13. In a ted at the two Pillar Boxes, or an average of only four letters a day each. This does not even pay trifling wages of the Chinese postman who clears the boxes. The disturbing cause here probably that so few persons keep stamps at home. Chinese, it need hardly be said, scarcely ever do so, and ke to see their letters weighed at the Post Office. In England, almost all but the poorest and st uneducated classes keep a few stamps in the house; amongst the non-mercantile European com- sity here few seem to recognise that stamps can be bought at any other time than just when the I is closing. Some allowance must be made for the risk of theft, which is considerable, but the reason for this is too probably the habit of putting off till to-morrow what might better be done to-day more or less infects the East. On mail mornings there really ought to be nobody buying stamps te Post Office but people from ships who could not get on shore before. This may sound Utopian, its neglect merely leads to crowding, loss of temper, delay, and disappointment. Some persons curry matters further, and seem to expect that the Post Office will not only provide stamps, but a put them on. Very great trouble is experienced, nearly every mail day, from notes being addres Ito individuals in the Department, containing money, and asking that stamps may be put on the ers enclosed, that the change may be returned in stamps of particular values, or with a memorandum how much change, &c., &c. This opportunity is taken of saying that such requests are invariably ed, simply because it is impossible to comply with them. The drop boxes of the Post Office are eptacles for stamped correspondence, the stamps having been bought beforehand, and if sufficient are affixed the responsibility is the sender's.
14. The Local Parcel Post, commenced during the year, has been successful, but only to a mode- te extent. It is understood that the Agents and Commanders of Coast steamers are still troubled th numbers of small parcels, of which they had rather be rid, and here again use and wont struggle rd for existence. There is not the same reason for neglecting the Post Office in the transmission of ast parcels as may be urged in the case of letters. The Post Office cannot compete with private rus at the Ports in quickness of delivery. But whilst an hour may be of the greatest importance in e delivery of a letter, it can seldom matter much in the delivery of a parcel, indeed, against the slight lay imposed by a Postal transit, may be set its absolute safety from loss.
15. Efforts have been made to improve and develope the local delivery of correspondence, and ere is no reason to doubt that, as the facilities afforded become more generally known, they will be are generally availed of. To make the local delivery of this Office perfect, however, it should be inde- udent of any interruption from the arrivals of mails. This would necessitate at least four additional men, for whom it would be impossible to find quarters without building, as the existing quarters e not only full, but are also crowded.
16. Attempts have been made to do a little more than has hitherto been done for the Chinese iness community in Postal inatters. Postage stamps are sold at the Stamp Office Agency in the tive quarter, where letter scales also are kept, but it is found that Chinese prefer to weigh letters th the delicate li-tang used for silver. A list of the day's nails in Chinese is posted up at the Stamp ncy every morning, and a translation of the Table of Rates of postage has been circulated to the ncipal hongs. There can be little doubt that these efforts are appreciated. It is believed that Rates Postage have not been put into Chinese before, the Table now in use is appended as a specimen.
17. Negotiations have been carried on during the year for the withdrawal of British Post Offices Japan, and this Department is now holding itself in readiness to hand over the business at a short fice. No slight is intended to the gentlemen of H. M. Consular service who have lent their able stance in carrying it on, in saying that it will be a great relief to relinquish Postal Administration Inpun. For one Country to carry on the Post Offices of another Country successfully demands a conditions that the Country administerel shall not concern itself in any way in the matter; it it shall have no means of conveyance of its own; and that the administering Country shall have actical monopoly of the service. Directly these conditions cease to obtain, complications and in- Aveniences begin to creep in, and can only be remedied by the institution of an efficient National
Office.
A
18. These remarks apply to some extent to the efforts made during the past year by the Chinese stoms Service to establish something like a Chinese Post Office. It has been supposed that such pro- ling would be viewed by this Department with great dislike and alarm. Such is not the case.
ghly efficient Chinese Post Office would be a boon to everybody who is concerned in the matter, il Hongkong should be the last place to put obstacles in its way. It may be necessary to open new ncies of this Office in Tientsin and Chefoo, but if such Agencies are opened it will be simply to er an existing service as efficient as possible, and certainly not to rival or suppress anything that
hers may have done or attempted. Whilst perfectly willing to undertake Postal duty, if necessary, her in
se strictly its own.
•Through the kind cooperation of the Heads of two other departments this postman never handlen the latters, The Pillars are cleared by trust- by firers, and the correspondence placed in a locked box, which is not opened till it reaches this Office.