329
made by Mr. Kopich of the Chinese Imperial Customs Service, who has been specially deputed by Sir Robert Hart. The proposal is that all the Postal Agencies in China in connection with the Hongkong office should be handed over to the Chinese Government, to be managed under its directions by the Imperial Customs.
I have informed Mr. Hopsch that I have no authority to deal with this question, but that I would recommend his proposals for Your Lordship's approval. Mr. Lister, the Colonial Postmaster General, is, it will be observed, strongly in favour of accepting the offer of the Chinese Government.
I would beg specially to invite Your Lordship's attention to para. 19 of Mr. Lister's letter, stating that there would be no difficulty in conveying Mails between Hongkong and Shanghai even if both the English and French