90
The Postmaster General regrets that it has not been found possible to arrange for a departure from Hongkong at noon as desired by the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce, because in order to effect the considerable acceleration now contem- plated it is essential that the packets should arrive at Singapore at daylight and leave that port at 8 o'clock the following morning, so as to arrive at Penang on the afternoon of the following day, thus giving convenient mail hours to both Sin- gapore and Penang and a rapid transit through the Straits of Malacca.
In order to attain this result the mail packet as a general rule, will leave Hongkong at daylight and this it is believed will be a convenient arrangement to the community. The days of departure will be Thursday in the fair season and Sunday in the monsoon and this will admit of the mails, being closed and put on board the night before so that the Packets can leave at the early dawn and get a clear departure from the Port.
In connection with this subject of leaving Hongkong and the allusion made to the French Mail hours it is right I should point out that a reference to the letter written by the Postmaster General of Hongkong to the Colonial Secretary dated the 16th of June, 1886, shows the reason of the Messageries Company in fixing noon for leaving Hongkong to be in no way out of consideration for any wishes expressed by that community but in order to permit of their saving daylight at the mouth of the Saigon River.
Sir ROBERT G. W. HERBErt, K.C.B.,
Colonial Office.
I am, &c.,
(Signed),
ED. H. REA.
B.-APPROXIMATE STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 1888.
INTERNATIONAL,
LOCAL.
COMPARISON WITH 1887.
DESCRIPTION OF CORRESPONDENCE.
TOTAL,
De-
Beceived.
spatched.
De- spatched.
Received.
Total in 1887.
Increase. Decrease.
Letters on Postal Business,
Post Cards,
Newspapers and Periodicals,
Ordinary paid Letters,
Unpaid and short paid Articles,......................... .................................................
Do., with prepaid reply,
545,650 472,200 70,750
58,400 | 1,147,000 | 1,120,000
27,000
11,500 26,450
2,300
5,750 46,000
44,000
2,000
1,380
1,150
1,495
1,380
5,405
4,400
1,005
5,750
3,450
3,450
1,725
14,375
12,500
1,875
140,900
260,700
41,550
17,400
460,550
437,000
23,550
Books, Circulars, Prices Current, &c.,
222,500
85,050
17,250
13,220
338,025
323,500
14,525
Patterns,
5,750
2,300
1,150
575
9,775
9,500
275
Commercial Papers,
1.
...
***
章
Registered Articles,
24,760
35,000
4,625
4,750
Letters with value declared,
***
Registered Articles with Return Receipts,
345
Parcels,
4,403
6,750 6,190
115
1,150
116 1,380
69,125
6,325 13,123
62,500
6,625
5,500 11,607
825
1,516