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THE HONGKONG
Government Gazette.
No. 32.
Published by Authority.
VICTORIA, SATURDAY, 18T AUGUST, 1868.
VOL. XIV.
No. 93.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
The following Despatch from His Grace The Secretary of States for the Colonies is published for general information.
By Command,
J. GARDINER AUSTIN, Colonial Secretary.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 30th July, 1868.
Hongkong. No. 91.
DOWNING STREET, 6th June, 1868.
SIR, I have the honor to transmit to you, for your information, and in reply to your Despatch No. 459 of the 10th March, a Copy of a letter from the General Post Office from which you will learn that the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company are unable to accede to the request of the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce that the homeward Packets should be detained at the Colony until 2 o'clock P.M.
The Company, however, are willing to delay the departure of the Packets from Hongkong for two hours, i. e., from 7 until 9 A.M. and the Postmaster General has accepted their offer. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant.
Governor
SIR RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL, C.B.,
&c.,
Sc.,
&c.
(COPY.)
BUCKINGHAM & CHANDOS.
Mr. Tilley to Sir F. Rogers.
GENERAL POST OFFICE, June 3rd, 1868.
SIR, I am directed by the Postmaster General to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated the 15th ultimo transmitting copy of a Despatch from the Governor of Hongkong, forwarding a letter from the Chamber of Commerce of that Colony, in which it is represented that the hour of 7 A.M. fixed, under the new arrangements for the China Mail Service, for the departure of the homeward Mail Packet from Hongkong is very inconvenient to the Mercantile Community, and a request is made that the former hour of 2 P.M. may be reverted to.
In reply I am to acquaint you for the information of the Duke of BUCKINGHAM AND CHANDOS, that, on enquiry Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, it appears that to detain the homeward Packet at Hongkong all 2 o'clock a period of 7 hours beyond the time now fixed, would throw out all the arrangements which have been made for the India and China Mail Service, and might possibly frustrate the endeavours made to secure a punctual delivery of the Mails in London and that, under these circumstances, the Company are not willing to make the departure from Hongkong later than 9 A.M.
This offer the Postmaster General has accepted and His Grace trusts that this alteration will be sufficient to obviate the inconvenience complained of by the Chamber of Commerce at Hongkong.—I am, &c.
SIR F. ROGERS, BART.,
$c., &c.,
&e.
Colonial Office.
(Signed,)
JOHN TILLEY.