CO129-312 - Acting Governor Major Gen Sir Gascoigne Governor Sir Blake - 1902 [7-9] — Page 254

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Enclosure No. 3 to Despatch No.

20th. August, 1802,.

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25 EP 021

Government House,

'Wei-Hai-Nei, 1st. August, 1903.

252

Sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's letter No. 68/G of the 14th. ultimo, regard- ing the establishment of an independent Post Office at Wei-Hai- Tei.

3.

I regret that I am unable to concur with Your Excellency in the opinion that Hongkong rather than Wei-Hai-Wei should be the headquarters of a postal system in the North of China for the ports of Chefoo, Tientsin, and Peking. ́

I have addressed the Secretary of State on the subject and, in forwarding to him a copy of the correspondence which has passed between us, I have suggested that the newly ap- pointed Postmaster-General for Hongkong night visit Wei-Hai-Wei in October on his way out from home via Shanghai.

3.

I trust it may ultimately be possible to make Wei-Hai-Wei the headquarters of a postal system in the North of Chine. In the meantime, pending the final decision of the Secretary of State, I have, in accordance with your request, selected as Agent of the branch of the Hongkong Post Office here, Mr. Duncan Clark of the firm of Messrs. D.. Clark and Company.

I regret that I have not been able to find any- one willing to undertake the duties for a sun less than $100 a month, which includes a salary for a clerk, wages for postmen, sampan hire do. Indeed it was only with some difficulty that I was able to secure an Agent and Mr. Clark only consented to undertake the duties from the 1st. of August at my personal request.

I have etc.,

(sa.) J.. H.. Stewart Lockhart,

Commissioner.

His Excellency

The Officer Administering the Government

of Hongkong.