439
representing together the different interests affected
M. Rea, whom His Excellency has consulted on this point, is of the opinion, and the Governor therefore has decided to instruct you to accompany Mr Rea to the principal station which the latter will have to visit, and although you may not be able to absent yourself from Hong Kong during the whole of Mr. Rea's tour in China, His Excellency hopes that within the limit of two months your inquiries will have acquired the information most essential to enable you to deal satisfactorily hereafter with most of the questions likely to be referred to your Department.
As there can be no doubt of the fact that at present a great number of letters are illegally conveyed in the "Cable Packages" and otherwise, and that Her Majesty's Government and the Colony are defrauded thereby to a considerable amount, I am desired to instruct you, in concert with Mr Rea, to devote special attention to ascertaining approximately the loss sustained by these irregularities, the mode in which they are effected, and the effective means for detecting them.
As Mr. Rea is prepared to start, you will accompany him in his visit to each of the Agencies at present established in China and Japan.