N
showing that the Post Office Agency, as hitherto
354
conducted, did not materially interfere with the die-
charge of the proper duties of the officer, while
in other respects the Agency beingin the Consulate
was often attended with public advantage.
Mr Meadows, Her Majesty's Consul at Newchwang
however, objected to any Post Office Agency being
established there, basing the objection on his past
experience of the serious inconvenience suffered at
Shanghai, on the disadvantage of a Consul being
subject to too many masters each being independent
of the other, giving orders of a conflicting nature
or incompatible with the due performance of duties
for which as Consular Officers they are primarily
responsible to their own Department: also on the
broad principle that if the Junior Officers have any
spare time they should employ it in studying the
Chinese language and institutions and English law,
so as to fit themselves for their own proper work
in the Consular Service.
Sir R. Alcock pointed out that there was a sub-
stantial foundation for such remarks, and that the
objections