London vit Bombay, Jan. 24.
According to telegrams from Washington the American Government admits that the question of the lease of Galapagos Islands has been discussed informally with Ecuador. It is understood that the Congress of Ecuador some time ago authorized a lease of the islands, which would form a desirable naval base; but a meeting of citizens in Guayaquil objected to the offer of a lease being made on the ground that it was unpatriotic.
According to telegrams from Teheran the British reply to the Persian Note declaring that the trade routes were safe, expresses satisfaction with the measures taken, but adds that, as the recent security of the Bushire-Kazeram-Shiraz road was probably due to the severity of the winter, Great Britain reserves the right, in the event of the failure of the measures taken, to insist upon the employment of officers of the Indian Army to organize roud police, In reference to Persia's request that Great Britain should consent toa surcharge of ten per cent on the Southern Customs, which would be devoted to the preservation of order and security, the reply says that, as such an imposition would mainly affect British trade, Great Britain is unable to agree, unless British officers are employed to organize the gandarmorie.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.