CO129-148 - Public Offices & Others - 1870 — Page 269

A

263

On

letters

British rate of postage charged posted in this country addressed to Hongkong, or posted in Honghong addressed to the United Kingdom.

This being the mande in the British rate, so long as the rate on letters exchanged with Hongkong itself remaine

at its present amount.

case, no reduction could be

Between Hongkong and Manila the mails are carried by Spanish Mail Packet. the postage chargeable for such carriage being fixed by the Spanish Government and levied on the despatch of the letters from, and on the delivery of the letters in, the Philippine.

Islandt.

Without knowing what is the cost of the Spanish Packet service as compared with The Revenue derived from the carriage of correspondence, it would be difficult for the Postmaster General to forman opinion whether

the

the Spanish postage charged is Excessive.

With regard to the local correspondence between Hongkong

Hongkong and manila, the charge boied in Hongkong is fixed by the Colonial fovernment, as the Post office in Hong Kong is not under the control of this Department, And any proposal for modifying tech charge would be a subject for the consideration of that fovernment.

On this point, I have addressed

Secretary of State

communication to the

for the Colonies, requesting him to enquire, asa preliminary mracure, whether the Government of Hongkong would be willing to reduce its charge on letters Exchanged with the Philippine Islands.

Ireturn the despatch from Fe Majesty's Consul which accompanied your letter of the 6th Instant as requested.

I have

2

(Signed) W.J. Page