly postal service between this country and Australia, the vessels, outward and homeward, touching at King George s Sound, Melbourne, and Sydney, carrying the mails for the six Colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western AuSia Van jjiemen s Land, and New Zealand. 2. That branch services shall be established by open competition from Melbourne, as the central point, with Port Adelaide, Van Diemen's Laud, and New Zealand. 3. That all letters and newspapers shall be prepaid, and that each post-office shall retain its own receipts. 4. That the entire cost of the services described shall be divided equally between tho Home Government and the Colonies collectively. 5. That each of the Colonies shall contribute to the moiety to be paid by them collected? m prop ° rUoa t0 the number of letters despatched by each, to be ascertained every two In the first place it will be necessary to obtain from each of the Colonies named a duly authorized legislative acquiescence in the arrangement proposed. For this purpose, let a copy of this Minute be transmitted to the Colonial Office, and request that the Secretary of Mate will take the necessary steps with that view. Rut state that as some time must elapse before replies can be received from the different Colonies, and as mv Lords are anxious that no time should be lost in re-establishing a monthly mail by steam, my Lords, relyino- upon the correspondence now before them from the Governors of New South Wales, Victoria, and outh Australia, have decided to take immediate steps in order to secure a commencement of the service at the earliest possible time after the receipt of communications from the different Colonies acquiescing in the proposed arrangements. Write to the Secretary of the Admiralty, and request that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty will take immediate steps to procure tenders for a monthly postal communication by steam with Australia, on the following conditions, and report to "this Board befnm any contract is actually made : 1. Tho tenders to be delivered within two months of the date of the advertisement, 2. The tenders to specify the route and the maximum number of days between the de parture of the mail from Southampton and its arrival at Melbourne, and Sydney, and Kin<r George s Sound, respectively ; and also the number of days on the homeward route. 3. That the service shall be performed under a penalty of £100 a-day for delay in starting, and £30 a-day for any time consumed in the voyage beyond the allowed maximum. 4. The contractors to state in what time from the acceptance of their tender they will bo prepared (under a penalty to be agreed upon) to commence the service. 5. Tho contractors to give such adequate security as to the Lords of the Admiralty may appear necessary for tho payment of any penalties which may become due, and generally for the performance of the contract; which penalties in no case whatever shall be relinquished. . G. The contract to bo for five years. Transmit copy of this Minute to the Colonial Office, Admiralty, and Post Office, for their information and guidance. (Signed) James Wilson,