[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[42784]
[November 24.]
C O
37666
SECTION 2.
Rice
1
No. of 9 FC 10
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(No. 400.) Sir,
Mr. Max Müller to Sir Edward Grey.--(Received November 24,)
Peking, November 5, 1910. I HAVE the honour to report that an Imperial edict was issued on the 4th October, approving a memorial presented by the Board of Posts and Communications, containing certain recommendations for the reorganisation of the Chinese postal service. The first stop which it is proposed to take is to withdraw the postal administration from the control of the Luspector-General of Customs and Posts, under the Revenue Council, and to place it under the Board of Posts and Communications, where a new postal department will be created. This step is to be followed by others, the details of which are shown in the accompanying notes translated from the memorial.
As you are aware, the present Chinese postal service was the creation of Sir Robert Hart, and was originally a private undertaking, established solely for the convenience of the Customs. In its initial stages it met with great opposition from Chinese officials, and had to contend with the competition, not only of the foreign post offices, but also of an extensive but irresponsible mail system carried on by hongs or native firms of letter carriers. These difficulties have been successfully overcome; branches have been opened in every important town throughout China; and the supervision exercised by the foreigu employés at all the principal contres The accompanying copy of the ensures an honest and efficient administration. Customs report on the working of the Imperial Post Office for the year 1909 gives a striking picture of the rapid growth and present extent of the service instituted by Sir Robert Hart.
It is not yet known how the postal department under the Board of Communications will be constituted, but there is naturally some apprehension lest Chinese administrative methods be imported into a branch of the Government which has hitherto given general satisfaction. The Chinese Government have not so far consulted the acting inspector-general in regard to this scheine, but some observations which Mr. Aglen made in conversation with a member of the legation may be of interest.
He said that in view of the Imperial edict which had been issued the change was bound to come; that it had been threatened for some years, and had only been staved off by the resistance of the Customs. The Chinese regarded it as an anomaly that the postal service should remain an integral part of the Customs under the Revenue Council, instead of being placed under the Board of Posts and Communications, where it was obviously intended to be when that bourd was created. The difficulty would be to find means for making the transfer without causing confusion and dislocating the present excellent postal arrangements. Mr. Aglen had suggested that the Inspector- General of Customs should continue to be responsible for the postal service, but should be under the Board of Posts and Communications for postal matters. He did not, however, think that the Chinese would be likely to adopt this suggestion. In their present mood they would regard with disfavour the idea of creating another Government department, partially controlled, like the Imperial Maritime Customs, by the foreign element, and he feared the intention was to divorce the Posts completely from the Customs.
As regards the concrete recommendations in the memorial, he said that they had probably been framed on a Japanese model. Consequently, whilst some had already been adopted and were in working order, others were not practical in present circumstances. He pointed out that the proposal was to make arrangements this year for the transfer, but not necessarily to make the actual transfer this year.
China already had postal arrangements with various countries, and her desire to join the International Postal Union and to see the foreign post offices abolished was a The natural corollary of her determination to tit herself for a position of absolute equality with other sovereign States and free her administration from foreign control, Chinese would probably have no objection to the foreign Powers retaining their post offices at places like Shanghai and Tien-tsin, which form the terminal ports of call for
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