289
in China.
are considered to
belong.
to
the Indian Establishment, and in
conformity with the Post Office Act and Regulations of India - the voluminous Correspondence, Returns,
and Orders, connected with them.
pass "Free"; nor do I see how the duty
is to be carried on
should
any
sudden
change be made in this arrangement for no officer (however high his rank) can be supposed to have the means,
and he certainly has not the authority,
to pay Postage
on
letters that addressed to him, or that he
may
have occasion to forward, on the Public Service.
with
The preceding observations
apply
equal force to the Troops and ships of War stationed in different parts of China who
are
obliged to report periodically
not only to the Senior Military and Naval
Officers on the Station, but also to England and India, and were this routine prevented - which would be
the immediate consequence of levying Postage - the greatest public
inconvenience and embarrassment would be the
inevitable result.
I have no doubt but all classes of
the Society at large will most gladly and thankfully avail themselves of the facilities which the Post Office Regulations here will henceforward afford for transmitting private letters to England, India and elsewhere, but even in this remark, I must, from all I hear, except the Mercantile Community who will - not I am convinced, pay for the conveyance
of letters by their own vessels, and
than evading nothing
is more easy.
the