fident that they would cheerfully avail them-
selves of such a plan as the one I propose; but,
of course, the delay cccasioned by writing out to
them, and the time required to get all the Colo-
nies to agree, would necessarily be great, and more
particularly as they would not consider themselves
justified in dictating to the Home Authorities.
a regular and effective steam communication with
the mother country.

Under these circumstances I would respectfully
beg you to consider my proposal, and if you find
it in accordance with your views, that you would
have the kindness to honor me with an interview,
when I shall be happy to give you every informa-
tion on this subject, which has engrossed my
whole attention for sometime past.

I may also here state that before deciding on
this plan, I put myself in communication with all
the Steam Companies connected with Australia,
and particularly with the General Screw Steam
Shipping Company, and the Peninsular and Ori-
ental Steam Company now under contract with
the Imperial Government to carry the mails to
Australia, and I found that both had petitioned
the Admiralty to be released from their engage-
ment, the immense expenses and inconveniences
that they are subjected to in the Colonies pre-
venting them from carrying out their contract,
except at a very great pecuniary loss to them-
selves, so that under the present arrangement it
is to be feared that the Colony will be left without
any steam communication at all.

The importance of both the import and ex-
port trade between this country and Australia is
so immense-say from thirty to forty millions a
year-that it may be easily conceived the incon-
venience arising from such a derangement in
postal communication to all parties interested in
the Australian Colonies, and particularly at the
present moment, when news from this country is
so anxiously looked for.

I take the liberty to add, that in my humble
opinion the enormous fluctuations in prices and
supplies in the Colony, are caused by the want of
a regular and permanent communication, and I
have no doubt that you will agree with me, that
this great boon to the Colonies may now be
permanently secured by your giving to the Colo-
nies full power to make their own arrangements
as far as King George's Sound, and, from several
conversations that I have had with the Peninsular
and Oriental Steam Company, I am confident
they would be willing to carry the mails to and
from King George's Sound on very reasonable
terms, and by such an arrangement the public
would not only benefit in respect to regularity,
but probably at no distant period by adopting
this plan, the Home Government would be en-
abled to reduce the Australian postage to the same
ratio as other Colonies.

I would therefore take the liberty to suggest
for your kind consideration the importance of the
subject, and the urgency, if practicable, of writ-
ing by the first opportunity to the different Co-
lonies that the Home Government would support
and approve of such a plan, provided the Colo-
nies would undertake to carry their mails to and
from King George's Sound and the different Aus-
tralian ports either collectively that is, through
one medium, say by a Company, who would un-
dertake to carry the mails to and from Sydney,
Melbourne, Adelaide, and Van Diemen's Land,
and King George's Sound, or individually, that is,
that each Colony send their own mails by their
own steamers to meet the Peninsular and Orien-
tal Company's steamers at King George's Sound.

I trust you will admit that this plan would set
at rest the numerous complaints on the part of
the Colonies, as it would then be in their hands
to accomplish this so much desired object, viz.,

I beg to enclose copy of my letter, which has,
been transmitted, through the Australian Postal
Association, to the Postmaster-General for your
information, and reiterating the favour of an early
interview.

I have, &c.,
(Signed) A. GABRIELLI.

The Right Honorable
Sir George Grey, Bart.,
&c., &c. &q.

P.S. I beg to observe, by the arrangement I
propose no increase in the number of steamers
on this side will be required to carry a monthly
mail overland to Australia, as they would go by
the already established India and China line
leaving here fortnightly, and in the colonies there
is, to my knowledge, a very large flotilla
of steamers which could be made available at
once to carry on the mails to and from King
George's Sound, and the respective Australian
ports.

(Signed) A. G.

71, Cornhill,
6th November, 1854

GENTLEMEN, - One of the great difficulties the
colonies have had to encounter up to the present,
in taking active steps towards the organization of
an effective service for the transmission of the
English Mails has been that the Imperial Govern-
ment possess the sole control of the postal re-
venue.

Under the present system therefore, any outlay
made with the colony without producing a corres-
ponding return to meet the expenditure would
merely benefit the Imperial Revenue.

In order therefore to induce the colonies to
share in the expense of improving the postal
arrangements with England, it would be only
just that they should receive also their quota of
the Postages.

Viewing the heavy expenses that would have to
be incurred, as also that no application of Postal
Revenue can be so legitimate as when made to the
improvement of postal transit, it would seem not
inequitable that a full moiety of the British Post-
age should be conceded to the colonies to enable
them to organize an effective Colonial Postal
Steam Service.

As a preliminary step it would appear requisite
to induce the Post Master General here to give his
consent through the Secretary of State for the
colonies, to a postal convention with the colonies
whereby in consideration of their undertaking to
perform the Colonial Service themselves, say from
King George's Sound to Sydney, they shall be
permitted to apply the proceeds of the English
Postage, to the extent of one moiety if required,
towards the expenses which might be incurred.

Assuming therefore that the concurrence of the
Home Government could be obtained to this ar-
rangement, I propose that the respective Govern-
ments of New South Wales, Victoria, South Aus-
tralia, and Van Diemen's Land should agree col-
lectively to pay a certain amount to a Steam
Navigation Company who would undertake to
carry a monthly or bi-monthly mail, as should
hereafter be agreed upon, from their respective
parts to King George's Sound, and vice versa,
whence the Peninsula and Oriental steamers
should be in readiness to carry on from thence
the homeward mails, which would then be trans-
mitted to the various ports before mentioned by
the colonial steamers.

In fine, to make King George's Sound the ter-
minus of the Colonial, and the commencement of