67.
The number of Registered Letters sent,
tolandia, during 1860,
to Galle,
to the Straits,
to the Continent of Europe,
347
The number of Registered Letters received,
was..
396
from India, during 1889,
WUS..
556
26
from Galle,
101
from Australia,
4,535
18
}}
from the Straits,
540
98
21
from the Continent of Europe,
225
and to the Ports of China and Japan,
8
and from the Ports of China and Jupan,.
14
Total,
617
Total,
.2,815
Do.
57.
The Colony's share of the Postage on Mails received from the United Kingdom in 1860, was..
do.
do.
Increase in 1869,
in 1863, was. . . . . . . .
£1,375.19.71 1,265.12.2
£110. 7.5
to Australia,
58.
The number of Ship Mails sent in 1800, was.
Do.
do.
in 1988, was.
Increase in 1869,
.1,839 .1,272
567
do.
The number of Skip Mails received in 1869, was...1,178
Do.
in 1868, was...1,103
Increase in 1869,
76
59.
Letters.
Papers.
Leiters. Papers.
The Number of Letters and Papers received by United States' Packets
in 1800, was
12,080
in 1868,
4,988
16,374 10,079
The Number of Letters and Papers sent by United States' Packets in 1860, was
.17,549 .11,206
$1
Increase in 1860,
7,051
5,695
14,090 9,224
6,283 1,866
in 1868,
Increase in 1860,
60. The number of letters sont and received in the closed Mails between Hongkong and the United Kingdom viâ San Francisco is very inconsiderable, only 93 letters and 258 papers having been sent in the 9 Mails despatched and only 5 letters in the two Mails received. The longest time occupied homeward being 60 days and the shortest 51 days.
61. The number of Letters and Papers sent from Hongkong to the United Kingdom was as follows, viz.:--
BY BRITISH PACKET.
BY FRENCH PACKET.
Letters.
In 1869,
.188,101
In 1868,.
203,580
Papers, 103,761 161,173
Letters.
Papers.
In 1869,
10,210
3,672
In 1868,
9,093
2,148
Decrease in 1869,
15,479 marse. 7,588
Increase in 1869,
7,117
1,524
62. The weight of Letters sent to the United Kingdom in 1869, was as follows:—
BY BRITISH PACKET.
PER FRENCH Packet.
7'on. enot.
qrs.
lbs.
Teu.
cut.
12.
qr8.
lbs.
In 1869,
2 19
5
18
In 1869,
0
5
1
26
3
In 1868,
2
10
B
3
12
In 1868,
0
2
3
25
33
Excess in 1869,
0
2
2
2
1
Execss in 1860,
0
2
2
1
8
63. The weight of Letters received from the United Kingdom in 1869, was as follows:-
68. The numbers of registered letters sent to and received from some of these places in 1868 were comparatively small, and to others the system of registration had not been applied, there can therefore be no complete comparison.
69. The number of Letters on Official business sent from the Department to private individuals and firms, the Agents at the Ports, and to the various Public Offices during 1869 has increased by 469, the number in 1868 being 1220, against 1689 last year, and the number of letters received has increased in the same ratio.
70. I append returns, marked A and B, from which it will be observed that the British Contract Packets have arrived with the Mails from home with punctuality; that the average time occupied in making the voyage by these vessels has been a few hours longer in 1869 than it was in 1868; and that 40 days is the quickest time in which a Mail has been conveyed from London to Hongkong by them; whilst the Mails despatched from London via Brindisi "one day later than the Mails vià Marseilles, have invariably reached Hongkong with the Marseilles portion of the Mail. From another return annexed, marked C, it is shewn that the quickest time a Mail from London has been brought to Hougkong by the French Packets is 41 days. The average time occupied in the voyages by the outward French Packets, is one hour more than by the British Packets.
71. I also append a return, marked D, of the arrivals and departures of United States' Mail Packets at Hongkong by which it is shewn that the lowest number of days occupied in the voyage from San Francisco to Hongkong during 1869 was 33, whilst the average time occupied in the voyage from San Francisco was 354 days against 35 days in 1868.
72. The French Packets are to run fortnightly carrying Mails between the United Kingdom and China and Japan commencing with the Mail to be despatched from Hongkong on the 14th July; this service will afford weekly communication (viâ Suez) between the United Kingdom, France, &c., on the one side, and China and Japan on the other, by the British and French Packets alternately, and it is, I hear, in contemplation to inaugurate a fortnightly service, between Hongkong and San Francisco. 73. The amount realized by the sale of Postage Stamps in 1869 was $155,785.52, of which Stamps of the value of $76,830.88 were sold in Hongkong, and the remainder, viz., $78,954.64, at the Post Office Agencies at the Ports, shewing a Decrease of $939.38, in those sold in Hongkong, and an Increase of $22,922.78 in those sold at the Ports, as compared with 1868.
74. I annex a list of the number and value of each kind of Postage Stamps sold in 1869 and 1868, shewing the Increase or Deercase, as the case may be, under each head, viz.:--
PER BRITISH Packet.
BY FRENCH PACKET.
Ton.
czot.
In 1869,
2
3
ths. 3
B2.
Ton.
cwt.
7's.
Ua.
12
In 1869,
0
}
2 15
132
In 1868,
2
th
0
9
4
In 1868,
0
0 18 21
Excess in 1869,
0
0
2
22
8
Excess in 1800,
0
1
1
26 11
STAMPS SOLD IN 1869.
STAMPS SOLD IN 1868.
INCREASE.
DECREASE,
Denomination.
Number.
Amount.
Number.
Amount,
Number.
Amount.
Number.
Amount.
64.
Ton. cwt. grs. lbs.
02.
Ton. cwt. qrs. ky
OZ,
Do.
The Total weight of Letters sent from Hongkong to the United Kingdom in 1889, ....was.. 3
in 1868,
The Total weight of Letters re-
ceived from the United King-
富
C.
$
c.
器
C.
2 cents.
214,941
4,998.82
227,464
4,549.28
17,477
349.54
3 +1
4 31
dom in 1869,.
.was..
13
1
19
148,382
5,035.28
191,299
7,651.72
42,911
$
1,716.44
น
*
Q
19
3
0 15!
Do. in 1868,
2
11
0 97
G
147,832
8,869.92
132,661
7,959.66
15,171
910.26
*
11
8
"
244,305
19,544.40
169,528
13,562.24
74,777
5,982.10
Increase in 1869,
th
5 0
3 4
Increase in 1860,
0 2
0 20
12
3
70,297
8,435.64
58,367
7,002.84
11,940
1,482.80
14
B
8.601
1,048.72
7,876
1,417.68
728
131.04
24
116.372
27,929.28
100,584
24,140.16
15,788
8,789.12
110,747
33,224.10
92,817
27,845.10
17,930
5,379,00
65.
35,636
do.
The Registered Letters received from London in 1869, numbered.
Do.
1,451
96
29,473
in 1868,
do.
1,099
17,105.28 28,204.08
$156,785,52
32,581 25,061
15,614.88 24,058.56
$133.802.12
3,105
1,490,40
4,412
4,235.52
$23,899.84
$1,716.44
302
Excess in 1869,
66.
The Registered Letters sent to London from Hongkong in 1869, numbered.
Du.
Do.
Do.
do.
from Shanghae,.
do. do,
from Yokohama,
from other Ports,
Total,
Total number of Registered Letters sent in 1868,
Excess in 1869,
1,081
780
310
130
2,840
1,346
The Honorable J. GARDINER AUSTIN,
994
Colonial Secretary,
je
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
F. W. MITCHELL,
Postmaster General.