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terests, of maintaining the British Post Office there in a state of efficiency commensurate with British interests and capable of enabling it to hold its own with the competing foreign Post Offices which are subsidised by the Governments which they represent, justify an additional expenditure on the staff and internal economy of the British Post Office in that Settlement.
5. Since, however, it is rather Imperial than Colonial interests which are involved in the maintenance of an efficient British Post Office at Shanghai, I submit that the financial aid required to improve the Postal Service at Shanghai should come out of Imperial and not out of Colonial Funds.
6. The contribution from the Imperial Post Office for this year is set down in the 1901 Estimates as $7,100 or roughly £710.
7. I shall be obliged if you will approach the Imperial Postmaster General and ask him to consider the advisability of raising the Imperial Contribution to £1,500 a year of which £750 shall, I undertake, be exclusively devoted to improving the organization and accommodation at the Shanghai British Post Office.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient
Humble Servant,
Jury Astake
GOVERNOR,&C.