Enclosure.
584
25024
Rec2 Race 18 SEP 19
PRECIS
July 5th, 1899. The P.M.G. writes to complain that the Messageries Maritimes vessels, bearing the European mails fortnightly to the East, do not remain in Hong-Kong harbour sufficiently long to allow of the mails being properly sorted. The work is very heavy, as Hong-Kong is the sorting office for the whole East north of this port, with the exception of Japan. When the mail-boat arrives during the night, the delivery of the mail is not allowed to take place till 6 a.m. If a Marine Sorter were allowed to accompany the mail from Saigon, or if the French boats would stop off Green Island before proceeding to their anchorage in Hong-Kong harbour, and allow the Post Office launch to take off the mails at that point, the difficulties would be much lessened; but neither of these conveniences are granted by the French authorities.
The P.M.G. therefore asks that some pressure may be brought, whereby the vessels may be obliged to remain in Hongkong harbour for 12 hours of daylight, say from 6 a.m. on the date of arrival. If the Messageries Maritimes Cie. cannot be persuaded to grant some such facility for the more adequate transaction of postal business, the P.M.G. suggests