CO129-313 - Governor Sir Blake - 1902 [10-12] — Page 205

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Sir,

Enclosure No. 2 to Despatch No. 480

of the

4th. November, 1903.

202

His Majesty's Post Office,

Amoy, October 20th., 1903.

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Circular of the 8th. instant, forwarling Regulations for the Parcel Post with the United States of America via Lon lon.

Representations have been male to me by the Merchants. of thisPort that the new arrangement would be absolutely useless to them unless allowed to send parcels lirect insteal of via London. The trad of Amoy consists almost entirely of shipping tea to America, ani the tea firms here sent early to America a very large number of parcels of tea musters. At present in order to gain one or two days in delivery these are sent an ler Parcel Receipt insteal of the far cheaper Bill of Lading. A parcel weighing 400 lbs. sent unler Parcel Receipt costs $99 (Gold). In order to maintain secrecy from Irale Competitors, the parcel is frequently sent to an Agent in San Francisco to be forwardel to destination. This increases the coat of transit to about $150 (3011). By parcel post 400 lbs. could be sent in 40 parcels for $199 (ex. ). There is therefore no doubt that if a lirect parcels post service were institatel with America all the tea firms here would eagerly avail themselves of the privilege. From enquiries I have male, I find that during the season about 30,000 lbs. of tea musters are shipped under parcel receipt from this port. If these were sent by parcel post, a revenue of about $10,000 per annum would accrue to the Hongkong Jovernment.

I understand that the Chambers of Commerce in Amoy

and Hongkong are taking the matter up.

I have etc., (31.) J. B. Pratt,

Postal Agent.

His Majesty's Postmaster-General,

Hongkong.