New-York tribune., 1901-05-05

y PLEASING VARIETY. But y UNIFORMITY
q INE,FEI1-IcNry

FrCm The London Globe.
Cne Of the most peculiar institutions in China
is the organization of the postal service. With
the increase of the population and with the
gradual opening up Of the cOastline of tho
try II became Imperative to devise some means
of facilitating intercourse, and the mercantile
firms therefore joined hands and esta bShci
postoffices; since that time this system has grad
ualy developed Il certain form of postal service
i'll the busiest districts of China. The Chinese
Government adopted neutral attitude toward
the activity of these postal FIRMS but the
latter had to pay large sums of money to tht
authorities The mCst important postal agen-
cieS are carried on by the inhabitants OF Ming
Ho and have branches in many towns in the
empire. AS rule there but few places in
which no postofice is to he found. and in TIE
more important centres thera are always several
Thus Shanghai has more than two hundred
while Hong Kong has thirty postoiIires. 1t
often happens that the various postal agencies
compete with one another. and their agents then
are compelled to go from house to house in o-d r
to secure clients. Nevertheless. there is sons
degree of combination between these asencis
ana they render mutual services in o: need
III Il new postoflce is to be established in tn.
locality. II frequently happens that the various
agencies will combine their forces and found u
common branch.
Horses or mules generally used as the
means oil transport, although in some places 4
postinan conveys the mail bag. Whers rivers
are available. the mails are carried down th,.
stream in small boats. There is no fixed rate
Of postage dues, but the larger agencies iix the
payment within certain limits. according To ths
weight Of a letter and its destination and ree.-
ular clients are allowed a discount The postal
fee FOR simple letter varies from about thrc,
EARNINGS to five pence halfpenny. according to
the distance which 1t has to be conveyed There
are no postage stamps other adhesive labels
as signs OF prepaid payment in China proper
ana thus the postage has To- he paid either hy
the sender or receiver of Il letter. Ii can easily
d. imagined that under such organization
the postal service in China suffers greatly at Tho
hands of the countless bands of robbers Al
though the Chinese have not bee, able to over
conc the depredations frequently inflicted by
these robbers. they have lorg ago found out 1
way to Iaraiyze their actions to certain d.
gree. and this consists in buying them of
Every band of robbers has its defined
sphere OF action. and the postal agencies Of L
district come to an agreement with the local rob
hcrs. who are paid fixed sum of money rcsu-
lariy not I" modest the mails. Such arrange
ment guarantees perfect safety for the mails as
the robbers are tfcms Ives thus pledged to pro
tect them from being molested by other evil
doors
In addition u this private system there also
exists in China government post which is nC-
cupici in the dispatch OF official correspondence.
and in conveying officials about the pmpirc.
This postal service is managed by the Ministry
Of War. and costs the Chinese government i'm
meuse sums of money. Private letters cannot
be forwarded by this government post Their.
Is also another postal service in China for the
resident foreigners have introduced their own
postal systems. The Introduction Of this last
mentioned system is due to the cary settlers in
Shanghai. who thirty years ago opened Il post
office for dispatC hing letters t. the foreigners
dwelling on the 3urd"rs Of that place In 1913
tie Imperial Customs Post" Of China in
trodUced hy Sir Robert Hart. InspectoT-GeneraI
0i Customs. for communication between his de
partmtnt and the treaty ports of China. Soon
afterwaTI foreign governments also eSta biishei
postal agencies at their consulates in China for
the benefit of their subjects resGing in the
plre- E9Sland. the United States. France Ger
many. Japan ana Russia have set up their own
pnStofliceS il tn" great centres 0f activity.
Thus the postal system of China affords
pleasing variety. Every attempt of recent years
10 organic the pos,al service of chin, 4
European mctho. has come SiSnally To grief
There iS. in fact am imperial post, carried oJf
according TO European ideas. out il is continet
exc usiNcly to the treaty ports. In the interior
of the country the old system remains un-
changed. and Will no doubt. continue To exist
until the present confused postal service shalt
have been converted into Il uniform and prop.
nIlN .AniZod pNStal SerNice