CO129-345 - Public Offices & Foreign Office - 1907 — Page 673

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MEMORANDUM

&

24 DEC 07

On the proposal to close the British Post Office at Pient's in.

A telegram has been received from the Tientsin Branch of the China Association, requesting the General Committee to protect against the intended close of the British Post Office at Tientsin, on the 20th October.

The motive appears to be that a loss was incurred, last year, of some $7,500. (say £830.) which full6, under present arrangements, on Hongkong, and which the Colonial Goverment is unwilling to sustain. The British Post Office at Tientsin was opened on the 1st October 1906, but can hardly be said to have been in fill operation more than six months - a period insufficient, in either case, to afford a satic- factory test of probable results.

In the event of closure correspondance would, theoretically, be entrusted to the Chinase Post Office but more probably, in reality, to either the ranch, Teman, Russian or Japanese Offices, which do not appear to contemplate extinction.

The first question to be considered, therefore, is whether the British Community at Fiontain have valid reasons for desiring the British Office to be kupt open.

They allege

the rate of postage being Id only batween reat Britain and 3 in China where there is a "ongkong Agency, and 24d. to plucos there is not one, "ientsin, which ranks 2nd in commercial ix- oco among Treaty Ports, would be unduly ponclised by subjetion he superior rate. The distinction caused, bafora the institution the British Office, a measure of irritation that may appoar under certain aspects disproportionate, hut which was none the less real.

Since the British Post Oftea was established in Tientsin and mail bags have been made up there for transmission to London and vico vars under official seal, there has bom a decided increase in the balin of security, on the part of those having correspondance to send via Siberia, that such correspondonca would arrive at its destination safely and without being tampered with in transit. Although it has been possible since the Par to have lutters posted at other post Of- fices in Tientsin, the same feeling of security has not been prosent,

es have been known in which lotters posted in those other of- # not reached the addresngas. Prior to the establishment of sh Post Office, letters could only be sent by the Siberian ir postage at the German, Russian or French Post Offices, and at the higher rate. During this pariod it was no uncommon ox for letters to arrive in England opened or bearing und aniable of having been opened and r›closed in transit. Inquiries

locate the place where this was done, but the fact remained. he regrettable if a rotum to that state of affairs ware perlegd. By parity of reasoning it is desirable that the sorting of inward letters should also be under British control.

3. It seems beyond question that if the British Post Office only is closed, while the Russian, German, Franch and Japanese Post Offices ana kapt open, British Prastige will suffer. The point may apre ar trivial to persons unfamiliar with the East; but avary Tambar of the Association will join in doprocating the surrendar, by .. overmont, of any sign or symbol of status or power now possessed by us at the Treaty Ports and more particularly in British concussions. "he point was raisat some years ago, in correspondence with the Hongkong Branch and with the Foreign Office which closed with what I vmture to char- actarias as an admission of the principle, by Lord Lansdowne, (October 103) inthe following tems:-