Shanghai, 22nd April, 1896.
Your Excentexcy,—Early in the year this Chamber received a communication from the Hongkong Chamber of Commerce to the effect that the British Postal Authorities contemplated the possibility of making Hongkong the terminal point for the P. & O. steamers when the mail contract is renewed in January, 1898, and copies of official documents furnished by the Colonial Government were forwarded in support of this intention. The opinion of this Chamber was sought as'regards the proposed change, and a reply was sent to the Hongkong Chamber decidedly objecting to it, on the grounds that it would be highly detrimental to the general trade of North China, Should Hongkong be made the terminal point for the British mail contract the mails thence would be forwarded irregularly with great delay, as the P. & O. Company would be under no necessity to send their steamers quickly to Shanghai as at present, but would detain them in Hongkong so long_as it suited their own convenience, and I need scarcely point out to you that the uncertainty in the delivery of the mails for the North of China would be most seriously felt by residents of all nationalities, whether engaged in commercial pursuits or otherwise.
On behalf of this Chamber I would therefore ask Your Excellency's assistance in preventing any such change in the mail contract as the British Postal Authorities contemplate. The trade of North China is too great and important to be imperilled by any irregularity in the delivery of the mails, and I trust that Your Excellency will kindly bring this forcibly to the notice of the British Government.
Thave the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, A. P. MacEwes, Chairman, BLE. Sin Cravpe MacDoxatp, /-HLB.M.'s Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, Peking.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.