CCFY.
you Jays
ob
Chines
Ale
Hon. Colonial Secretary,
C.O.
14088 378
I see no necessity for surcharging Hong Kong Stamps if it were done for Canton it would have to be done for all the Agencies - a certain amount of revenue would doubtless be raised from Stamp dealers and collectors but at present the Post Office pays and there is no need to raise revenue in this way. I am not in a position to speak as to the political side of the question but from a postal point of view I am strongly against surcharging. I own a set of the Russian Chinese Stamps and I doubt very much whether the surcharge "Kitai" in Russian which I imagine no Chinaman can read has any effect in bringing the presence and pretensions of the Russians to the knowledge of the people and authorities in China.
15th March, 1904.
(Sgd.) S. E. G. Koss, Acting Postmaster-General.