374
of Postmen, there is not sufficient room in the quarters. It
is possible this could be got over by building an extra story
above the present rooms.
34
The Postmen have no distinctive uni-
forms and it would be a good thing if this could be supplied.
and the 2nd.Clerk that
It was stated to me by the Postmaster
Postmen have complained of not being admitted to deliver let-
ters in some cases as they were not known as postmen and this
may possibly account for some of the cases of late delivery
mentioned by Mr.Wright.
35. Many of the large firms in Shanghai
send the bulk of their letters through the French and German
Post Offices although I understand that with parcels,regis- tered and important articles they use the British Post Office.
36. I visited the French and German Post
Offices when in Shanghai and found that at the former I could purchase 13 stamps of 25 centimes each and at the latter 12 of 20 prennings each for one dollar, so that by French Post Office 13 letters, and by German 12 letters, of one ounce each can be sent to Europe for one dollar as against 10 by
British.
37. This is an anomaly and it appears
to me that the French and German Post Offices are sailing very near the wind as regards an infringement of Article 1V
of the detailed regulations attached to the Postal Convention
of Washington of June 1897.
38.