OPY.
1. 526
LLY TO TOKYO.
15538.)
9205 REC? 212
BRITISH LEGATION. REGE 12 HB 19
INKING.
December 3rd, 1918.
Dir.
Monsieur Ficard-Destelan, Co-Director of the Chinese
Fostal bervice recently told a member of my staff in
confidence that amongst the questions which China probosed
to bring up at the leace Conference was that of the
abolition of the foreim Fostal Agencies in China.
I need not remind you that this question has formed
the subject of much discussion in the past; and for my
views as to the conditions upon which we might wree to the
proposal i would refer you to my despatch lio,410 of
Lecember 18th, 1914. Since that date there has been
correspondence between the General Fost Office and the
lostmaster General at hongkong, of which conies were sent,
me in your descatches hos. 135 of December 1st, 1917, and
52 of February 16th.
of the conditions formulated in my desratch, one has
now been fulfilled, namely the establishment of adequate foreign supervision over the lostal Administration on a definite basis, see my despatch No. 341 of Uctober 29th,
1917.
But in considering any proposal made by the Chinese Government i would be essential to secure from then some guarantee of pinency in this matter. regards the other conditions which I suggested one at
least
A3
The Right Honourable
A.J. Balfour OmM., M.F.,
etc., etc., etc.,