CO129-147 - Public Offices - 1870 — Page 190

My Lord,

Mr. Herbert to Viscount Monck.

Downing Street, 16th March, 1870. I AM directed by Earl Grauville to acknowledge the receipt of your lotter of the 26th January, enclosing a prospectus of the British Australian Telegraph Company, and requesting on behalf of that Company the permission of Her Majesty's Government to land their cables and acquire suitable accommodation at Singapore and Port Darwin, with permission to erect land lines between Port Darwin and Burketown, and furthermore asking that every possible facility may be afforded to the Company in conducting their operations.

Iu reply, I am to inform your Lordship that so far as Singapore is concerned, Lord Granville is prepared to accede to the application of the Company on the following conditions:---

1. That the Company undertake to lay their cables before the close of the year 1871.

2. That priority be given to all Government messages,

3. That Her Majesty's Government have the power of taking possession of the cable in the event of emergency arising, subject however to the Company being entitled to reasonable compensation.

4. That the Company engage not to dispose of their undertaking to any Foreign Government or to any other Company without the assent of Her Majesty's Government.

On your signifying the assent of the Company to these conditions, the Secretary of State will forward copies of the correspondence to the Governor of the Straits Settlements for his guidance, and will instruct him to afford every assistance in his power to the Company; but he reserves to himself full power to afford similar facilities to any other Company or Companies if at any time he may think it expedient to do so.

With regard to the request of the Company to be allowed to land their cable at Port Darwin, and to crect land lines between that port and Burketown, I am to state that it is not in Lord Granville's power to grant such permission. The control of such matters rests entirely with the Local Governments, but his Lordship will forward to the Governors of South Australia and Queensland a copy of your Lordship's letter and the prospectus of the Company, and will put them, as well as the Governors of the other Australian Colonies, in posses- sion of the views of Her Majesty's Covernment as to the conditions on which it is desirable that facilities for telegraphic communication should be granted.

My Lord,

Lord Monck to Earl Granville.

100, Palmerston Buildings, London, E.C.,

31st March, 1870.

I HAVE the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Lordship's letter of the 16th instant, specifying the conditions upon which the permission of Her Majesty's Government will be granted to this Company to land a cable and acquire suitable accommodation at Singapore.

I have now to state that the British Australian Telegraph Company (Limited) assents to the conditions therein imposed, and I beg to convey to your Lordship the thanks of the Board for the assistance you propose to give to their enterprise by communications with the Governors of the Straits Settle- ments and the Australian Colonies.

To

The Right Hon. Earl Granville, K.G., Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies.

I have, &c. (Signed) MONCK, Chairman of the British Australian Telegraph Company (Limited).

Viscount Monck,

Chairman of the British Australian Telegraph Company, Limited,

I am, &c., (Signed)

R. G. W. HERBERT.

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