CO885-(11-13) — Page 50

4320.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

11

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

L

MY LORD,

No. 753. (QUEENSLAND.)

LAW OFFICERS to COLONIAL OFFICE.

We are honoured with your Lordship's commands signified in Mr. Holland's

Temple, April 24, 1872. letter of the 20th instant, stating that he was directed by your Lordship to transmit to us a copy of a Despatch from the Governor of Queensland, submitting a proposal that all the islands situated within a distance of 60 miles from the coast of the Colony should be placed under the control of the Queensland Government.

That he was to annex copies of correspondence on the subject with the Admiralty, the Emigration Commissioners, and the Foreign Office, and that he was to request us to take the papers into consideration and favour your Lordship with our opinion, whether having reference to the remarks contained in the letter from the Foreign Office of 15th instant there was any objection to the annexation of the islands in question.

That he was to add that the 6th clause of the treaty referred to in the Foreign Office letter would be found in the 3rd volume of Hertslet's Treaties,

P.

287.

That he was to enclose for consideration a copy of proposed Letters Patent for the annexation of the islands which were the same mutatis mutandis as those passed in the case of the Penguin Islands off the south-west coast of Africa, and he, Mr. Holland, was to request that we would inform your Lordship whether they were, in our opinion, proper for the purpose, and that we would make such corrections in them as might seem to us desirable.

In obedience to your Lordship's commands, we have the honour to

Report

That having reference to the remark contained in the letter from the Foreign Office of the 15th instant, we are of opinion that there is no objection to the annexation of the islands in question.

We think the clause of the treaty referred to was merely intended to prevent the officers of either Government taking possession without the sanction of their own Government. We have perused the Draft Letters Patent sent, and we think they are proper for the purpose.

The Right Hon. the Earl Kimberley,

&c.

&c.

&c.

We have, &c. (Signed) J. D. COLERIDGE.

G. JESSEL.

1

الجنون

0 16978.--491.

95,-5/86.