CO129-384 - Public Offices - 1911 — Page 543

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CO· 30775

540

COPY.

Acc?

CANTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Prot 21 SEP I Canton,

15th August, 1911.

)

Sir,

In reply to your despatch of 10th August requesting the views of this Chamber regarding the proposed carriage of mails between Hongkong and Canton and the probable handing over of the mail baga by the railway authorities to the Imperial Chinese Post Office at the Canton terminus, I have the honour on behalf of this Chamber to submit the following opinions:-

1. We regard with apprehension the suggestion of the British Post Office and other foreign post offices mail bags coming in any way under the control of the Chinese Postal Authorities. If this procedure is adopted the British and other foreign post offices on the British Con- cession are at once renuerea dependent on the Imperial Chinese Post Office for the despatch and delivery of mails.

2. In view of the present political situation in South

China and the disturbed state of the country traversed by

the railway, we do not consider the railway survice as safe

as the present river mail boat service.

3. Explicit information is wanting with regard to the

probable arrival and departure of the mail trains, the

running

J.W.Jamieson, Esquire, C.M.G,

His Britannic Majesty's Consul General,

CANTON.