delivered letter, and the Directors would have had to notice it with severity had not that officer's sudden death intervened. To guard, however, against a repetition of such an occurrence a general order was at once issued by the Company's Intendent that such an act would be immediately followed by the suspension of the person in fault, who would thereupon be sent to England to be dealt with by the Directors.
The Directors cannot help thinking that the irregular transmission of letters referred to by the Postmaster General of Hongkong can only be resorted to under very special circumstances, and certainly will not indicate a desire on the part of the mercantile community of China to evade the payment of postage.
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On this point I have to add that when the question was referred to the Governor of Hongkong by the Postmaster General, the Company's Superintendent at that port waited on His Excellency for the purpose of receiving any commands which he might think fit to give, but after due consideration, His Excellency was pleased to say that everything possible had already been done in support of the provisions of the mail Contract, and that, in his opinion, no further measures could be adopted in that respect.
(Signed) Arch. Bethune
for the Secretary