546
arrangement has now been come to by which Japan undertakes to withdraw her inland post offices in return for postal rates which will frank Japanese postal matter all over China for the same postage as for the home post, namely, a three cents stamp, which is somewhat less in value than our penny.
Under this provisional agreement the Japanese Government reserves the right to reestablish inland post offices in China in any places where other foreign countries have post offices. A proviso which in itself comes to mean that the arrangement cannot be put in force until all other countries have agreed to withdraw their Post Offices.
Whilst Sir Robert Hart is endeavouring to establish a national post in China, by inducing foreign countries to withdraw their post offices from places inland, the French Minister is pressing upon the attention of the Chinese Government an exchange of views which took place between himself, at the time French Chargé d'Affaires, and the Tsungli Yamen in 1898, and which he says terminated in their agreeing on the 9th of April, that when a regular postal service was established, they would have recourse to the assistance of foreign employés, and that they would gladly avail themselves of French advice in the selection of the necessary staff.
At the present moment a Frenchman, Monsieur Piry, who holds the rank of a Commissioner of Customs in the service presided over by Sir Robert Hart, is at the head of the postal department, and there is no doubt that he has been in constant communication with Monsieur Dubail, who by his appointment as Inspector General of Posts would like to see the fulfilment of a scheme launched by himself five years ago when he was Chargé d'Affaires in Peking.
Postal business is at present carried on in the offices at the various ports of the Imperial Maritime Customs, and I fancy that it was hoped that Sir Robert Hart would be willing for the independent service to make use, at least at first, of the same premises. The Inspector-General has however stated that a postal service independent of the Customs must expect no assistance whatever from his department, and it seems likely that the scheme will fall to the ground through lack of funds to inaugurate it.
I have &c.,
(sd.) Walter Townley.
546
arrangement has now been come to by which Japan undertakes to
withdraw her inland post offices in return for postal rates
hich will frank Japanese postal matter all over China for
the same postage as for the home post, namely, a three cents
stamp, which is somewhat less in value than our penny.
Under this provisional agreement the Japanese Govern-
ment reserves the right to reestablish inland post offices
in China in any places where other foreign countries have
post offices. À proviso which in itself comes to mean that
the arrangement cannot be put in force until all other
countries have agreed to withdraw their Post Offices.
Whilst Sir Robert Hart is endeavouring to establish a
national post in China, by inducing foreign countries to
withdraw their post offices from places inland, the French
Minister is pressing upon the attention of the Chinese
Government an exchange of views which took place between
himself, at the time French Chargé d'Affaires, and the
Tsungli Yamen in 1898, and which he says terminated in
their agreeing on the 9th of April, that when a regular
postal service was established, they would have recourse
to the assistance of foreign employés, and that they
would gladly avail themselves of French Advice in the selection
of the necessary staff.
At the present moment a Frenchman, Monsieur Piry, who
holds the rank of a Commissioner of Customs in the service
presided over by Sir Robert Hart, is at the head of the
postal department, and there is no doubt that he has been in
constant communication with Monsieur Dubail, who by his
appointment as Inspector General of Posts would like to see the
fulfilment of a scheme launched by himself five years ago when
he was Chargé d'Affaires in Peking.
Postal business is at present carried on in the offices
at the various ports of the Imperial Maritime Customs, and I
fancy that it was hoped that Sir Robert Hart would be willing
for the independent service to make use, at least at first, of
the same premises. The Inspector-General has however stated
that a postal service independent of the Customs must expect no
assistance whatever from his department, and it seems likely
that the scheme will fall to the ground through lack of funds
to inaugurate it.
I have &c.,
(sd.)
Walter Townley.
would
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