T
[10]
three. This measure not only gives the Americans the advantage of all the local carrying of both Mails and cargo, but it much assists as feeding, themain line from Yokohama to the United States.
74. The present prospects of this Agency are not, therefore, brilliant, and I fully expect that so soon as the Public have full confidence in the prompt trans- mission of Mails via San Francisco and they become assured of their letters for England being forwarded without any detention at New York, the Yokohama community will also send nunch of their correspondence for the United Kingdom by that route.
75. Whilst at Yokohama, I made arrangements for the Postmaster to pay all monies received by him into the Bank of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation instead of remitting it to this Office, and for withdrawal of all monies in payment of the Contract for the new building so paid upon the Certificates of Mr. Brunton, who is professionally superintending the erection of the new Post Office, countersigned by Sir Harry Parkes, and I also, at the latter's request, paid to the same account at that Bank the $5,000 sent to Sir Harry by His Excellency the Governor.
76. The new building is situated in a very convenient part of the settlement for carrying on the Public business, and close to the Hotuba or place where the Mails are landed and full provision is made for the residence of the Postmaster and quarters for the Clerk.
77. As to the general management of the Post Office at Yokohama, it is a matter of the deepest regret to me that I am unable to give a more satisfactory report thereon; the proper efficiency of the service, however, demands that I should point out the deficiencies in the administration of the department, at that port, the only one at which happily they existed to any important degree, but I hope that with the additional accommodation the new building will afford and the improvements which I have set on foot there, many defects may be removed.
78. The complaints made to me of irregularities were many, and therefore, with a view to obtaining a thorough comprehension of all the possible causes of complaint I asked Her Majesty's Acting Consul Russell Robertson, Esq., to make the Chamber of Commerce aware of my presence in Yokohama and my readiness to receive from them, as the mouth piece of the Community, any suggestions for the improvement of the postal service, and thereupon the Committee of the Chamber, made an appointment for a meeting with me at which I attended with the Consul.
79. The chief grievance brought under notice at this meeting was the loss of numerous letters posted at the Yokohama Office. Individual members of the Committee, of their own knowledge, assured me in the most positive terms, of the loss of many letters posted from their houses, and laid much stress upon the incon- venience and damage which, in their opinions, they had sustained thereby although singularly enough in all cases where their letters had not reached their desti- nations they admitted, that where they contained firsts of Exchange the letters with the seconds of Exchange had always been received, and where the missing letters contained seconds of Exchange those inclosing the firsts of Exchange had been duly received. I could, however, do no more than express my regret at these representations and promise to adopt measures which I hoped would remedy the mischief in future.
80. The simple and effectual remedy I applied was to order the use of Sealed Boxes similar to those in use hore for the transmission of correspond- ence from the Merchants' Offices to the Post Office, and the obliteration of the Postage Stamps at the Yokohama Post Office, a system which is found to be
[11]
effectual here in preventing the stealing of letters for the value of the Postage Stamps upon them. A Circular to this effect was sent out by the Postmaster, and the practice was adopted during my stay in Yokohama,
81. I received information that large numbers of newspapers which had passed through the post and some Postage Stamps had been offered for sale in the lower part of the Japanese town, and at much trouble and labour, after going from one part of the town to another for a whole morning, I discovered eventually that the reputed seller of these articles had left Yokohama and that the house where he had resided and many others in the vicinity had been destroyed by fire. I, however, placed the matter in the hands of the Municipal Police and solicited the good offices of the Consul to induce the authorities to do all in their power to trace the delinquents, but I am sorry to say without success, too much time having clapsed before my informant could impart his knowledge to me.
82. From after enquiries, however, I found that some hundreds of newspapers unopened and with the addresses still upon them had been given by Mr. Septimus Short to one of his servants on that gentleman's leaving Yokohama and these were doubtless part or possibly the whole of those offered for sale. I found also that the Postage Stamps when scen were between the leaves of a book, one or two here and one or two there, and in one instance as many as a quarter of a sheet or 60. They may possibly have been sold with the book through inad-
vertence.
83. With a view to taking all possible precautions. I suggested to the Post- master that he should, so soon as no inconvenience would be felt in the Office, discharge his two Japanese Coolies upon whom suspicion rested, and this has since
been done.
84. Another irregularity which I would point out was that on visiting the Post Office on the 20th July, I found lying in the Office a large number of letters addressed to Banks and known persons which bore the Yokohama dated Stamp of the 9th July and had consequently been lying in the Post Office 11 days without any attempt having been made to deliver them. I, of course, had those letters sent out without loss of time and ordered the adoption of a simple expedient to avoid such unnecessary detention of letters in future, of instructing the Clerk to examine all letters lying in the Office on his arrival at his post each morning.
85. I also observed that applicatious were, on two occasions, made for the purchase of quantities of Postage Stamps at a quarter past 11 in the morning which could not be complied with because the Box containing them had by au oversight not been obtained from the Bank where for safe keeping it is deposited each night.
86. I found also that, although the Contract Mail Packets leave at day light on Tuesday mornings, the time up to which Money Orders were issued was fixed for Saturday afternoon, as it was alleged the covering bill for remittance could not be obtained later, upon enquiry at the Bank, however, I found that no application had been made to get the Bill later, and the Manager expressed his ready consent to give the usual covering draft up to Monday night, I therefore ordered the time for granting Money Orders to be extended to 3 P.M., on the day prior to the Mail's departure, thus giving the Public the benefit of about 50 hours later issue of Money Orders.
87. I also ordered the extension of the time of receipt of letters for registra- tion, and effected many other improvements of a minor nature which it is needless to detail here.
127
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.