Colonial Despatches

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatches of the numbers and dates noted in the margin respecting the loss of the Mail Steamer "Labouchere" and I have to convey to youmy my approval of the course which you pursued on the occasion.

The Report of the Board of Inquiry states that Her Majesty's Mails were not stowed in the proper part of the ship and were less attended to than private letters and papers. I do not doubt that your attention will have been attracted by this passage, and that in any subsequent contract for the carriage of Mails, you will have inserted some provision which mayappear appear best suited to ensure proper attention to their safety.