331
Red. No. 21315,
GENERAL POST OFFICE, LONDON.
Immediate
14 January 1896.
C. O.
1129
Received
Sir,
r 15 AN 96
News having been received that an epidemic of smallpox has broken out at Shanghai, the Directors of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company have applied to the Postmaster General for permission for their vessels to avoid calling at Shanghai in case quarantine against vessels calling at that port should be declared in Japan.
There is no doubt that a quarantine of 10 days or a fortnight at Yokohama would have the effect of disorganizing the Service performed in the Pacific by the Company in question; and, so far as the Mail Service is concerned, the call at Shanghai is of comparatively small importance.
The next steamer leaving Hong Kong for Shanghai, Japan, and Vancouver is timed to start on the 22nd instant, and is due at Shanghai on the 24th, leaving that port again on the 25th. On the same day there is also a Peninsular and Oriental Company's Packet leaving Shanghai on the homeward voyage; and, so far as
The Under Secretary of State,
COLONIAL OFFICE.
BLAME