353
As the majority of the Post Office Agents in
China and Japan were Consular officers, the Postmas-
ter General considered it very desirable that they
should receive from the Foreign Office an official
notification of the change which had been made,
and that they should be instructed to act upon any
orders connected with the Postal Service which they
might receive from the Governor at Hong Kong, or
from the Postmaster General at that Colony acting as
the subordinate of the Governor: and he requested
that such a communication should be made to the Con-
suls at Canton, Swatow, Amoy, Foochow, Ningpo, and
Nagasaki, at each of which places the Post Office
Agency was held by one of the Consular Assistants.
A copy of the Post Office letter was sent to
Sir R. Alcock, who stated in reply that, prior to
the receipt of the Foreign Office despatch convey-
ing this communication from the Post Office, where
had been an exchange of letters on the subject with
the Governor of Hong Kong.
From most of the Consuls the answers received
to a circular of enquiry were most satisfactory,
showing