We were much surprised to receive a petition from the Hankow Customs Taotai stating that he had been informed by Lui Lo-ter,/), acting 1. M. Customs Commissioner, to the effect that the latter intended to establish I. C. Post Offices in Hsiao-wanhsien, Hupeh province, and Hsinyangchou, Suiyanghsien and Hstichou, Honan province; that foreign postal officers and native staffs had already started for said places, and requesting the said Taotai to issue proclamations to the people thereanent.
Wo are aware that all countries consider their postal affairs as most important and they specially appoint some high Minister to take charge of them. Several years ago, a trial was made by the Chinese Government of establishing post offices at the various treaty ports, and Hart was temporarily appointed to take charge of the matter. This was merely for the time being; the intention at that period being that the Tsungli Yamen should eventually memorialise and gain consent of the Throne before extending the I. C. Post over the whole Empire. If we therefore do not make haste to get back the power of control over the I. C. Post it will bo-come, as the I. M. Customs is now, encroached upon for over by outsiders.
Recently amongst reforms suggested it was recommended that the I. C. Post should be extended, and it was intended to transform the Inland Courier service into I. C. Post Offices, and that when this matter had been firmly established in the interior towns to then amalgamate the I. C. Post Offices in the treaty ports with the Inland offices, thereby getting back the control of the treaty ports' post offices, so as to prevent their revenues falling into the perpetual control of outlers and thereby causing distress to both officials and people.
That the said Commissioner of I. M. Customs should take upon himself to appoint foreign officers into the interior, without either first petitioning the fact to your Excellencies, and asking permission from you. or consulting with the provincial officials, ignoring the authority of the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.