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Chinese Postal Officials it might be held to be contrary to
the existing Treaty rights that these or any of them should be closed; he sides there would be a serious loss of Revenue from the sale of stamps to be faced amounting to no less than about $75,000 per annum.
7. Regarding the contention of the Postal Secretary that it is inequitable for Hong-Kong to charge a Territorial rate I may mention that Hong-Kong would provide and pay for the sea conveyance of all mails despatched by its office and consequently would be out of pocket if such charge were abandoned. And as far as the suggested reduction in the Land rate is concerned the Hong-Kong Office would have the handling of the mail matter from China as under clause XVII of the Washington Convention, China cannot as of right claim to send closed mails through the Hong-Kong Office.
8. The Postmaster General has already transmitted the correspondence to the General Post Office, London.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient
Humble Servant,
Henry Archer
GOVERNOR, &c.