SUPPLEMENT TO THE Hongkong govTM gazette OF 28TH JAN., 1888. 105
10. International Statistics, to regulate the payments for sea and territorial conveyance of mails during three years were taken during the first twenty-eight days of November, and, so far as is known up to this date, with regularity and success,
11. The date at which this Report has to be sent in makes it impossible to detail the Revenue of the Department for 1887, which will not be definitely ascertained for some months to come. Probably, however, there will be some improvement on the Revenue for 1886, which was as follows:-
Gross Revenue, 1886,
.$134,734.72
$134,734.72
Share of United Kingdom, Share of other countries, Conveyance of Mails,. Working expenses,. Balance,....
$78,379.82
7,865.91
6,973.12
33,136.49
8,379.38
$134,734.72
That there is still a
12. We have ceased to expect a profit on the working of the Post Office. balance to the good is mainly due to the Parcel Post. During the year the following parcels have been dealt with (not including local parcels, of which no separate account is kept.)
By P. & O. Packet..
By German Packet,.
Inward.
5,195 215
5,410
Outward.
3,831 166
3,997
Total.
9,026
381
9,407
13. The largest Parcel Mail was that despatched on November 8th, the Christmas Mail, by which 329 parcels, weighing 631 lb. net were forwarded. The next largest was that despatched on November 22nd, the New Year Mail, by which 265 parcels, weighing 487 lb. net were forwarded. The largest inward Parcel Mail consisted of 408 parcels, weighing 892 lb.
14. Two parcels were confiscated in London, one for containing reprints of books copyright in the United Kingdom, the other for containing cigars which it was attempted to smuggle under a false declaration. The cigars were addressed to a lady, probably to divert suspicion of the real nature of the contents of the parcel.
15. The exchange of Parcels with the Continent by German Packet is steadily though slowly increasing. At first only four or five parcels were sent or received by each mail, now the average is about twenty. A box containing eight parcels was lost in the Oder.
16. The reduction of postage on coast and local parcels effectel some time since has been the means of attracting a considerable business in the transmission of such parcels, which are now carried • at five cents à pound including Registration.
17. It is hoped ere long to have Parcel Post arrangements in force with the principal Australian Colonies, The Victorian Government, which, as controlling the P. & O. line from Melbourne to Colombo, is the first to be consulted, has accepted the proposals of this Office, and it is hoped that the system may be at work within two or three months. An exchange of parcels by the direct Torres Straits steamers was proposed to Queensland, but the internal legislation of that Colony does not permit of its adoption.
18. A direct exchange of Parcels with Canada viâ Vancouver has also been proposed. The Canadian Post Office replied that when the mail service between Vancouver and Hongkong has been put on a permanent footing the question will be considered.
19. It has been shown in paragraph 12 that, exclusive of local exchanges, 9,407 parcels passed through this Office in the course of the year. Although the contents of many of these were of con- siderable intrinsic value, no parcel has been lost, nor has any local parcel been lost.*
The reason is
not far to seek. Although parcels are not technically considered as Registered Articles, yet practically and to all intents and purposes, they are Registered. Persons who talk the stuff that makes one sad and almost sick," as to how they never register their letters, it only serves to call attention to them." would do well to consider the fact that upwards of nine thousand parcels, often containing such objects as watches, rings, bracelets, &c., with the contents and value marked on them, have been transmitted safely under Registration during the year, whilst it is believed that nearly every letter containing such objects and posted without Registration has been stolen, not necessarily here, nor even necessarily in the Postal service, but still stolen, somewhere.
20. If it were as possible to prevent the sending of unregistered money letters through the Post as it is to prevent the sending of unregistered parcels, letter-stealing would disappear. It is kept up and perpetuated by the persons referred to in the last paragraph, who not only do wrong them-
* Eleven Registered Letters are believed to have been destroyed by an explosion on board the Formosa on December 26th.
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