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carry on the mails without any very serious delay, and probably the English mail would always reach Hongkong and generally Shanghai before the next French mail overtook it. Between Ceylon or India and Singapore there are not enough steamers. Many of the Canal boats, as they are called, come direct from Suez to Penang or Singapore without calling anywhere.
10. I do not wish to be understood as recommending the curtailing of the subsidised line, but the Home Government is asking for information and I merely say that this could be done. The results would be disagreeable in many ways. Regularity would disappear from the service. Marine sorting would have to be discontinued. Persons would get their letters through irregular channels to obtain them quicker. A responsible and very thankless task would be thrown on the Singapore and Hongkong Offices of selecting the steamers to carry on the mails. Whatever steamer was selected, the community concerned would but too often be apt to consider it was the wrong one, for that community would criticise, after the event, a choice which would have to be made before it. Continual complaints, like those which have arisen in Japan since the P. & O. service was discontinued, would become common in Shanghai and in Hongkong also.
11. With regard to the suggestion of forwarding mails via Bombay, no doubt it might be done if there were any regular means of communication between either Calcutta or Madras and Hongkong. But, except the monthly Indian steamers from Calcutta, and a monthly French steamer from Calcutta and Madras, there are The following figures were arrived at in consultation with Mr. F. R. HOGG of the Indian Post Office.
none.
Average passage from Suez to Hong-
kong via Colombo (both mon-
soons),
Suez to Bombay,
Bombay to Madras,
11 days.
14
....30 days.
Transhipping, &c.,
1
21
Madras to Penang, Penang to Hongkong,...... 11
5
3)
"}
30 days.
30 days.
But unless some regular weekly or at least fortnightly means existed of bringing the mails on from Madras, this route would be useless for all practical purposes.
12. On the question of the Distribution of expenses it is of course the opinion in this Colony that Hongkong should not contribute 2 per cent of its Revenue towards subsiding a mail service which costs the United Kingdom, without allowing for reimbursements, only per cent of its Revenue. But so much has been said on this subject that there can be no need further to dwell on it.
13. I venture to recommend that these papers be submitted to the Chamber of Commerce, and to the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
A. LISTER,
Postmaster General,