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Firstly, because I do not yet know how things are going to turn out in Council. I am told that Antelme will vote with us on the Appropriation Ordinance, but against us on extra taxation. But all sorts of wire-pulling is going on, and

cannot count

even on the Appropriation Ordinance. If they throw it out the matter will become serious. I shall have to apply to you for authority to sign warrants, for we cannot imitate the experience of the Colony of Victoria in 1877. I cannot open the prison doors or turn the hospital patients into the street. We shall either win or lose. I shall talk seriously and privately to the members, and point out to them that in my judgment they are not only destroying their credit, but imperilling their constitution. I shall not put this in the form of a threat, but in the form of friendly advice, as if I was warning friends of the danger they are incurring. It may be that they will listen to me, for they have privately expressed their good will and esteem for me personally. But I can't be sure, and if a crisis occurs it will be dealt with by telegraph. The whole position will have changed before this reaches you, and I do not want you to commit the Colonial Office in a despatch which may be wholly inapplicable to the position at the time it reaches Mauritius.

I beg of you for your own sake as well as for ours out here not to commit yourself till the position clears, and takes a more definite shape than it at present wears.

And above all, if the Council try and force a quarrel do not get frightened about me; remember I was sixteen years at the Cape, and had to face for that time far abler men than we have here.

My old friends Kruger and Leyds could give points to the whole Council of Government put together.

I am not the least alarmed or nervous about my ability to meet the local politicians, so I hope you won't be frightened about me.

Yours, &c.,

GRAHAM BOWER.

P.S.-I kept this letter open to give you what we call here the dernière heure. I have seen Ritter and Leclézio, they realise the danger of voting against the Appro- priation Ordinance, and their principal apprehension now is that the waverer, Antelme, may vote with them. He is an excitable and uncertain man. They wish to maintain their consistency, and hope they will be beaten, but are afraid they may possibly beat us. They have gone away to consult with their friends. I will leave this letter open till the last moment, so as to let you know the result. But in any case you will be informed by cable. Meanwhile I am more than ever mindful of old John Brand's mptto Geduld en moed alles zal recht komen.

Later. The Council has passed the Appropriation Ordinance without a division, though the unofficial members insisted on placing on the minutes a declaration that they did so with the reservation of the right to vote against extra taxation.

The taxation measures were then introduced, and the usual suspension of the Standing Orders was moved, with the result that the Government was defeated by

two.

The incident has its comic side, as at the opening of the sitting Gibson told me that our solitary unofficial supporter was all right on the Ordinance, but was not quite sober, and we could not be sure of him.

He voted against us on the taxation question, but it did not make any difference as defeat was certain.

I have now to consider what next, and as the mail is leaving to-day I cannot send a report by to-day's mail. The question must be thought out.

20148

No. 189.

MR. LYTTELTON to ACTING GOVERNOR SIR G. BOWER,

(No. 177.)

SIR,

Downing Street, July 28, 1904. I HAVE the honour to inform you that His Majesty the King will not be advised to exercise his power of disallowance with respect to Ordinance, No. 2 of 1904, of the Legislature of Mauritius, entitled, "An Ordinance to authorise the postponement of the instalments of the advances under the Advances-in-Aid Ordinance, 1902.”

►

2: The Crown Agents have now been authorised to take the necessary steps to meet or renew the debentures payable on the 1st proximo.

27279

SIR,

No. 190.

I have, &c,

ALFRED LYTTELTON.

CROWN AGENTS to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received August 3, 1904.)

[Answered by No. 196.]

Whitehall Gardens, London, S.W., August 2, 1904.

Mauritius. 155.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th July, 1904, forwarding a copy of a Mauritius Ordinance, No. 2 of 1904, and requesting us to take such steps as might be necessary to meet or renew the Mauritius four per cent. one year debentures falling due on the 1st August.

2. In view of the state of uncertainty prevailing in the money and stock markets we have thought it better not to attempt to renew the debentures at the present time, and we have, therefore, made arrangements to pay off the principal of the £101,200 now falling due, and we have provided the amount as an advance ter the Government of Mauritius at bank rate varying. Whether we shall be able to continue to provide the money until August of next year it is not possible for us to say at present, but, at any rate, the Colonial Government will have had the advan- tage of having the money on easy terms for a portion of the period.

3. I take this opportunity of pointing out that the Ordinance now sent us makes provision only in respect of that portion of the loan which falls due on the 1st August of this year. If, therefore, the Colonial Government proposes to defer in like manner the payment of the principal of the bonds which fall due on the 1st August, 1905, viz., £98,800, it will be necessary that a similar Ordinance in respect of the bonds falling due on that date should be passed.

Yours, &c.,

GRAHAM BOWER.

• No. 187.

19254

I have, &c.,

E. E. BLAKE.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

LICO. 882

8

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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