Appendix III.
COPY OF CORRESPONDENCE EXCHANGED BETWEEN THE TREASURY, THE INDIA OFFICE, AND THE POST OFFICE RESPECTING THE INTERPRETATION OF CLAUSE (c.) OF LORD MORLEY'S AWARD.
192/1900. MY LORD,
Treasury Chambers,
5th February 1900.
I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to say that they regret to learn that a difference of opinion has arisen between the Post Office and India Office as to the exact interpretation to be placed on Clause (c.) of paragraph 9 of the award given by you in the arbitration upon the questions at issue between those Departments respecting the apportionment of the cost of the Eastern Mail Service.
The point upon which difference of opinion has arisen is set out in the letter from the India Office to this Department of the 2nd instant, of which a copy is
enclosed.
Extracts from the correspondence which has passed between the Post Office and the India Office are also enclosed.
In the opinion of My Lords the Postmaster General has correctly interpreted your Lordship's intention to have been not to limit the pooling to the postage collected in each country on correspondence for delivery in the other, but to decide that from the amounts received by the Indian and Imperial Post Offices on all mails in respect of which India is charged in the apportionment of cost, according to the principles laid down in Clause (d) of the award there should be deducted the payments made by each Post Office for Coutinental or other transit, and that the balance should be equally divided between the two Governments.
My Lords are very reluctant to trouble your Lordship again with the matter, but in view of the doubts entertained by the Secretary of State for India in Council My Lords feel that they cannot refuse to refer the point at issue to your Lordship, as they are unable to accept the alternative proposals put forward by the India Office.
They would accordingly be much obliged to your Lordship if you would say whether the interpretation of the Postmaster General or that adopted by the India Office as to the meaning of Clause (c.) of paragraph 9 of your award is correct.
The Earl of Morley,
House of Lords.
I am,
My Lord,
Your obedient Servant,
(Signed) E. W. HAMILTON.
(1st Enclosure.)
F. 6251.
India Office, Whitehall, London, S.W., 2nd January 1900.
SIR, With reference to your letter, No. 16,834/98, of the 18th November 1898, I am directed by the Secretary of State for India in Council to address you regarding a question which has arisen in connection with Lord Morley's award in the arbitration between the Imperial Post Office and the Government of India.
2. Since the receipt of your letter, several communications have passed between the British Post Office and this Office, regarding the steps to give effect to the award; and Her Majesty's Postmaster General and the Secretary of State are, it is believed, in agreement on all points except one. That point is the meaning to be