see from the outside of the Post office
when a letter or letters were ready for delivery to them and by the holder of each Box having a different lock and Key to it, although the Boxes would open on the outside, the utmost security would be obtained, and by this plan the Merchants might possibly be put in possession of their most important letters within a few minutes after the English Mail had been landed, and in the event of the very early departure of the outward mail after the arrival of the Mail from Europe inwards, they would be enabled to reply to such Correspondence, and so have a fortnight's time; from an estimate which I have made of the expense of completing these Alterations and some attendant improvements in the interior of the office, I am of opinion that a sum of Five hundred Pounds would suffice, and I am Convinced that this sum might be recovered, either wholly or in part, from the Merchants, by levying an Extra fee for their boxes, or by contribution from them towards defraying the cost of the alterations.
And: Secondly: a plan might easily be devised for sorting the Hong Kong Mail on board the Steamers between Singapore and Hong Kong, this portion of the voyage occupies from 6 to 10 days and during the lowest period of time one Assistant officer with a Coolie or Labourer.