CO129-148 - Public Offices & Others - 1870 — Page 149

"been planned in London,

and carried

one by agents of the guilty persons, "You chama being selected because the "farthest off, and therefore affording "more time to shaped before my investigation "can take place". -

There is

is no

ground whatever.

Ground

"

for supposing that these frauds originate in London; indeed a

tha

large portion of letters would not, (except in sealed bags) pass through London, and the Postmaster Several cannot but regard to imporns

attempt to scree x management by a calumny

statement as an

Lis

on the management of others.

none of the letters which

As one

or are

have miscarried were registered, alleged to have contained negociable

Money

ther articles of value, the

only object in stealing them must have been to get possession of the postage

stamps

148

stamps, which being Polonial would, in

This Country, be

of

little

on to value.

No serious complaints of this

Kind have been made as regards letters

from Hongkong or from any of its

Agencies in China on

Yokohama ;

and

Japan, except

there is, therefore,

Xo

reasonable doubt that it is at the Yokohama Office that these chefte take place.

The present report from Mr- Simpson is only one of a series of very uncatisfactory reports from that Officer in reply to similar complaints.

The Postmarter of Yokohama

is appointed by the Governor of Hongkong, and I am directed by Lord Hartington to request that Earl Granville will be pleased to call the Governor's attention to these matters with a view, should his Excellency agree

with him in openion, Md. Fireporn's

removal as

unfit for his duties.

I have the honour tube, his, Your obedient Servant,

F. Min