C.O.
[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government]:3950
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[11951]
No. 1.
139
REC?
Rroo 24 APR 09
[March 29.]
SECTION 3.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received March 29.)
(No. 107.) Sir,
Peking, March 9, 1909. WITH reference to my despatch No. 106 of the 3rd March, 1908, I have the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a despatch from the Acting British Consul- General at Mukden, reporting upon the condition of the postal services in Manchuria.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN,
Inclosure in No. 1.
Acting Consul-General Willis to Sir J. Jordan.
(No. 10. Confidential.) Sir,
Mukden, February 28, 1909. IN continuation of my despatch No. 21, Confidential, of the 26th February, 1908, I have the honour to submit the following further report on postal conditions in Manchuria:---
During the past year the Chinese system has been considerably extended, and has become a far more popular institution. There are now thirty-three branch offices working, and agencies have been established at eighty-three centres, as against twenty-four branch offices and forty-nine agencies in the previous year.
The increase in mail matter is shown by the subjoined Table:--
Date,
Letters.
Post-cards.
Printed Matter. Other Matter.
Total.
+1
Kuang Hsü, 33rd year.
34th
75
5,147,293 10,140,578
37,186 70,486
787,193 1,121,514
38,132 42,072
6,007,104 11,874,650
Kuang Hsu, 33rd year
23
34th
Date.
Registered Articles.
617,715
1,264,246
Courier lines are now working over 9,501 Chinese li at the end of the last Chinese year, as against 4,468 li in the preceding year, the most important of the new lines opened being Mukden-Tunghwa, Ninguta-Hangchun, Shwangchengpu-Kirin, Shwangchengpu--Petuna, Ssupingkai-Liao-yuan-chou, Kaiyuan-Hailungfu, and Antung- Tung hua.
The Chinese Administration is not yet self-supporting; the deficit is, however, gradually decreasing, and amounts now only to about 6,000 dollars per quarter. The efficiency and development of the service is considerably hampered by lack of the necessary funds.
There is no doubt but that the Chinese system is severely handicapped by the competition of the Japanese post-offices. There are now no less than thirty-two of these offices functioning in Manchuria outside the leased territory, and in addition there are innumerable postal stations along the South Manchurian Railway which receive mail matter under the direction of railway employés acting as postal agents.
The Japanese system, which, as I pointed out in my former report, was at one time a bye-word amongst foreigners in Manchuria for its incompetency and slackness,
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