Land Board

a sum of £490

Yokohama Office, it is estimated that, during the year 1870, was credited to or collected by the Hong Kong Post Office, as the Colonial rate, upon correspondence exchanged in the mails between this Country and Japan,

in addition to which the Colony received, during the same period, about £125 as its share of postage (at one penny per single letter) on correspondence forwarded Packet intermediately between Hong Kong and Yokohama, and about £60 on correspondence exchanged by direct mails between France and Japan via Hong Kong.

The Postmaster General thinks that these facts were lost sight of by the Colonial Postmaster General in bringing this question before the Governor.

It should also be remembered, as a material point in considering this question, that the Imperial Government bears all the expense of the costly Packet Service between this Country and China and Japan, which in itself involves a loss of about £80,000 a year, and that Hong Kong, while reaping the full benefit of this service, is not called upon to bear any share in the heavy loss sustained.

The Comptroller General will be glad if the Earl of Kimberley

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