the Statute Law to which Mr. Seales adverts in this respect — That is to be done by simply sending their vessels to the Portuguese settlement of Macao, whence they will eventually clear out for their intended voyage.
In the same manner vessels going to Chusan, or the Northern Ports, will apply at Victoria for a Port Clearance to an imaginary Port or Place, and under such circumstances the Post-office Authorities neither could venture to put mails on board of such vessels, nor could the Masters be compelled by any Law that I am aware of to receive them.
That it may not be supposed that I am fancying difficulties in the preceding observations, I may mention, that I know positively that a vessel, which is to sail in a few days for Amoy, is to go in the first instance to Macao to receive her final orders, &c., there, and that I have had from the Owner of that vessel a message to that purport, and that he is going to despatch another vessel to the "Trata Shoal", whence he added, that any Packet with which I might entrust him would find its way to Amoy.
Her Majesty's Government do not appear to be at all aware of the extent to which the correspondence, both public and private, comes to, and leaves, the shores of China. I have known one House of Agency send above 500 letters by one of their own Ships from Macao to Bombay, and I speak within bounds when I say that not less than 10,000 letters are sent monthly.