The Acting Colonial Secretary,
Hong Kong,
Sir,
332
Hong Kong, 20th June, 1901.
Referring to a letter written by Mr. Bilébie,
the Local Superintendent of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam
Navigation Company, to the Chamber of Commerce, and published in the
"Telegraph" of the 18th instant, I have the honour to request that
you will be good enough to bring the following facts to the notice
of His Excellency the Governor.
1.
It was not on account of any inattention to either the S.S.
"Coromandel" or the S.S. Ballaarat, that the Government allowed the
Post Office Authorities to disembark the mails before my inspection
but owing to the non-delivery of mails to the Post Office launch
by the Captain of the S.S. "Plassy", on her last voyage to this port,
his excuse being that there was no Post Office launch alongside
the vessel. He absolutely refused to allow the mail launch to come
alongside the Steamer's gangway, and, as I was the first person on
board this vessel, shortly after 6 A.M., and the first to leave after
my inspection, I distinctly saw the mail launch and heard the
Captain refuse to put the mails on board her. These mails were not
landed until after 8 A.M., and it was on the complaint of the Acting
Postmaster General, to the Government that the different companies
were allowed to land the mails before my inspection.