April 9, 1903
Sir:-
C. O. 20905
FOREIGN OFFICE 3 JUN 03
June 5th, 1903.
145
I am directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne to transmit to you, to be laid before the Secretary of State for the Colonies, a copy of a Despatch from His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking relative to a proposal on the part of the Chinese Government that the foreign post offices now established in China should be closed.
Lord Lansdowne proposes, if Mr. Secretary Chamberlain sees no objection to such a course, to inform Mr. Townley that, in his opinion, the time has not yet come when the Imperial Chinese Post Office is fully capable of undertaking complete responsibility in those postal matters which concern the British community in China, especially at the Treaty Ports.
Mr. Townley would be instructed to add that when
The Under Secretary of State
Colonial Office.