The Chairman—As it is past the hour and there is s quorum present I will ask the Secretary to read the notice convening the meeting.
The notice was read.
The Chairman—The report and accounts have been in your hands for some days and as usual we will take them as read, The accounts have been audited by Mr. C. H. Ryde and our thanks are due to him for his kindness in having undertaken this duty. The report takes us up to the 31st of December last: since then you have been posted to date by extracts of monthly meetings and publication of letters of special interest. During the past year considerable attention has been given to irregularities of mail services. Since the report was issued, one of our members has written us strongly on the subject of the Pacific Mail Company. It would appear that their steamer, the Doric, was advertised to take mails, passengers and cargo from Shanghai on or about a certain date; shortly before that date, shippers were notified that the steamer would not call at this port. Passengers who had booked cabins, months before, were informed that these cabins would be reserved for them at Nagasaki, the passage money to America and Europe from both ports being the same. Shanghai passengers would be required to proceed to Nagasaki as best they could at their own nse. This seems rather rough on Shanghai. At our last annual meeting attention was drawn to the high charges for Chinese Inland telegrams. The administration were communicated with and replied that steps were being taken to revise rates. In reply to a further communication sent in recently, I received the following letter Imperial Chinese Telegraphs, Shanghai, 28th February, I905.
Srm,—In reply to your letter of to-day's date, I am instructed to inform you that a considerable reduction of rates has already been effected by the duplication of certain lines, thereby making interprovincial communication considerably cheaper, and among these recently constructed lines I beg to draw your attention to the Changsha-Kueiling and the Hankow-Kaifeng lines.
With regard to any further reduction of rates, I beg to say that such reduction is still under contemplation, but that owing to the heavy expenses in the upkeep and reconstruction of the lines in the interior, which will have to be taken in hand almost immediately, it is at the present moment impossible for the Administration to say when such reduction may be effected.
I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, F. N. Dagsinea, Chief Superintendent.
The CuareMan,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.