Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-07-23

SYSTEM TO sE ESTABLISHED
Individuals ana Eirsns Manage shs
Pussonacs and PerSbrm Encisns
s~rvics--Io Avoid Itobbssy.

tniha, teils bow the mai - carried In
the ''ts,wery kingdom" China has not
yet established government post osfices
or postal system for tho naSses OF
the people. with al her adoption Of
modern ways. but private enterprise 10
depended upon TO render communities
ton easy between various parts Of the
empire This private Transmission Of
mail u conducted through what are
called ''ietter shops-- No stamps ara
used. but the ''chop" or sign Of the
keeper Of the SETTER shop" il always
placed upon the envelope.
In this country when the govern
ment wishes ~ send . communication
1t ineloscs Il In an envelope marked
Official" or ''public-free" and IL goes
through the mail ~ other letters cx-
ccpt that no postage is paid In China
imperial edicts and other ofacial COM
uunientions are carried from city to
city and province to province BY couri-
erS Generally they make the trip
afooe, bat In case Of great haste they
are provided with horses at convenient
relay stationA Official letters or dis
patches are thus conveyed in cases Of
emergency two hundred or two hum
dred and fifty miles day. In districts
where transmission of Official COM
munications d frequent each station
master Is required 10 keep on hand
from ten TO twenty horses or donkeys,
and the local representative Of the
government Is held responsible for all
delays that occur. These official couri-
ers, who correspond to our star route
RAIL carriers, arc not allowed TO carry
private dispatches or letters, their OPP
erations being restricted to the trans
mission Of government communica-
tions.
The public is served by the ''letter
shops" carrier system organized by
private enterprise transmitting the
mail from one station to another. Con-
sui Gracey says at the treaty ports the
letter shops are used by natives only,
but in the interior, or 1t places not
reached by the foreign postal arrange
ment. they are employed by foreign
ers rs well, though chiefly by mission
aries. These speak we'll of the sys-
TEN for its security" he says, ''but
they do not consider it all that could
be desired in respect to quickness of
delivery. II somewhat resembles our
express business, IS il transmits par
GELS of moderate size and weight II IL
said to possess two decided advantages
over our western system--insurance
against loss and monthly settlement of
accounts. All the letters and parcels
10 be sent may be registered and in
sured" ~
Before letter is mailed or delivered
TO the carrier its contents are displayed,
and the keeper of the letter shop then
signs his Chop" or sign, so that its
point of origin may he determined.
Parcels may be transmitted in the same
manner. the charge for carrying being
a percentage of their declared value.
The shopkeeper gives q receipt for the
letter or package. and he thus becomes
responsible for its safe delivery or its
return to the sender. with seal un-
broken. In some parts Of the empire,
the consul says, about two-thirds Of
the expense of transmission is paid by
the sender, the remainder being
collected from the receiver. Thus the
shop issecured against entire loss from
transient customers and the sender
has some guarantee that his letter will
be conveyed with dispatch. Native
merchants who are regular customers
keep an open account with the shop
and make their settlements monthly.
In some of the larger cities and
towns the letter shops arc numerous.
but in many remote villages there arc
none. In Shanghai there are nearly
two hundred. Some of the shops en-
ploy solicitors who go from house "a
house working up trade. competition
in many cities being strong. In the
northern provinces the shopkccpcrs
initiate the government and employ q
system of mounted carriers. Horses
or donkeys are used. the relays being
about ten miles apart Each carrier or
mensscnger Is intrusted with seventy
or eighty pounds Of mail matter and
travels about FIVE miles IN hour--snuch
slower than the government carriers.
For short distances and In central and
southern China the messenger travels
oil foot at rapid gait When the mes
scnger arrives NJ . station he hands
over the mail TO a fresh carrier. lie
starts at once says Consul Gracey.
mo matter what may be the hour Of
the day or night. and regardless OF
winds. rain, heat or cold. he continues
the journey until he. too, has complet-
cd ms service and handed the parcel
over ~ third messenger. and thus IL
reaches its destination"
This pony express. like that which
was in use across the western plains ~
the United States forty years awo. -
sometimes subject TO interruption by
highwaymen. but the Chinese have =
way 81 compromising such villainy and
thns protecting their pos'ai service.
The robber bands az each district coli
lee, hlacklnail from the shopke%p~r-.
and for regular sums paid they not
only do not modest the messengers
themselves. but they agree 90 keep
other marauder< from doing A.. Large
firms engaged In the carrying business
and in transporting travellers by carts
between given points are ia the habit
Of contracting with the hrieaniis Ter
the safe passage q their goods and
customers "Ihns. comments the con
sui The evil 81 nail on express rob
hrrf, common enough in more civilized
countries, j. TDcss.Bised a. probable
and duly provided Ca. Although. of
course. net ieTsl, this practise = quite
cotnnscn end IL not far removssi ffum
the custom ~ xf.FoN other nattf.ns in