There has been some scandalous loss of mail matter. Week after week letters posted in Wuchang and Hankowhave never reached England. "Anxious friends have wondered what has happened to loved jones in China, orders for stores and goods have gone astray and empty shelves and cupboards are the result. We know not where the letters have gone. One rumour is that they have been stolen at Hongkong for the sake of the Chinese stamps on them. Whatever is the cause the post offices of China need reform. Those who have seen the sorting of letters on the outward-bound English mail steamers between Colombo and Hongkong tell of a shameful state of things, and the wonder is that so many letters reach us. When lascars dance on the mail bags to squeeze in the letters no wonder Christmas cards are spoilt, and when officers go into the mail room and borrow a newspaper to read, it is not strange that some never reach their destination. (Hongtong papers, please copy.)
9th March.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.