PREFACE.
THE Publisher of the "Chronicle and Directory" is glad to be able again to place the work in the hands of his Subscribers at an early date. No pains have been spared in making the necessary alterations, and in noting the various changes which have taken place among the Foreign residents and Mercantile firms during the past year.
Many of the difficulties, which were experienced in bringing out the, last "Chronicle and Directory," have been removed, by the more complete organisation of the system on which the necessary information is collected, and everything having been done in order to obtain accurate returns up to the last moment, the publisher feels confident that this work will be found fully to sustain the reputation it has already acquired. It is not too much to say, that it contains more information concerning China than is condensed in any other one volume.
As it will doubtless be remembered, an addition to the scope of this work was made last year by the introduction of a list of five hundred Chinese Hongs doing business with Foreigners, and classified according to their various specialités. The occurrence of the disastrous fire, shortly afterwards, rendered this part of the work, prepared at no inconsiderable pains, of less value than it should have been; but, in the present volume, the list is re-introduced, very carefully revised, so that the new residences of the Chinese merchants will be all found duly indicated. Several new features have been introduced, which will add considerably to the usefulness of the Directory, perhaps the most practical being the Time and Post Office Tables. The former, compiled from the more detailed tables previously published, give in a succinct form the dates on which the P. & O. steamers leave Bongkong, when due in London, when the return mail leaves Home, and when the answer is due in Hongkong; and are supplemented by a new table shewing the movements of mails between Hongkong and the Australian colonies; that is, the dates of departure from Hongkong, of arrival at Galle, and of departure thence for Sydney. Both these additions will be of considerable value.
The "Chronicle and Directory" is published, as last year, in two forms; the one being the "Directory" properly so called, at the price of $3, and the other being the complete volume, with the records of seven years, at the price of $5. While the former will answer the requirements of ordinary business, the latter, it may be con- fidently stated, embodies such valuable statistical and other information as will make it a complete vade mecum in public, mercantile, and general offices.
The Daily Press Office,
Hongkong, January 11, 1869.