Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/142

 the British Post Offices in China during 1906 and 1907 yielded the following amounts:—

Imperial postal notes, as British postal orders are locally called, are issued and paid for sums of 20s., 10s. 6d, 10s., 5s., 2s. 6d., 1s. 6d., 1s., and 6d. Money orders are issued direct to nearly all the offices in the Postal Union, and even with the few exceptions the authorities can negotiate a "through order." All money orders from British possessions to the Far East north of Hongkong are sent through Hongkong, the Hongkong Post Office receiving a commission of 1 per cent. on through orders, and ½ per cent. on direct orders. The value of the orders issued at the Hongkong Post Office averages about $1,000 a day.

Business at the Hongkong Post Office is obviously carried on under great disadvantages owing to the inadequate and ill-arranged premises in Queen's Road in which it has to be conducted. At the time of writing, a handsome and commodious new building, in the Renaissance style of architecture, is in course of construction on a corner site overlooking the harbour and abutting on Connaught, Pedder, and Des Voeux Roads, but it is not expected to be ready for occupation until 1911.

There is no savings bank in connection with the Post Office, but this deficiency is made good by the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank. Similarly, the telegraph cables and the local telephone service are provided by private enterprise. No internal telegraph communication exists in the Colony except for police, military, and maritime purposes.

MR. LEWIS AUDLEY MARSH JOHNSTON, the Postmaster-General of Hongkong, gained his chief experience of colonial administration in the Straits Settlements. Born on October 12, 1865, he joined the Civil Service in 1888, and, having served for a time in the Colonial Secretary's office at Singapore and in the Resident Councillor's office at Penang, he was in October, 1890, attached to the General Post Office in Singapore. In 1897 he came to Hongkong on a special mission concerning postal matters, and on his return was appointed Assistant Postmaster-General at Penang. In the following year he carried out the duties of Collector of Land Revenue and Officer in Charge of the Treasury at Malacca. He also acted for a time as Resident Councillor and Deputy President of the Municipal Commission, Malacca. In 1900 he served temporarily as Postmaster-General in the Straits Settlements, and was appointed Postmaster-General of Hongkong in 1903. During his tenure of this office he has acted, temporarily, as Colonial Treasurer, and by virtue of that fact has occupied a seat on the Executive and Legislative Councils. Mr. Johnston is a J. P. for County Down, Ireland, and is a member of the Sports Club and the Hongkong Club.

GREAT NORTHERN TELEGRAPH COMPANY, LTD.—This Company, which has its headquarters at Copenhagen, opened a branch in the Colony in 1869 on completion of the cable from Shanghai to Hongkong. There are now lines of communication from Hongkong to Europe, viâ Shanghai, Peking, Kiachta, and Irkutsk; and Shanghai, Nagasaki, and Vladivostock. Shanghai is the head office of the Company in the East. The new premises in Hongkong were opened in 1898, and Mr. H. B. Frikke is in charge as the acting manager.

EASTERN EXTENSION TELEGRAPH COMPANY, LTD.— The Eastern Extension Telegraph Company, Ltd., opened their branch in Hongkong on completion of the Singapore-Saigon-Hongkong cable in 1871. Cable communication was extended to Manila on May 1, 1880, and to Canton, by the Imperial Chinese Telegraph Administration, in March, 1882. Now there are two cables to Singapore, the second touching at Labuan, and one to Shanghai, viâ Sharp Peek and Foochow, and one to Macao, besides that already mentioned as going to Manila. The two Singapore cables form part of the main route to Europe. There is also connection with America, viâ Manila, by means of the Commercial Pacific Company. The present offices in Connaught Road, Hongkong, have been occupied since 1898, and they are open day and night for the receipt and transmission of messages from and to all parts of the world. Mr. J. M. Beck is the superintendent. The tariffs are based on gold francs, the currency equivalents being revised every three months.

THE CHINESE TELEGRAPH COMPANY. The Chinese Telegraph Company in Hongkong, which was founded by Mr. Ho A-mei, under the name of the Hongkong-Canton Wa Hop Telegraph Company, was established in the seventh year of the reign of the Emperor Kwang-Hsu, and was taken over two years later under an instrument of purchase by His Excellency Sheng Hsuan Hwai, Director-General of the Imperial Chinese Telegraph Administration, Shanghai, by whom an officer was sent down to take charge. It was then known as "a mercantile undertaking under the control of officials." The company's cables extend throughout the Chinese Empire, and are land lines. The business at the Hongkong station is increasing year by year, and does not fall below a hundred thousand dollars annually. The Hongkong office is under the management of Mr. Taoutai Wen Hao, of the second rank, a native of the Kwangtung District, who has been in charge for thirteen years, and has a record of fifteen years' service with the Imperial Government of China.

MR. TAOUTAI WEN HAO.

(Manager.)

THE CHINA AND JAPAN TELEPHONE COMPANY.—This Company is affiliated with the Oriental Telephone and Electric Company of London, India, and the Straits Settlements, with which the Telephone Company of Egypt is also connected. Some two years ago the Company secured from the Government a twenty-five years' lease, and modern appliances were introduced immediately, such as underground wires, new switch-boards, instruments, &c. The Company now operates in Kowloon, as well as in Hongkong, and has altogether 1,000 stations, 900 exchange lines, and 1,700 miles of underground and 594 miles of overhead wires. The agent for China is Mr. W. L. Carter, A.M.I.E.E. The eldest son of Mr. W. H. Carter, merchant, he was born in Shanghai in 1877. For some time he held a commission in the East Lancashire regiment, and obtained the South African war medal.