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COPY
Enclosure
REC
40389
REG 25 AUG 16'
38
Hon. C. S.
With reference to the censorship of transit mails carried by the French Mail Steamers (M. M.), I attach a copy of a communication I have received from M. Divellée Controller of Mails on board M. M. S. S. "Atlantique:
In view of the difficulty at stated, I would suggest that the Secretary of State be asked to request the Foreign Office to make arrangements with the French Authorities con- cerned whereby the "Controlleurs" on French mail packets are authorised to hand over on request by this office any mails required for censoring.
Such a request need not be made in the case of mails that have already passed the French censorship, but the French boats frequently carry mails, e. g. from Shanghai, Chinese, for Batavia, which are uncensored in Shanghai and can most con- veniently be examined by this Office.
I understand that the same difficulty has arisen in Singapore, and it might be desirable to make the same arrange- ments for censoring such mails at that Port also,
(SD.) E. D. C. Wolfe,
Postmaster General.
30.6.16.