Eopy.
No.456.
PEKING,
December 10th 1901.
TEB 02
195
My Lord:-
I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of
your despatch requesting me to furnish Your Lordship
with my views on the advantages of postal agencies in
China and the expediency of establishing others.
The advantages would appear to fall under
two heads :-
(a) The revenues deriveble therefrom, and
(b) The convenience of the public.
Of those under (a) the Governor of Hongkong
could speak with greater authority than myself, as
it is the exchequer of that Colony alone that 1s
affected by them. A reference to the Fong Kong
Blue Book for the year 1900 (PP.1.40 and 1.41) shows
the expenditure incurred for the maintenance of
these agencies, namely, $16,524 or £1,652.8.0, but
I am unable to state their total revenues.
The Marquess of Lansdowne, K.G.,
&C.,
&c., &c.,
In