COPY. No. 4.
Enclosure 1.
C.O.
14243
RECD
X.
kes 20 APR 01
Inspectorate General of Customs,
Statistical Department,
Shanghai, 13th.. January, 1897.
499
a Bonourable
Sir,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 35 of 8th.. instant, inquiring as to the intantion of this Office in regard to the transuission and receipt of ordinary and registered mails, parcels, etc., and in reply beg to inform you that this Department, being acoupied with the more urgent matter of arranging for the interport mail service, had to defer the question of the exchange of maila with Hongkong, which is already well served by the British and other Foraign Post Offices at the ports.
2.
With referance to the transmission and receipt of ordinary mails (which I understand includes correspot- dence from countries adjacent to China, Japan, Tankia, Cochin- China, Carea, the Philippines, and Macao.) between Hongkong and the coast porta; I beg leave to refer you to the correspondence exchanged in May, 1836, (in anticipation of the transfer of tha British Post Offices and Agencies in China to the Customs Postal Service) and to state that (panding China's full adhesion to the Postal-Union and subject to the final approval of the Inspector General of Customs) this Office is willing to accept the proposal made by the then Postmaster-General in paragraphs 13 18 of his despatch No. 39 of 28th. May 1838, to the Colonial Secretary; or, if it would be an advantage to your Office as well as to the public, the Imperial Chinese Post Office under the arrangemunt proposed could also make up mails, prepaid in Chinese stamps, for transmission through the Hongkong Post Office per contract packsts.
3.
Hongkong Xacao and Formosa) is included in the domestic rate of postage, as indicated in the Postal Tariff a copy of which is enclosed, and arrangenants are made with the regular lines of coasting steamers for the carriage to and free delivery of mails in Hongkong. If the proposals made by Mr.. Lister in 1833, and referred to above, are confirmed by yourself, it is anticipated that Hongkang will forego transit duas, unless on international correspondence a decouvert. I should mention that the coasting steamers under the Chinese flag, trading between Chinese Ports, are debarred from carrying mails other than those put on board by the Imperial Post Office, and that vessels under
A. N. Thomson,
ting Postmaster-General, Hongkong.
other