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be beneficial to the Postal Administrations of both countries. He states that agreements with other Governments besides those of France and Japan are contemplated, and I accordingly beg to submit to Your Lordship the desirability of bringing before the Postmaster General the question of concluding an arrangement on similar lines as those herein enclosed.
Any stipulations which are not in accord with the policy of His Majesty's Government or which appear, for other reasons, undesirable could, of course, be eliminated or amended.
The principal point in the French postal agreement is the recognition of the Chinese postage stamp.
By the postal arrangement with Japan, the postage on mail matter from that country to any part of China where there is, or may hereafter be established, a Chinese Imperial Post Office, is the same as the Japanese domestic rate.
I beg to draw Your Lordship's attention to the disadvantage at which British residents at Peking, Tientsin, Newchwang, Chefoo and Shanghai are placed as regards the receipt of newspapers in comparison with Germans and French.
Although letters from Great Britain are now forwarded to us via Siberia if so marked, we do not receive our newspapers, as these are sent by Suez, thus involving a difference of at least ten days in the case of Tientsin and Peking.
I have &c.,
(Signed) Ernest Satow.
Tientsin