May 11, 1908.]
Building depreciation reserve account :-
balance sheet 81st
As per
December 1906
13,000,00
Amount transferred from 1907
profits
2,000.00
Beserve for doubtful debts :-
As per balance sheet 31st
December, 1906
3,252.76 1,726.06
Add:-
Recoveries in 1907 less bad
20.28
Transferred from 1907 profita
debts written off
Profit and loss account
Building
ASSETS.
As per last balance sheet 31st
December 1906 (see reser. ve per contra).....
Additions and improvements
during year
Furniture and fittings :—
As per balance sheet 31st
December 1906
15,000.00
$1,979.72
5,000.00 754.58
$135,447.40
。
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Head Offices .. Branch Offices
Agencies
26,909.24
300.00
As per balance sheet at 31st
December 196
11,403.09
1901.
1906.
Less depreciation at 15 per cent
1,710.46
and
9,692.63
Additions during the year
32.56
9,725.18
Aerated water plant :-
Stock on hand: (sterling ex-
change 1-9 3-4)
66,357.51
Less depreciation writ-
Articles dealt with Parcels: number...
weight (kilos) 5,106.90 Letters in native club...
bed mails Employes: Foreign
* 30
146 .10,500,000 126,000 250,000
7,300,000
ten off 1906 profits 3,737.92
Less depreciation writ-
ten off 1906 profits 2,262.08
6,000.00
Debtors :---
Trade
Sundries
26,966.37 2,641.04
Unexpired fire insurance and
Licences
Cash :-
Russo-Chinese Bank
1,601.31
45.10 729.58
Hongkong & Shanghai Bank-
ing_Corporation
In band
60,357.51
29,567.41 1,106.17
Native
38
305
perennial source of revenue. To what extent | bring a larger revenue than the heavy and com- the forecast aud intention have been more plicated rates current previously: Since that than justified a few facts will show. The time till now reforms chiefly connected with postal branch of the imperial Civics Service Colonial and Foreign rates, among which the reached a state of semi-independence from its establishment of a Postal Union with various sister Customs Service on the 11th July. European countries and our own Colonies- 1904 (Kuang Hat 30th year, 4th moon, 28th (towards which the first steps were taken in day) when an Imperial Rescript sanctioned the 186) have been continuous and beneficial It issue of an annual grant-in-aid of Taels 7.0,000. would be interesting if we cou'd meet with The following year 19 5 marked an important records of the first dawn of a postal service in departure in its career, siuce, notwithstanding China. No doubt, it would b, as in Europe the fact that of the sanctioned subsidy more also, conducted by parties for the benefit of than half had not been paid yet, the postal their own business and extended at times to administration ceased ia that year to accepting a fee from their neighbours. The first appeal for pecuniary help from the funds general postal service that I came in contact of the Customs Bervice aud was able to with in China, was that of a guild whose make ends meet with its own resources, that is postmen were called couriers between Amoy and revenue and subsidy combined. It continued, Foochow. This would be about 1857 when however, to borrow the service of various mem-coasting steimers were not numerous, and the bers from its sister branches and without these China tea trade then culminating in haughty from the Inspector General downwards, it monopoly and grandeur, required at times more inauguration and development would not have rapid communication than was afforded by been possible. A comparison of the figures steamers. No doubt similar guilds existed or $27,2 9.24 for 1901 and 1906 may serve to indicate i's could have been called into existence elsewhere
progress.-
if necessitated by trade-bat as trade where foreigners were concerned, was confined almost entirely to the Treaty Ports, there was but little to draw their attention to the facilities for 2,08 Inland Chinese correspondence. To Hongkong 113,000,000 is, I suppose, due the issue of the first 1,383,000 postage stamps, and in these early days 4,310,00 the postage on a coast letter was eight dents. Gradually other European countries established 7,892,000 post offices of their own at many of the Treaty 65
105 Ports, though their raison d'être was scarcely 882
5,378 patent in the requirements of trade and finally The outlook for the future of the postal as we learn from Mr. Harris' opening remarks, service is bright and continued advance may be the Chinese Government decided on taking a relied on. Among its 38 districts there are a
p.rt which was rightfully theirs, in the dozen as large as most countries in Europe, all administration of postal affairs, To begin with teeming millions, What has been achiev|with, it does not seem to have erred on the side ed in this immense Empire is but a small of high postage rates. To have one's corro. beginning and it is easy to foresee that the wave spondence delivered within the limits of the of progress now passing over China can but port and Chao-ohow-foo for one cent, is favour its rapid development and hasten its cheap and corresponts, I presume, with the completion. So much for the Service as rates fixed at the various other bead offices whole. May I be allowed to add a few particu- and branches. This will give an impetus to lars regarding our own district, We had on the already important development noticed by 31st December last 81 offices and agencies Mr. Harris, and when the popution to be served with a paid staff of two Foreigners and 197 is considered, the potentialities of increase are natives. Our courier lines are estimated to
Statistical comparison betwe 'n total over 1,800 miles. We handled one and a Great Britain-with its population of only quarter million articles in addition to one-third some 45 million-and China is scarcely per- of a million covers enclosed in registered missible under the present conditions of the postal hong olubbed packages, Of parcels two countries-they are so very different- over 50.000 weighing nearly 370,000 pounds but perbays I may point out, in order to stimu. passed through the office. Coming to receipts late the officers and employees of the Chinese the public patronage produced a revenue of postal servic, to continuous effort in their nearly $38,000 or only about $2,000 short several duties, and encourage the enlistment of our ordinary disbursements. These figures of others, that while Mr. Harris pata the are net and do not include the issue of num'er of Chinese employed in 1906 at 5,6 10, ower $80,000 worth of money orders and
Great Britain in 1901 had a staff of 178.000, payments amounting to nearly $29,000 on of whom 35.500 were women. Here again we tho same account. And in addition the are met by contrasts, radically opposed, for to quota of the postal grant sanctioned by contemplate that the Coines, Government Imperial Edict and apportioned to this port for might ultimately take the destiny of its female payment has been regularly handed to us by the population into more paternal consideration, Customs Superintendent and forwarded to the and give them some share in the lighter Inspector General. The Head Office staff of departments of letter distribution, would be 34 employes has been working under my contrary to Asiatic ethics. It is interesting difficulties in three, and latterly in four, small work, and there are carious anomalies to be rooms provided for us in the Custom House. met with at times in I daresay, nearly every Having long outgrown that accommodation we post office, comic too in their character as the now move into this building. It is as you see a annual report of the Postmaster General in plain and substantial one, but it is also of useful London often testifies. Just think that ia size and planned for developments. That it 1901 the total value of property found in an. may continue to fulfil its object and that we delivered letters opened in the return letter may continue to deserve the patronaga of the office, though every effort had been made to public is the earnest wish of all the staff.
find the rightful owners, was £681,000 At times of stress and difficulty too, the ingenuity of the officials of the post office may have to be tested in ways that are unforseed, z od many surprising developments will result. In 1870/1 during the Franco German war, pigeons were commandeered to do the work of postmen, and well they did it too while balloons also took part in the distribu- tion of correspondence. It is curious also to note the distinctions made in various countries of the Postal Union, in connection with owner- ship of letters once posted. In Great Britain the ownership vests in the King till delivered— yet in India the sender has property in his letter till delivered, and in transit may recall it. It is the sims in Belgium, Austria, Hungary, Portugal, Russia and the Scandinavian King. doms-bat in Canada a letter belongs to its addressee as soon as posted. How is it to
2,375.99
$135,+47.40
SWATOW'S NEW POST OFFICE,
FORMAL OPENING,
On the 2nd inst. the new Buildings of the Imperial Post Office were opened at Swatow, by the Taotai of Cheochow in presence of General Huang, the Prefect. the three District Magi. strates, the Consuls and the leading Chinese and Foreign residents, in all some sixty or more invited guests. After an introductory speech in Chinese by Mr. A. H. Harris, the Taotai delivered an inaugural address. This was translated and followed by the speech of Mr. Harris, who said:
I have taken the liberty to invite your presence here to celebrate the erection and formal opening of this new and independent home of the Imperial Post (ffice at Swatow. I may remind you that an interport postal service long formed a part of the work of each Custom House. Originally supported and worked by the Customs Service to convenience and expedite its own convenience, the postal department had been gradually extended to meet public wants to a limited extent, and when after many years of patient waiting-the first proposal to establish a National Post Office having been made by Sir Robert Hart in 1861 -an Imperial Decree to inaugurate and develop National Service was issued, the management of the Imperial Post Service inaugurated by that Decree on the 20th March, 1896 (Kuang Hsu 22nd year, 2nd moon, 7th day) was confided to the Inspector-General. The sim and intention of Sir Robert Hart were to so plan procedure as to avoid friction, alike for officials and governments as with respect to existing institutions, in order that a future day might see the national administration functi ning widely sad fully appreciated. The people finding in it and its developments an everyday convenience, some of them an honourable career, and the Government a useful servant, and also, in this populous, industrious, and letter-loving country,
In the absence of Mr. Hausser, Mr. T. W. Richardson proposed the Post Office and staff. He said: The statements made in the opening speech of Mr. Harris are very interesting. The Epid development of the Imperial sanction in 1896, must exceed that of many other Countries on their first adoption of a similar institution and large as is the revenue of Great Britain from that source, it is possible that China will overtake it within no very remote period, Among the first records of postage in Great Britain, I find that the rate was fixed at ld per mile in 1543, and it was not till many years afterwards that a distanc) sliding soale was found to be inappropriate. The progress of ideas in relation to the development of the service, moved slowly-but in 1839 Rowland Hill succeeded in persuading Parliament and the Public that an Inland ld rate would
enormous.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.