are
of receiving your further despatch of the 16th ultimo, bearing upon the general details of the proposed scheme which
embodied in an interesting letter from Mr Lister, the Postmaster General of the Colony, and embrace the formal proposals that have now been made by the Superintendent of the Chinese Customs for the Treaty Port and the existing Customs Postal Service, and
an extension to all
for the consequent withdrawal of the Hongkong Agencies
from the localities where they are at present established.
are at
observe that the scheme in question is favourably viewed by Your Excellency as well as by Mr Lister,
that you and he have submitted it to Her Majesty's Government.
The scheme has for its ultimate object the establishment of a Chinese National Post Office and as such is unquestionably deserving of impartial examination,
but I feel sure you will not regard it as undue criticism on my part if I venture to call attention to the fact, that hitherto under the Postal System in force, British Subjects and Foreigners generally, have derived exceptional benefits from it; and I cannot help thinking therefore that Her Majesty's Consular Officers who have been intimately acquainted with its working should be consulted as to how far those benefits are likely to be affected by the radical changes to be introduced under the projected scheme.
I have to
(Signed) John Walsham