to P Y)
Honourable
C.O.
31329 560
RECE (REG! 24 AUC 06
Hongkong General Chamber of Com-
merce, Hongkong, 2nd. February, 1906.
sir,
I have the honour te enclose copy of the London
Chamber of Commerce letter of the 10th. November last
addressed to the Right Honourable Lord Stanley, Postmaster General, asking for the establishment of a British Post Office at Tientsin. The reply of the Postmaster General dated 24th. idem (a copy also enclosed) lends itself to the supposition that the Hongkong Government, who control the British Postal Agencies at the Chinese Treaty Ports, were recently of opinion that cireumstances were not such as to render it advisable to establish an Agency at Tientsin.
My Committee have given this matter their consi-
deration and have come to the conclusion that for the
greater convenience of British Trade as well as from an Imperial standpoint the arguments brought forward by the London Chamber of Commerce are incontrovertible and they are unanimously of opinion that it is advisable steps should be taken to open an Agency in Tientsin with as lit-
➡tle delay as possible.
I am to add that consideration was given to the fact that these Treaty Port Agencies are not always sources of revenue to the Hongkong Government and that any loss falls on the local ratepayers but, in the case of Tientsin, one of the larger ports, it may reasonably be anticipated
that no actual loss will occur.
I am therefore to express the hope that the Government will give the matter further consideration and
the
The Colonial Secretary.