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December 31, 1859.

I hereby certify the foregoing to be a true copy.

WILL. T. PRITCHARD, Consul.

We hereby certify that we translated the foregoing document to the Chiefs who have signed, and that they thoroughly understand its meaning.

W. COLLIS, Wesleyan Mission Trainer.
E. P. MARTIN, Wesleyan Mission Printer,

No. 9.-Sir F. Rogers to Lord Wodehouse.

MY LORD, Downing Street, July 31, 1860. In reply to your Lordship's letter of the 2nd instant, I am directed by the Secretary of State to express his regret that by some inadvertence no official intimation was conveyed to the Foreign Office of the appointment of a Commissioner to visit the Fiji Islands, for the purpose of inquiring into the reasons for and against accepting the offer which has been made to cede to Her Majesty the sovereignty over those islands,

I am now to request that you will inform Lord John Russell that Colonel Smythe, R.A., is the person who has been selected for this important duty, and I am to enclose a copy of the instructions for his guidance with which he was furnished.

I am also to transmit a copy of a despatch from the Governor of New South Wales, reporting the arrival at Sydney of Colonel Smythe, en route for his destination, and to request that you will draw the attention of Lord John Russell to the opinion expressed by Sir W. Denison, of the danger to this country of becoming involved in a sanguinary war with the native inhabitants, if an attempt be made to settle a large white population amongst these islanders.

With regard to the communications contained in Mr. Consul Pritchard's despatches which accompanied your letter, and which are herewith returned, I am to state that, until the receipt of Colonel Smythe's report, no final opinion can be expressed upon the proposal made last year for accepting the sovereignty of these islands.

It seems, however, that in anticipation of this acceptance, Mr. Pritchard has procured a provisional cession of the country to Great Britain, and the enactment of a law giving to himself, "full, unreserved, entire, and supreme authority and power to govern Fiji according to the broad and plain principles of justice and morality," and to make what laws he pleases. Whether the persons making this law are competent to bind the other natives, or whether they understood themselves the real import of what they were doing, are questions on which it is impossible here to form any opinion, but

on which the future peace of the Fiji Islands may in no slight degree depend.

Not satisfied with these steps, which may be undone by the disavowal of Her Majesty's Government, Mr. Pritchard seems (not indeed from his own letters, but from the despatch of Sir W. Denison) to have issued advertisements, in order to attract white settlers to the islands.

If unhappily he should have succeeded in this object, it may not be easy to foretel or to prevent the mischief which might ensue from the unauthorized action of Her Majesty's Consul in such a

matter.

The Secretary of State is persuaded that Lord John Russell will not approve of any subordinate agents taking steps that may commit this country to serious enterprises, for which he may himself be anxious, but which he must well know not to have been sanctioned by his superiors. The experience of this department has proved that it is difficult to exaggerate the importance of the consequences which may flow from such steps as Mr. Pritchard seems to have thought proper to adopt on his own authority. I have, &c.

Lord Wodehouse.

FREDERIC ROGERS.

(Inclosure 1.) [See Page 87.]

(Inclosure 2.)-Sir W. Denison to the Duke of Newcastle.

MY LORD DUKE,

Government House, Sydney, April 10, 1860. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential despatch, dated January 12, 1860, enclosing a copy of the instructions issued to Colonel Smythe, R.A., for his guidance in the performance of his duty in his mission to the Fiji Islands.

Colonel Smythe arrived here in the mail steamer, and I at once introduced him to Commodore Loring for the purpose of making arrangements for his conveyance to the Fijis, and also to the Chief of the Wesleyan missionary establishment at Sydney, from whom he would be enabled to procure such information as might guide him in the inquiries he would have to institute.

The disturbed state of New Zealand has unfortunately compelled Commodore Loring to concentrate all his force at that island. Colonel Smythe will therefore proceed from hence to Auckland in the mail steamer, and when there will be able to arrange with the Commodore for his conveyance to the Fijis, either in a ship of war, or some vessel which can be procured on the spot.

I may, perhaps, without presuming too much on your Grace's patience, or in any way attempting to forestal Colonel Smythe's report, call the attention of Her Majesty's Government to the

present state of affairs in New Zealand, as indicative of the results which are likely to follow, should inducements he held out to a white population to occupy the land which it is proposed to cede to Her Majesty, in consideration of the liquidation by the British Government of the debt due to the Americans, or should permission be given to individuals to purchase land from the natives.

I lay more stress upon this, as I see by advertisements in the Sydney newspaper that the Consul at the Fijis is trying to attract white settlers to occupy land in the vicinity of the Consulate, which he has transferred from the former site to one, I suppose, more favourable for settlement.

The inevitable result of the introduction of a white population, except under the strictest possible regulations, will be a war of races, and although the ultimate success of the European element would be certain, yet as the Fijians are more numerous than the New Zealanders, and more concentrated, as the climate is less adapted to Europeans, the cost of an attempt to maintain the supremacy of the white population will be comparatively great, and the loss of life I have, &c.

enormous.

The Duke of Newcastle.

SIR,

W. DENISON.

No. 10-Mr. Murray to Mr. Chichester Fortescue.

Foreign Office, August 31, 1860. WITH reference to Sir F. Rogers' letter of the 31st ultimo, I am directed by Lord John Russell to transmit to you, to be laid before the Secretary of State for the Colonies, a copy of a despatch which his Lordship has addressed to Her Majesty's Consul at Fiji, relative to his proceedings with regard to the offer made to Her Majesty's Government of the sovereignty of the Fiji Islands.

C. Fortescue, Esq.

SIR,

I have, &c.

JAMES MURRAY.

(Inclosure.)-Lord J. Russell to Consul Pritchard. Foreign Office, August 20, 1860. HER Majesty's Government have had under their consideration your despatches Nos. 20, 21, 22, and 23, of 31st December last, reporting your proceedings with regard to the offer which the Chiefs of the Fiji Islands have made to Great Britain of the sovereignty of those islands, and I have to inform you that Colonel Smythe, R.A., was selected in December last to proceed to the Fiji Islands as Commissioner on the part of Her Majesty's Government, for the purpose of reporting whether it would be expedient to accept the offer of the Chiefs, and until Colonel Smythe's report is received. Her Majesty's Government can express no final opinion with respect to that offer.

It appears, however, from the general Treaty which you conIcluded with the Chiefs on the 15th December last, that you have, by anticipation, not only procured a provisional cession of the Fiji Islands to Great Britain, but that you have likewise procured the enactment of a law, giving to yourself "full, unreserved, entire, and supreme authority and power to govern Fiji," and to make what laws you please.

Whether the persons making this law are competent to bind the other natives, or whether they understood themselves the real import of what they were doing, are questions on which it is impossible for Her Majesty's Government to form any opinion, but on which the future peace of the Fiji Islands may in no slight degree depend.

It further appears, from a despatch received from the Government of New South Wales, that you have issued advertisements in order to attract white settlers to the islands. If you should have succeeded in this object, it is not easy to foretell or to prevent the mischief which may ensue from your unauthorized action in such a matter. I have to desire that you will furnish me with an explanation of your conduct, and of the reasons which led you to take measures which may be the cause of serious embarrassment to Her Majesty's Government. I have, &c.

W. T. Pritchard, Esq.

J. RUSSELL.

No. 11.-Colonel Smythe to the Under Secretary of State of the Colonial Office.-(Received November 13.)

SIR,

Fiji Islands, Pacific Ocean, August 9, 1860. I HAVE the honour to report for the information of the Secretary of State that I left Auckland, New Zealand, for these islands on June 14th, and reached Levuka, the principal port of the group, on July 5th. Levuka has been until recently the residence of the British Consul. A few months ago Mr. Pritchard removed the Consulate to another part of the island of Ovalau, where he has purchased lands from the natives. He was absent on an excursion with Dr. Seemann to the island of Viti Levu at the time of my arrival. On his return, in pursuance of my intention of visiting in succession the principal Chiefs, I commenced a tour of the group, accompanied by him and Dr. Seeman. We have visited Bau, Viwa, and Rewa, and are about to proceed to the island of Kandavu.

In one important point I have ascertained that the information supplied to Her Majesty's Government, and embodied in my instructions, is inexact. Thakombau, the Chief of Bau, although probably the most influential Chief in the group, has no claim to the title of Tui Viti or King of Fiji, nor would the other Chiefs submit to his authority except through foreign compulsion.

After visiting Kandavu I purpose making the circuit of the large island of Viti Levu, and then taking in succession the remaining islands of importance.

It will be necessary for me to retain the services of the small vessel which I chartered at Auckland, until I have completed my inquiry. I have, &c.

Sir F. Rogers, Bart.

W. J. SMYTHE.

No. 12.-Colonel Smythe to the Under Secretary of State of the
Colonial Office.-(Received January 21, 1861.)

SIR,

Ovalau, Fiji Islands, September 25, 1860. IN my last communication, dated August 9, 1860, I had the honour to inform you that I had commenced a tour of inspection of the Fiji group, and had got as far as Rewa. I have since visited the island of Kandavu, completed the circuit of the large island of Viti Levu, and had interviews with the principal Chiefs on the western and northern coasts of the other large island, named Vanua Levu. During the greater portion of this tour I have had the valuable aid, as interpreter, of the Rev. Joseph Waterhouse, Wesleyan missionary, and chairman of the district.

I have held 11 public meetings of the Chiefs and people, and found everywhere an earnest desire to be placed under British rule. A further acquaintance with the power and position of the Chiefs confirms the statement made in my last letter, that the Vunivalu of Bau (Thakombau) has no claim to the title of Tai Viti, or King of Fiji. The group is, in fact, composed of a great number of independent Kingdoms, the rulers of which are moved, not less by jealousy of one another, than by fear of foreign aggression to solicit the domination of England.

I arrived here on the evening of the 22nd instant, and shall proceed on to the windward islands of the group as soon as the wind permits.

Sir F. Rogers, Bart.

I have, &c.

W. J. SMYTHE.

No. 13.-Colonel Smythe to the Under Secretary of State of the
Colonial Office.-(Received February 18, 1861.)

SIR,

Levuka, Fiji Islands, November 9, 1860. In my communication of the 25th of September last I had the honour to report that I had completed a tour of inspection of the central and leeward islands of the group, and that I was about to proceed to the islands lying to windward. I have now returned from this inspection, in which I also visited the Chief of Taviuna at Thakondrove, and examined the harbour of Suva on the south-east coast of Viti Levu.

Having therefore finished a general examination of the islands,

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