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enclosed in draft should be forwarded without delay, I have the pleasure of knowing that dam in accord with the views of the Legislative Council and of the Chamber of Commerce.
The draft telegram deals with four points:
(1) The best tender to accept
(2) The contribution of Hongkong
(3) The Canadian route
(4) The hour of departure from Hongkong
As to the best tender to accept, Lord Wolverton's lucid report leaves no open question.
I am very glad to see that experiments are to be tried in leaving the mails to be conveyed, on any portion of the route, by chance steamers.
As to the contribution of Hongkong, the Colonial Office has already raised the question whether, if the Imperial Government effects a saving, the Colonies should not share it. The Imperial Treasury replies, Ceylon, yes; Singapore and Hongkong, no. Hongkong's equitable share of the loss was assessed at £12,000 odd, and the Colony has been allowed to pay only £6,000. Unless the saving accounted to lowering the expenditure by more than half, this not be reduced. This appears to me a fair way of regarding the matter, and I think this Colony should be content to stipulate that it is not to be asked for more than £6,000.
As to the Canadian route, the Imperial Post Office confirms what I have held since first looked into the proposal. The service would be slower by three days than that via Suez, and unless fortnightly, timed to alternate regularly with the French packets, could not possibly replace those of the P.&O. As an alternative route it might be of some service, but unless the homeward