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the officer commanding the Imperial troops should invariably have the command of both Imperial and colonial forces.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

RALPH THOMPSON.

No. 84.

reflect on

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that recc

Sir,

The Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley to Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G.

Downing Street, October 25, 1880.-

-

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 405 of the 5th September,* with reference to the defence of Mauritius, and I have to inform you that a copy has been transmitted to the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Posses- sions and Commerce Abroad, together with copies of your despatches No. 182 of the 21st April and No. 211 of the 1st May,† referred to in the third paragraph of the despatch now acknowledged.

You will have learnt from my despatch marked "General" of the 30th July‡ the decision arrived at with regard to the formation of a rifle volunteer company in Mauritius.

I have, &c.

(Signed)

KIMBERLEY.

No. 85.

of the C. in strict despatchc officers w

Gov.

(General. My Lord

IN

received 1 ments, ar manding

Sir,

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

Downing Street, October 25, 1880. I AM directed by the Earl of Kimberley to transmit to you, to be laid before the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, a copy of a despatch from the Governor of Mauritius with reference to the defence of that Colony, together with copies of the further despatches noted in the margin, referred to by Sir G. F. Bowen, and a copy of the reply which has been sent to him.§.

am, &c..

(Signed)

R. H. MEADE,

No. 86.

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Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G.C.M.G., to the Right Hon. the Earl of Kimberley.— (Received October 27.)

(No. 427.)

Government House, Mauritius, September 16, 1880.

My Lord,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt, on the 11th instant, of your Lordship's despatch marked "General" of the 30th July‡ ultimo, relative to the proposed establishment of a company of rifle volunteers at Mauritius.

2. I shall address your Lordship separately on this subject. But, in the meantime, I would ask permission to observe that I have naturally read with much surprise the statement in the letter from the Secretary of the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, dated the 18th June ultimo (of which a copy is inclosed in the despatch now under acknowledgment), to the effect that "the Royal Commission have received no evidence in respect of Mauritius." For, as my despatch No. 405 of the 5th September instant* (sent by the last mail) will have shown, I have forwarded abundant written and printed information and evidence on the naval and military defence of this island; and I was informed by your predecessor, Sir Michael Hicks Beach, so far back as on the 14th of last February, that this information had then been already laid before the Commission.

3. I would add that, if any further evidence is required, it can be fully supplied by the two former Governors of Mauritius now in England, viz., Sir Henry Barkly (himself a member of the Commission) and Sir Arthur Phayre.

4. In further reference to the wording of the last paragraph of the letter from the Secretary of the Commission, it may be remarked that it must be obvious to all who

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• No. 78.

↑ Not printed.

‡ No. 43. No. 128 of "Miscellaneous No. 39."

§ No. 84.

|| No. 21.