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Arrangements were made during the year with the Canadian Postal Administration for the transmission of Parcels for Europe by Canadian Services. The first Parcel Mail for Liverpool by this route was despatched on 8th November by the Empress of Japan. This service, although more expensive than that via Suez, is very much appreciated by the public who are using it to an increasing extent.
The revised Postal Agreement with Macao, which provides for the exchange of Cash on Delivery Parcels, came into force on 1st September.
The revenue collected in 1917 from radio-telegrams amounted to $23,311.55 being $14,616.51 more than that collected in 1916—the excess being mainly due to press messages sent to Indo-China. Advices of vessels signalled at the light-houses yielded $503.35 and semaphore messages $2.50 making a total of $23,817.40 for the telegraphic service. The expenditure amounted to $39,174.38, of which sum $17,905.71 was in respect of the emoluments of the Wireless Staff at the Cape d'Aguilar Station for the period from 15th July, 1915, to 31st December, 1916. The number of radio-telegrams forwarded during the year was 846 consisting of 106,114 words, and 1,028 received consisting of 13,853 words.
XI. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.
The unrest in the province of Kwangtung which re-commenced in 1916 continued to be a source of uneasiness to the local Chinese residents. During the year some of the Southern provinces of China declared their independence of the Central Government and constant collisions between the Northern and Southern factions led to considerable chaos. Troops of both parties ransacked villages near the New Territories Frontier and much trouble was caused by armed robbers crossing the British Border and raiding villages in British territory. On the 18th November the Chinese section of the railway was damaged by soldiers who had mutinied and traffic was stopped until the 20th November.
Several small junks and launches were attacked by robbers, and piracy of such small craft has led to representations being made to the Canton Government through H.M.'s Consul General.
During the year the War Charities Funds were subscribed to in the same generous manner as in previous years, the sums received as subscriptions amounting to $292,904.94. In addition to this sum the following special days were devoted to assisting the various war charities with the results shown against each:
St. George's Day, 23rd April,
"Our Day", 18th October,
St. Andrew's Day, 30th November,..
$ 33,619.68
110,375.72
46,528.18