AnnualReport-1915

R 7

12.—MISCELLANEOUS.

The continuance of the European war throughout the year affected postal business adversely and in consequence also the postal revenue. Local postal business continued much as before the war and the opening of the two new branches of the General Post Office helped to some extent to reduce the general loss of postal revenue. The abolition of the private letter boxes in which the correspondence between firms established in Hongkong with branches in Canton was formerly despatched at a fixed sum of $60.00 per box per annum also materially assisted in improving the postal revenue derived from postal business between these two ports. Direct postal services were also established with various West River and neighbouring ports whose correspondence had formerly to pass through Canton entailing considerable delay with the result that the smuggling of correspondence has been reduced and the postal revenue has been increased.

Considering the dangers to which shipping in Home waters and in the Mediterranean has been exposed as a result of the German submarine policy the Colony was singularly fortunate in the matter of mails. All mails despatched from Hongkong to the United Kingdom and vice versa arrived safely with the exception of those on board the Peninsular and Oriental S.S. "Persia" and the "Ville de la Ciotat" both of which ships were torpedoed in the Mediterranean towards the close of the year and two bags of mail on the "Hesperian" which was torpedoed in the Atlantic in September. These mails consisted chiefly of second class mail matter, e.g., newspapers, book packets, etc., but did not include parcels.

The most important event however was the opening of the new Government Radio Telegraph Station at Cape D'Aguilar on the 15th July and the consequent establishment of a Radio Telegraph Office at the General Post Office. Communication between the Radio Station and the General Post Office is maintained by means of a telegraph and telephone line from the station to the General Post Office. To facilitate the despatch and receipt of messages the General Post Office Radio Telegraph Office is connected by telephone with the Government and Public telephone systems both of which have an Exchange in the Radio Telegraph Office. The telegraphs to the Gap Rock and Waglan lighthouses and to the Observatory are also now installed in the Radio Telegraph Office having been removed there from the Harbour Office. A telephone connects the public Radio Telegraph counter with the Radio Telegraph Office. This arrangement in addition to facilitating the despatch and receipt of Radio Telegraph messages has also the advantage of combining all the Government Telegraphs in one centre thus saving the duplication of services and staffs.

The traffic for the period 15th July to 31st December, 1915, was as follows:-