4. That the great dissatisfaction with

the present service is shown by resolutions and discussions in the Australian Parliament and Chambers of Commerce, and by petitions presented to the House of Commons urging the termination of the existing contract; a proceeding which appears imperatively called for, and essential to getting the service put upon a proper footing.

5. That the unsatisfactory working of the former experiments by the route vid Suez is so clearly traceable to mismanagement and want of experience, that its effective operation is undoubted, if undertaken by competent parties, possessed of the necessary means; and that nothing should be allowed to supersede the service by that line.

6. That the dissatisfaction universally prevailing in Australia is attributable solely to the delays and irregularities of the service; the amount of subsidy having always been considered of secondary importance to a service upon which the colonists could implicitly depend.

7. That the importance to which the Australian Colonies have now attained seems to entitle them to a postal communication of no longer date than fortnightly, and that a line established between Sydney and Panama via New Zealand has for many reasons become extremely desirable, if not a matter of actual necessity, would meet the requirements of the Colonists of New South Wales, and by the action of a legitimate rivalry, would tend to lead to great efficiency in the entire service.

8. That the very great importance of a mail service via Panama is clearly shown by reference to the serious disadvantages under which the important Colonies of New South Wales and New Zealand labour from their local position; no sufficient relief being attainable under the present system. Very great advantage will, moreover, be derived from this route in the event of any interruption to the mail service via Suez by political disturbances in Europe; while a direct communication will be opened up with the United States and South America, the importance of which can scarcely be too highly appreciated.

9. That inasmuch as the steamers generally employed have been found incapable of performing the voyage within the specified time, the vessels to be employed in such service should be of a size and power to secure a speed of 10 knots with all reasonable certainty.

10. That past experience having shown the impracticability of performing so long a voyage as that between Suez and Sydney and back in the same vessel, a change of steamers at Point de Galle appears to be essential to an effective service.

11. That the rapidity with which the bottoms of iron ships become foul in tropical seas necessitates the provision of slips or wet docks at Suez, or other suitable port, for the removal of such growth at each trip, should iron vessels be employed.

12. That to secure the proper performance of any contract it is necessary that the Contractors should keep reserve ships to meet unforeseen accidents.

13. That the lamentable and irritating failures to which the Australian service has been continuously subjected, appear to have been in no slight degree attributable to the preference given to new Associations, not possessed of the requisite experience or organization for an important service; and that in all future arrangements due weight should be attached to the claims of existing Companies of acknowledged character, experience, and resources.

14. That an entire suspension of steam communication such as has been usually consequent upon any change in the contracts, appears but too probable in the present case; but that such suspension is deeply to be deprecated, as provocative of the greatest dismay and indignation throughout an important group of Colonies, already greatly irritated by perpetual failures.

15. That in these Resolutions the conviction is ever kept in view that postal communication is beyond all comparison the chief consideration; but the last few months have shown that the passenger traffic almost necessarily inseparable from a mail service is certain to be very large, rapidly increasing, and highly remunerative to a properly managed Company; and while acknowledging the pre-eminent claims of mail communication, it is conceived that such passenger traffic should be taken into account in any new arrangements.