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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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C.O. 885/5 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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services of the gentlemen who have expressed their desire to be formed into a volunteer company, and 1 have to request that you will take the necessary measures for the organization of the company on the terms and conditions proposed in your despatch of the 19th December.*

With respect to your proposal that the arms and accoutrements for the force should be supplied on loan from the Imperial military stores in the Colony, I inclose, for your information, copy of a correspondence with the Secretary of State for War, which will inform you that Her Majesty's Government cannot accede to your request for a loan of arms and accoutrements, but that they can be supplied on terms of repayment; and I do not doubt that the Council will gladly vote the small sum involved.

I have, &c (Signed)

Sir,

No. 44.

Colonial Office to War Office.

KIMBERLEY.

Downing Street, July 31, 1880.

I AM directed by the Earl of Kimberley to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 19th July,t drawing his Lordship's particular attention to the serious embarrass- ment which is likely to occur in the event of war from Colonial Governments occa- sionally selecting for their local forces warlike stores which are not of the same pattern as those in use in the Imperial service, and you state that the Secretary of State for War would suggest that the subject should be brought under the consideration of the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad.

In reply, I am to request that you will acquaint Mr. Secretary Childers that Lord Kimberley entirely concurs in the opinion that it is most important that all Colonial armaments should be of such a description as would enable them to be used with the service stores and ammunition in time of war, and he will cause a copy of your letter under reply, and of the previous War Office letter of the 24th July, 1878, respecting the supply to the Government of the Transvaal of military stores of other than the approved pattern, to be laid before the Royal Commission.

With respect, however, to the other letters to which you refer, respecting the couversion by the Government of Canada of smooth-bore guns into rifled guns on the Palliser system, I am to refer you to the letter from this Department of the 24th February last,§ and to remind you that the whole of the correspondence on the subject has already been communicated to the Royal Commission.

I am, &c.

Sir,

(Signed)

No. 45.

R. H. MEADE.

Colonial Office to the Secretary to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad.

Downing Street, July 31, 1880. WITH reference to previous correspondence, I am directed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to transmit to you, to be laid before the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, copy of lettert from the War Office, on the subject of the selection by the Colonial authorities of ordnance, small arms, and warlike material other than that approved of in the Imperial service.

I am also to inclose a copy of the reply which has been returned to the War Office letter of the 19th July,† and I am to add that the correspondence respecting the conversion guns on the Palliser system, for use in Canada, has been already communicated to the Commission.

of

I am, &c.

(Signed)

JOHN BRAMSTON.

Sir,

31

No. 46.

Colonial Office to the Secretary to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad.

Downing Street, August 2, 1880. WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 10th May last, inclosing a copy of the Report of the local Committee appointed to consider the question of the enlistment of auxiliary forces to supplement the regular forces in Hong Kong, I am directed by the Earl of Kimberley to transmit to you, to be laid before the Royal Commission, a copy of a letter† which has been received from the War Office on the subject.

&c.

I am,

(Signed)

No. 47.

Colonial Office to War Office.

-

R. H. MEADE,

(Confidential.) Sir,

Downing Street, August 2, 1880. I AM directed by the Earl of Kimberley to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd July, and to acquaint you in reply, for the information of Mr. Secretary Childers, that a copy of your letter of the 30th June last,† on the subject of the calistment of Chinese to supplement the regular forces in the Colony of Hong Kong, has been com- municated to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad.

&c. am, (Signed) R. H. MEADE,

No. 48.

I

Draft of a Commission appointing the Right Honourable the Earl of Camperdown and Samuel Whitbread, Esq., M.P., to be, in place of the Right Honourable H. C. E. Chil- ders, M.P., and Thomas Brassey, Esq., M.P., Commissioners to inquire into the State of the Defences of the more important Colonial Ports and Coaling Stations, and to consider the Apportionment of the Cost of such Defences.

Dated 2nd August, 1880:

VICTORIA R.

Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith: to Our Right Trusty and Right Well-beloved Cousin Robert Adam Philips Haldane, Earl of Camperdown, and Our Trusty and Well- beloved Samuel Whitbread, Esquire.

WHEREAS We did, by Commission under Our Sign Manual and Signet, bearing date the 8th day of September, 1879, authorize and appoint Our Right Trusty and Right Well-beloved Cousin and Councillor Henry Howard Molyneux, Earl of Carnarvon, Our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Councillor Hugh Culling Eardley Childers, Our Trusty and Well-beloved Thomas Brassey, Esquire, together with the other gentlemen therein named, or any three or more of them, to be Our Commissioners to inquire into the state of the defences of the more important Colonial ports and coaling stations, and to consider the apportionment of the cost of such defences.

And whereas We have seen fit to discharge the said Hugh Culling Eardley Childers and Thomas Brassey from further service as such Commissioners.

Now know ye, that We, reposing great trust and confidence in your zeal, discretion, and ability, do by these presents authorize and appoint you the said Robert Adam Philips Haldane, Earl of Camperdown, and you the said Samuel Whitbread, in the place of the said Hugh Culling Eardley Childers and the said Thomas Brassey, to be Commissioners for the purposes aforesaid, in addition to and together with the continuing Commissioners appointed by Our above-mentioned Commission.

• Inclosure 4 in No. 126 of " Miscellaneous No. 39."

† No. 40.

‡ Not printed.

No. 138 of Miscellaneous No. 39."

No. 44.

• Not printed.

+ No. 32.

No. 41.