CO129-217 - Governor Sir Bowen Administrator Marsh - 1884 [7-10] — Page 258

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· occupies from 1/2 weeks to 8 or even

9 weeks, according

to the class

of vessel, there are several ports of call, and the chances of steamers passing

one another would introduce endless

confusion

into the service. Letters which left London earlier would be continually arriving after those which left later. I do not see how the Loudon Post Office

is to form any reasonable guess. which of three

three steamets leaving.

London or Liverpool for China ~

within the same week will arrive

first.

We cannot even do it between

in

here and Shanghai, a voyage of t days ! The experience of this Office transmitting Mails for Japan

since the PrO subsidy

..

was withdrawn

shows how impossible it is to secure

Anything

255

anything like regularity of arrival by

meaus

of cargo

steancero alone. The most.

anxious care has been exercised to

select the best opportunities, but the result has been that three communities.

of Japan have been continually complaining over since the change. was made. With regard to the homeward mail, few persons except

merchant would ever have much idea when they would leave, and, often as not, the notice would be

short.

ao

very

7.

If therefore the French protets continued ruming, the whole com situation would resolve itself into

arded

heavy forterightly mails foriver. by their means. The outward mail- would take at least four hours to:

sort.