To.478.
Sir,
General Post Office
Hongkong, June, 2nd 1888.
122
I have the honour to address you on the subject of the payments to be made to your company in respect of the conveyance of Mail between China and India by non-contract P.&O.Steamers under the altered Time Table now in force.
2.
Until February of this year the bulk of the correspondence between China and India was conveyed by your packets under contract from Hongkong to Colombo, and thence, free of contract, to Bombay, these conditions being reversed on the return voyage. The non-contract portion of the voyage (Colombo to Bombay) was paid for, in either direction, by the Indian Government.
3.
With regard to non-contract packets from China for India, this Office paid 2 cents for each letter and 1 cent on each paper that it despatched, the amounts being collected by the Commanders and I believe handed over to the company.
4.