the
in the heart
The Customs would bring to the task very much larger staffs, officers on duty night and day, buildings in the business quarters, steam-launches, facilities for boarding steamers both on arrival and departure, search, and, most important of all, the sanction of the national authority, which would allow of the making and enforcing of regulations, such as exist in most ports elsewhere.
11. I am aware that a proposal to hand over Postal business to anyone not under the immediate control of the British Government is regarded by some persons, whose opinions are entitled to respect, with a feeling of little less than horror. I may say that very much the same prejudice existed with regard to the withdrawal of our Post Offices from Japan some years ago. If, since that withdrawal, there has ever been a syllable of complaint from foreign communities in Japan, I have not heard of it, and if there are Post Offices that do their work better than the Japanese Offices do, I have yet to be made acquainted with them.
12. Moreover, the way in which the Customs Postal Agencies have been managed (of which I feel I am in a position to speak), the way in which the whole work of the Customs is done, and the manner in which the lighting of the coast of China has been accomplished and maintained, forbid the supposition that Postal work, which only requires ordinary care and attention, would be unsafe in the hands of the Customs establishment.
13. I therefore most cordially recommend the acceptance of the proposal put forward by our Hopei Customs.
14. With regard to C.F. Kopack's further questions numbered 2 & 3, I may report ...