Direct telegraphic communication between Great Britain and Australia was possible from August, 1872; before that date, however, the Governor was invited to send important news to the Governor of Ceylon, who would send it on telegraphically by means of a cypher. The despatches in this series are formal documents enclosing a copy of the telegraphic communication for purposes of record. Most of the messages are in code, though the subject is often given en clair in the covering despatch. In March, 1923 the Under-Secretary informed the Private Secretary that it had been decided to discontinue the practice of sending by mail copies of code telegrams. In future, schedules would be forwarded giving the date and subject of each such despatch.

These records are part of the holdings of the Tasmanian Archives