The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-15 00:00:00

POSTAL COMMUNICATION 11,77'H THE AUS-
TRALIAN COLONIES.

The copy of a Treasury minute, dated the 27th of
November, 1855, upon the subject of postal comtnuni-
cation between England and the Australian colonies,
was issued yesterday. The Inhatte enters into a variety
of details relative to. the communications which have
passed with the Colonial-office, the colonies, the Post-
master-General, &c. The concluding portion of the
minute shows tbb result. _ _

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Tile plan which "my Lords" propose is thus shortly
summed up
"1. That they shall instruct the Admiralty to obtain
tenders, by open competition, for a monthly postal
service between this country and Australia,. the vessels
(outward and homeward) touching at King George 'e
Sound, Melbourne, and Sydney, carrying the mails for
the six colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, South
Australia, Western Australia, Van Diemen'e Land, and
New Zsalacci.
"2. That branch services shall be established by open
competition from Melbourne, as the central point, with
Port Adelaide, Van Diemen's Land, and New Zealand.
"That all letters and newspapers shall be prepaid,
and that each post-office shall retain its own receipts.
"4. That the entire cost of the services described
shall be divided equally between the home Government
and the colonies collectively.
"5. That each of the colonies shall contribute to the
moiety to be paid by them collectively in proportion to
the number of letters despatched by each, to be ascer-
tained every two years.
"In the first place it will be necessary to obtain from
each of the colonies named a duly authorised legislative
acqniescenc.e in the arrangement proposed. For this
purpose let a copy of this minute be transmitted to the
Colonial-effice, and request that the Secretary of State
will take the necessary steps with that view ; but state
that, as some time must elapse before replies can be
received from the different colonies, and as my Lords
are anxious that no time should be lost in re-establishing
a monthly mail by steam, my Lords, relying. upon the
oorrespondence now bef ire them from the Governors of.
New South Wales, 'Victoria, and South Australia, bays
decided to take immediate steps in order to secure a
commencement of the service at the earliest possible
time after the receipt of communicatiocs from the differ-
ent colonies acquiescing in tie proposed arrangements.
" Write to the Secretary of the Admiralty and re-
quest that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty
will take immediate steps to procure tenders for a
monthly postal communication by steam with Australia
on the following conditions, and report to this board be-
fore any contract is actually made :
"1. The tenders to oe delivered within two months
of the date of the advertisement.

"2. The tenders to specify the route and the maxi-
mum number of days between the departure of the mail
from Southampton and its arrival at Melbourne and
Sydney, and King George's Sound, respectively; and also
the number of days on the homeward route.
"3. That the service shall be performed under a
penalty of 1001. a-day for delay in starting and 301.
a-day for any time consumed in the voyage beyond the
allowed maximum.
"4. The contractors to state in what time from the
acceptance of their tender they will be prepared (under a
penalty to be agreed upon) to commence the service.
" 5. The contractors to give such adequate security
as to the. Lords of the Admiralty may appear necessary
for the payment of any penalties which may become due,
and generally for the performance of the contract, which
penalties in no case whatever shall be relinquished.
"6. The contract to be for five years."

SIR CHARLES-• BARRY AND THE '
TREASURY.

Copies of Treasury minutes dated the 6th of February,
1854, and 26th of January, 1856, were printed yesterday
in regard to the claims of Sir Charles Barry for services
connected with the building of the new Palace at West-
minster. It appears that on the 26th of May last the
following offer was made to Mr. White, as acting for
Sir C. Barry, with a view finally to settle all questions
as to comrni-sion, measurement, and all other claims up
to October 2, 1853, to which date the closed accounts
extended, Sir C. Barry, it should be said, having put in
various claims for extra payment over and above his
,mmission

1. That a commission of three per cent. should be al.
lowed on the entire outlay. of 1,506,8151., up to the 2d
of OCtober. 1853.

2. That a remuneration for meamirernent open the
whole of the works included in that outlay should be
paid at the rate of one per cent. _ _

3. That these commissions should cover all demands
of every kiwi whatsoever for the past, the services for
wa,v ming, lighting, and ventilating alone excepted, which
should be dealt with separately and upon their own
merits.

4. That the remuneration of Sir Charlea Barry fur the
future should be fixed at,—

Dime per cent. commission on the outlay as architec►,
and one per cent. f-a. measurement upon all works to
which measurement applies ; and that no furniture, &c.,
sheuld in future be furnished. by S.r C. Barry except by
the special order of the Treasury. • -
After numerous further interviews and discussions with
Mr. White, that gentlensao, on the part of Sir Charlei
Barry, declined the terra s of settlement thus offered, and
pressed again the claims for the extra services performed.
My Lords having again referred Sr C. Barry's elaime
for a report to the Board of Works, and having very
carefully reviewed the whole case, continue to be of opi-
nion that the terms herein stated are not only fair but
liberal ; that they include all remuneration to which Sir
C. Barry is justly entitled for the services he has per-
formed ; and that their Lordships could not extend the
same consistently with their duty to the public.
Considering, moreover, that this matter hag gone on
for nearly 20 years without any distinct understanding
being arrived at, notwithstanding the efforts of every
successive Board of Treasury to do so, my Lords are of
opinion that it is inconsistent with the public interests
that it should be any longer delayed ; and they there•
fore, as far as they are concerned, must record these
terms as their final decision upon the questions at issue.
They are pleased, consequently, to direct that no fur-
ther payment be made on a; count, until a final settle-
ment of the past, and an agreement as to the future, are
I concluded.