CO129-305 - Governor Sir Blake - 1901 [5-7] — Page 291

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terests, of maintaining the British Post Office there in a state of efficiency commensurate with British interests and capable of enabling it to hold its own with the competing fo-

reign Post Offices which are subsidised by the Governments

which they represent, justify an additional expenditure on the

staff and internal economy of the British Post Office in that

Settlement.

5. Since, however, it is rather Imperial than

Colonial interests which are involved in the maintenance of

an efficient British Post Office at Shanghai, I submit that the

financial aid required to improve the Postal Service at Shang-

hai should come out of Imperial and not out of Colonial Funds.

6. The contribution from the Imperial Post Of-

fice for this year is set down in the 1901 Estimates as $7,100

or roughly £710.

7. I shall be obliged if you will approach the

Imperial Postmaster General and ask him to consider the advi-

sability of raising the Imperial Contribution to £1,500 a year

of which 2750 shall, I undertake, he exclusively devoted to im-

*

proving the organization and accommodation at the Shanghai

British Post Office.

I have the honour to be,

sir,

Your most obedient

Humble Servant,

Jury Astake

GOVERNOR,&C.

༄‛ཀ་་*---