The Postmaster General regrets that it has not been found possible to arrange for a departure from Hongkong at noon as desired by the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce, because in order to effect the considerable acceleration now contem- plated it istessential that the packets should arrive at Singapore at daylight and leave that port at 8 o'clock the following morning, so as to arrive at Penang on the afternoon of the following day, thus giving convenient mail hours to both Sin- gapore and Penang and a rapid transit through the Straits of Malacca.
In order to attain this result the mail packet as a general rule, will leave Hongkong at daylight and this it is believed will be a convenient arrangement to the community. The days of departure will be Thursday in the fair season and Sunday in the monsoon and this will admit of the mails, being closed and put on board the night before so that the Packets can leave at thelearly dawn and get a clear departure from the Port.
In connection with this subject of leaving Hongkong and the allusion made to the French Mail hours it is right I should point out thatia reference to the letter written by the Postmaster General of Hongkong to the Colonial Secretary dated the 16th of June, 1886, shows the reason of the Messageries Company in fixing noon for leaving Hongkong to be in no way out of consideration for any wishes expressed by that community but in order to permit of their saving daylight at the mouth of the Saigon River.
Sir ROBERT G. W. HERBERT, K.C.B.,
Colonial Office.
I am, &e.,
(Signed),
ED. H. REA,
B.-APPROXIMATE STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR 1888.
545,050 472,200 70,750 68,400 1,147,000 | 1,120,000
R&B (10,0418) 8000 3-89
Governor.
No.
wart 290
Date.
1889 от бера
1845
INTERNATIONAL.
Last previous Paper.
LOCAL..
COMPARISON WITH 1887,
DESCRIPTION OF CORRESPONDENCE,
TOTAL.
De- spatched.
Received.
De- spatched.
Received.
Total in 1887.
Increase, Decrease.
Ordinary paid Letters,
27,000
Unpaid and short paid Articles,..
11,500 26,450
2,800
Letters on Postal Business,
Post Cards,
1,580 5,750
1,150 8,450
1,495
3,450
Do., with prepaid reply,
5,750 46.000 44,000 1,380 5,405 1,725 14,375 12,500
2,000
4,400
1,005
1.876
Newspapers and Periodicals,
140,900 260,700
Books, Circulars, Prices Current, &c.,
222,500
85,050
17,250
Patterns,......
5,750
2,300
1,150
41,550 17,400 460,550 13,225 576
487,000
23,550
338,025 9,775
323,500
14,025
9,500
276
Commercial Papers,
Registered Articles,
24,750
35,000
4,625
4,750
69,125
62,500
6,625
Letters with value declared,
***
**
Registered Articles with Return Receipts,
345
5,750
115
115
6,325
5,500
Parcels,
4,408
6,190
1,150
1,880 13,123
11,607
825
1,816
Jn.
no.67.18 april 1600
reminded as to Prisen.
Next subsequent Paper.
Sov 10429
trang hong
No. 20282
(Subject)
222 DESPATCH.
20282
Annual Report on Victoria Gaol
1855
Forwards
(Minutes.)
Mr. Meade
Satefactory Gonnal Garden says
General
number it had been
to's how
1888.
the average
prisoners in 1888 was less than
10
years,
the avera
average
but the returns seem
was one less than in
-? Wait - to see if the despatch on
prison buildings comes shortly: if not must be reminded
Hae
・ governor
CPL
167/18 If M. Lucas me
See and Rui
18-Oct
tion 1596
جع