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extensions required for the considerable increase of traffic
which is expected to arise, when a cheap and speedy service
is offered.
3.
It is most desirable that the wireless tariff
on this circuit should be reduced to a figure approximating
to the land telegraph charge; and I feel confident that,
given equal rates, the latter, which is practically moribund,
will be eventually forced out of competition by the superior
advantages of the radio service, and that thus incidentally
a final solution will be found for the long standing dispute
connected with the Chinese Telegraph Administration in
Hong Kong. The necessary reduction in rates was, I am glad to say, readily accepted in principle by the Chinese
Authorities. It is to be put into force as soon as the re-
organised service is, in the opinion of the technical advisers of both Administrations, capable of handling the traffic.
Some time must elapse before any radical
improvement can be expected, as further apparatus has to be procured and installed. Already, however, considerable progress has been made. Satisfactory routine times of working have been arranged and adhered to and the serious delays in transmission and reception, which were hitherto characteristic of the system, have been remedied.
4.
5.
I am also hopeful that similar improvements
will eventually be effected in respect of the wireless communications between Hong Kong and the other stations in South China with which traffic is exchanged, namely Pakhoi and Swatow in Kuang-tung Province, Wuchow and Nanning in Kuang-hsi, Amoy and Foochow in Fukien, Yunnanfu and Shanghai. The number of these stations is continually increasing and, owing to the absence of definite working and accounting agreements with the responsible local authorities in control,
traffic