PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference !---
33 /
C.O. 133
BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-| COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON:
26 ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE
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37. There are two lines of steamers in existence between Hongkong and Foochow each calling at Swatow and Amoy on both their up and down trips, one belonging to the l'eninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company and the other to Messieurs Douglas Laprak and Coinjany; the former,] run at somewhat irregular intervals and the latter very regularly.
38. The estimated distance from Hongkong to Swatow is 180 miles; from Swatow to Amoy 120 miles, and from Amoy to Pagoda Anchorage 175 miles.
Bay
2 P.M.
39. The voyages are at present generally inade thus: the steamers leave Hongkong at and arrive at Swatow at about 8 A.M. the next morning, leaving Swatow for Amoy at 5P.M. and reaching that port at 5 A.M. the next morning, they then leave Amoy for Foochow (Pagoda Anchorage) at 3 r.ú. and reach there at 9 a.m. the next morning, giving a steaming time of about 48 hours, and 19 hours in port at Swatow and Amoy.
40. The vessels generally remain at Foochow 3 or sometimes 4 days, and return to Hongkong in about the same time as that occupied in the upward voyage, generally arriving back in Hongkong on the 9th or 10th day after having left here, and they usually remain for 5 or 6 days discharging and loading for the return trip.
41. The prompt transmission from Hongkong to Foochow of the Mails from home is not of the same importance as the regular dispatch of Mails from Foochow to Hongkong, whilst to the steamer owners it is most important to have a liberal allowance of time at Hongkong after the arrival of the English Mail, and the time of departure from Foochow is not usually of much importance as the cargo carried from Foochow to Hongkong is insignificant when compared with that carried in the contrary
direction.
42. Under these circumstances, therefore, the payment of any subsidy would really be for th privilege of despatching the steamers from Foochow at times convenient to the Mail services and to the requirements of the foreign merchants. At present, the vessels of Messrs. Laprak and Co. notedly, arrive and depart at intervals of about the same extent as would be required of them for the Mail! service, but the owners, of course, now hasten or delay their departure as best for their own interests, the Chinese being large shippers, as I understand, the arrival and departure of English Mails is not of much moment to them.
43. The arrangement I have suggested is that an offer be made to the owners of one or other or both the lines of steamers to give them half of the revenue derived from the local correspondence carried to and fro, conditionally upon all letters, being duly handed over to the Post Office Agents at each of the Ports touched at, with a penalty of $20 for each letter otherwise conveyed save and except (such as are exempt by Law,) viz. the letters of the owners or of the consignees of cargo then
on board the vessel.
41. Such an arrangeincut would, I am satisfied, materially increase the Colonial revenue, experience having fully convinced une on a recent journey from Foochow that immense numbers of letters are systematically carried in Lapraik's vessels and handed over to the steamer's Agents at each of the ports named, and, I believe, that many are almost as regularly brought here in the same manner and delivered by the Agents to the persons to whom they are addressed.
45. As the payinent suggested would not be sufficient to induce the owners of the steamers to accede to the above proposal, the Imperial Post Office should be called upon to contribute a further sum, in addition to the proposed payment from local funds, towards the maintenance, as suggested, of a regular communication with Foochow in connexion with the Mail steamers. The more especially so as the greater part of the correspondence to be forwarded to and from Foochow would consist of letters upon which the Imperial Post Office receives a large proportion of the postage.
46. The bulk of the Mails will be a matter of little or no consideration, as the Mail for Swatow, seldom exceeds one bag, and those for Amoy and Foochow seldom exceed three bags each.
47. The terms of any Contract should be assimilated, I think, where possible, to those contained in the Contract made between the Pastmaster General of Great Britain and the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company on the 19th November, 1867.
48. These suggestions are thrown out with a careful regard to all legitimate interests and the ever-growing wants of the public.
49. During the year the Money Orders drawn upon the United Kingdon have been as follows, viz.:
ಆ
Commission which
No. of Money Ondert drawn.
Place.
Åmount.
accrued to the Colony.
£
*
cia,
1,309
408
Hongkong, Shanghac,
0,354
10
190
03
1,834
13
3
32
300
Yokohama,..
1,807
8
D
80
13
Total,....2,083
£9,996
7 10 |
$163
45
4500
1822 *
$1.
50. The Money Orders drawn in the United Kingdom are as follows, viz. :——
No. of Money Orders drawn.
සපප
Place.
Amount.
*9**
Commission which accrued to the Colony,
cls.
42
***
84
1.
33 On Hongkong,
On Shanghee,
124 14
3
10
On Yokohama,
18
0 18
0
84
Total,.... 44
£107
1 10 | 87
08
51. The following figures will shew the result of the Local Money Order system :-
Number. Amount.
Commission.
& c.
Money Orders drawn in Ilongkong on Shanglas,
Do.
do.
on Yokoliama,· · Money Orders drawn in Shanghae on Hongkong,
Do. do. in Yokohama on
18
318.88
3.30
0
131.63
1.50
31
078.20
5.85
do.,
33
020.70
0.15
Total,..
01 1,755.50
10.80
*K..
52. The following statement shews a total increase in the Revenue of 1869, over that of 1868, amounting to $8,364.29; but as the amount of uncollected revenue at the end of 1869, was $1,375.16 less than that which was outstanding at the end of 1868, the actual excess of total revenue in 1869, as compared with the revenue of 1868, is only $6,989.13, of which $6,191.20 belongs to the Imperial Post Office and the remainder, viz., $797.93 to the Colony,
53. This increase in the Imperial Revenue is accounted for by the Mails for the United Kingdom per French Packet having been made up at the British Post Offices at Shanghae and Yokolama, instead of as in the previous year at the French Post Offices at these places. The direct service between Hongkong and Yokohama by British Contract Packets has also contributed to the Imperial Revenue, whilst it has lessened the Revenue of the Colony.
54.
Total Revenue collected in 1869,..
Comparative Statement of Revenue.
Add Amount received from Imperial Post Office towards the maintenance of the
Postal Agencies in China and Japan,
Total Revenue collected in 1808,
Total increase in 1869, as compared with 1868,
Amount of Imperial Revenue collected
iu 1809,
Do.
in 1868,
do.
Remittances to London,..£24,012.8.02 {Contribution to Agencies,1,970.00
Increase in 1800, as compared with 1868,
do.
Amount of Colonial Revenue in 1800,
Do.
in 1808,
Increase in 1869, as compared with 1868,
55.
£37,847.13. I =,918),068.74
1,270. 0. 0
£9,117.13. 1
37,375. 1.10)
£1,742.11.2
0,090.00
$187,701.74 179,400.45
£8,361.20
£25,880. 8. 07 =8124,235.66
24,692.11.11 = 118,044.40
£1,280.16. 71 = $0,191.20
The Colonial Expenditure in 1809, (exclusive of the cost of the New Building at Yokohama,
but including $3,885.54 Gratuities paid for the conveyance of Ship Muils,) amounts to $39,908.70 Less contributed by Imperial Post Office in aid of maintenance of Agencies at the Ports,....
Expenditure bore by the Colony in 1809,..
Do.
do. in 1808,.
Increase in 1800, as compared with 1888,..
0,096.00
$63,529.08 01,355.99
$ 2,173.09
ངང་།
$33,879.70 20,046,21
8 7,227.49
56. This increase in the expenditure of last year, as compared with 1868, is accounted for by the payment of the full year's salaries of the Marine Sorters in 1869, whereas in the previous year, they were only paid from the month of July, the time the system of sorting the Mails on board the British Contract Packets at sea began, and also by the additional charges for assistance it has been found necessary to give the Postmaster at Yokohama by the appointment of a Clerk, as well by an increase of $600 paid for the conveyance of Ship Mails, last year. The excess of the Colony's Postal Revenue over its ordinary expenditure for Post Office purposes during the past year amounts to $26,656.38.
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