114
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
His Excellency The Governor and Commander-in-Chief has been pleased to appoint Robert Rienaecker, Esquire, to the Office of Colonial Treasurer, pending the pleasure of Her Majesty's Government.
By Order,
W. T. MERCER, Colonial Secretary,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Victoria, Hongkong, 13th April, 1854.
Diplomatic Department.
His Excellency Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, &c., &c., is pleased to notify that, in the absence of Alexander Bird Esq., Charles Alexander Winchester Esq. will officiate from this date and until further notice as Her Majesty's Vice Consul at Whampoa.
By Order,
Superintendency of Trade, Victoria,
W. H. MEDHURST,
Officiating Secretary to H.M.'s Plenipotentiary, &c., &c.
Hongkong, 17th April, 1854.
POST OFFICE NOTIFICATION.
1. On and from the 1st of next month, (May,) a reduction will take place in the postage of all letters conveyed direct between the United Kingdom and Hongkong, whether by packet or by private Ship.
2. The reduced rate will be-
For a letter not exceeding
For a
For a
""
exceeding
"
oz. in weight,
oz. and not exceeding 1 ounce,
2 ounces,
"
17
""
>
and so on, increasing one shilling for every ounce, or fraction of an ounce.
Os 6d ls Od 23 Od
3. Such postage may be paid in advance, or the letters may be forwarded unpaid, at the option of the sender; and this arrangement will apply not only to letters conveyed by Packet, but also to those by Private Ship.
4. To this rate of six-pence, however, a French transit rate of five pence the quarter ounce, will be added, in the case of letters to and from the United Kingdom which may be forwarded vid Marseilles. 5. The reduction in the rate of postage between the United Kingdom and Hongkong, will extend not only to letters posted, or delivered, in the United Kingdom, but also to letters passing through the United Kingdom; excepting, however, letters through the United Kingdom to or from France, or to any Foreign Country the correspondence of which is sent by way of France.
6. The charge upon this last description of correspondence being regulated by an existing conven- tion, (that of April, 1843,) no alteration can take place in it at present; but, às respects letters to and from other Foreign Countries, sent through the United Kingdom, to and from Hongkong, a re- duction of 6d the half ounce in the rates of postage now charged, will be made, on and from the 1st proximo, upon the letters conveyed to the United Kingdom by Packet, vid Southampton, and a re- duction of 2d the half ounce upon letters conveyed to the United Kingdom by private Ship.
7. With regard to letters forwarded from Hongkong to other British Colonies, or vice versa, through the United Kingdom; viz:-to
Prince Edward Island,
Bermuda,
St. Helena,
The Gold Coast,
Antigua,
Grenada,
Berbice,
Demarara,
Trinidad,
Carriacou,
Tobago,
Monserrat, Nevis, Tortola,
Dominica,
St. Kitts,
St. Lucia,
St. Vincent, Jamaica, Bahamas, and Honduras,
the postage will be reduced to 6d the single letter, from the before mentioned date. Letters, therefore, sent between Hongkong and either of the Colonies specified, by way of the United Kingdom, will be subject to a total charge of one shilling only, the half ounce letter.
8. The British charge upon letters between the United Kingdom and Canada, will be reduced to 6d the single letter; but as these letters are forwarded through the United States, they will be subject, in addition, to a transit rate of 2d the half ounce, so that the charge upon a letter for Canada sent from Hongkong vid Southampton, will be 1s 2d.
9. Letters between Hongkong and any other British Colony than Canada, and those already enumerated, will come under the same regulation as letters between Hongkong and Foreign Countries, that is, the single rate will be 6d or 2d less than at present, according as the letters are conveyed to the United Kingdom, by Packet, or by Private Ship.
By Order of the Post-Master General,
Post-Office, Hongkong, 17th April, 1854.
THOMAS HYLAND,
Post-Master.
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