of Commerce, 16th May, 1898.
Sm,—This Chamber addressed the General Post Office, London, in January last, urging that it would be a very great convenience to the mercantile community of this port if the mail steamers were not despatched before noon on Tuesday, as tome extent avoided, but I regret to say work here on Sundays would thereby be to
that a reply has been received to the effect that "according to the statement of the contractors, the later departure of the mail steamers from Shanghai, which would be necessary, would involve a Sunday departure from Hongkong and other disturbance of the whole Eastern and Australian services," and therefore the desired alteration in departure from Shanghai cannot be made.
The Chanaber fail to ace the necessity for a lengthened stay of the mail steamere at 'Hongkong, as is at present the case, for strictly mail purposes, such stay, it appeara, being for purposes of transhipment, a system which, if adhered to should' be accelerated s0 a8 to avoid what is, from the point of view of a mail contract, a purposeless detention in Hongkong or an unnecessary early departure from Shangh:
Under the present arrangement n P. steamer leaving Woosung on Monday night or early on Tuesday morning, and due in Hongkong on Friday at noon (which would be 24 hours before time of de-
jours for the passage to Hongkong which from Hongkong) has over 80 is frequently done by other steamers in about 50 hours! The inconvenience caused to the mercantile community here, from whom your Company has derived liberal and continuous support, is one that is keenly felt, and which the Chamber ventures to think can at least be partially removed without detriment to your service, so that the Chamber trusts you may still see, your way to arrange for the deferment of the departure of your mail steamers until Tuesday afternoon, which allowing for arrival at Hongkong will still give you nearly 70 hours for the passage and a stay of hours in Hongkong.
Ihave the honour to be, Your obedient servant, E. F. Atrorp, Chairman.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.