CO129-483 - Others & Individuals - 1923 — Page 111

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The General Post Office to Crown Agents.

Gentlemen,

London, E.C.1.

7th August 1923.

107

With reference to your letter of the

31st ultimo, I am directed by the Postmaster General

to inform you that letters sent to Hong Kong via

Siberia are due to reach their destination in about

22 days, as compared with about 30 days via Suez or via

North America; but so far the arrivals by the Siberian

route have not been entirely regular.

As regards security, while letters etc.

for Hong Kong sent by other routes are despatched from

London in bags addressed to Hong Kong, those despatched

by the Siberian route are sent to the Chinese Post

Office at Harbin. Apart from the handling by the

Chinese Post Office which is thus entailed, the

political situation in Russia cannot entirely be

ignored; and until further experience has been gained

it is perhaps advisable that the use of the Siberian

route should be restricted to the transmission of

letters etc. sent in duplicate the original or the

duplicate only being sent via Siberia,

I am, etc.,

(Sa) E.L.Ashley Foakes,

for the Secretary.

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