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subject of the Trans-Siberian route, not only with the Russian authorities but with the Post Offices of other Countries, namely France, Germany, Austria and Japan. All of those Offices share the opinion expressed here, that the payment demanded by the Russian Government for the conveyance of mails by the Trans-Siberian Railway, namely 15 francs per kilogramme of letters and postcards and 3 francs per kilogramme of printed papers &c., is prohibitive; and none of them have yet been able to arrange terms for the use of the route.
In the meantime the Russian Post Offices in China, to whom the new route is of course open, enjoy an advantage denied to the Postal Agencies of other Countries.
The Postmaster General has not yet received from the International Bureau of the Postal Union the further communication on behalf of the Russian Post Office which he has been led to expect, as mentioned in the last paragraph but one of the reply to the Hong-Kong Post Office. He has, however, learnt within the last day or two that the Japanese Post Office has now proposed to the Russian Authorities that it should be permitted to make use of the route forthwith, on the understanding that payment shall ultimately be made on the basis of such decision as may be arrived at in regard to the question at the Postal Union Congress to be held at Rome next spring.
The Postmaster General will not fail to let Mr. Chamberlain know, if this proposal leads to a solution of the present difficulty.
I am,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
Marray
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