y our merchants and
manufacturers interested in the important and growing trade with
Australia that an increased provision should be made by Congress for
the representation of our industries at the Melbourne exhibition of
next year, and the subject is respectfully submitted to your favorable
consideration.

The assent of the Government has been given to the landing on the
coast of Massachusetts of a new and independent transatlantic cable
between France, by way of the French island of St. Pierre, and this
country, subject to any future legislation of Congress on the subject.
The conditions imposed before allowing this connection with our shores
to be established are such as to secure its competition with any
existing or future lines of marine cable and preclude amalgamation
therewith, to provide for entire equality of rights to our Government
and people with those of France in the use of the cable, and prevent
any exclusive possession of the privilege as accorded by France to the
disadvantage of any future cable communication between France and the
United States which may be projected and accomplished by our citizens.
An important reduction of the present rates of cable communication
with Europe, felt to be too burdensome to the interests of our
commerce, must necessarily flow from the establishment of this
competing line.

The attention of Congress was drawn to the propriety of some general
regulation by Congress of the whole subject of transmarine cables by
my predecessor in his message of December 7, 1875, and I respectfully
submit to your consideration the importance of Congressional action in
the matter.

The questions of grave importance with Spain growing out of the
incidents of the Cuban insurrection have been for the most part
happily and honorably settled. It may reasonably be anticipated that
the commission now sitting in Washington for the decision of private
cases in this connection will soon be able to bring its labors to a
conclusion.

The long-standing question of East Florida claims has lately been
renewed as a subject of correspondence, and may possibly require
Congressional action for its final disposition.

A treaty with the Netherlands with respect to consular rights and
privileges similar to those with other powers has been signed and
ratified, and the ratifications were exchanged on the 31st of July
last. Negotiations for extradition treaties with the Netherlands and
with Denmark are now i