The Line From Canton Westward
Passes Via Yunnanfoo To Manwein, On The Borders Of Burmah.
Shanghai is in
communication with Foochow and Moy, Kashing, Shaoshing, Ningpo and other
places.
Lines have been constructed between Foochow and Canton and between
Taku, Port Arthur and Seoul in Corea, and the line along the Yangtse
Valley has been extended to Chungking. By an arrangement made with the
Russian telegraph authorities, the Chinese and Siberian lines in the Amour
Valley were joined in the latter part of 1892, and there is now overland
communication between Pekin and Europe through Russian territory. The
postal service of China is unquestionably primitive from a Western point
of view. It is carried on by means of post carts and runners. There are,
besides, numerous private postal couriers, and, during the winter, when
the approach to the capital is closed by sea and river, a service between
the office of Foreign Customs at Pekin and the outports is maintained. The
Chinese, it seems, have always been great believers in their own postal
system. Even those who have emigrated to British colonies have adhered to
their own method of transporting letters, refusing to use the duly
constituted government posts, except under compulsion. Both Hongkong and
the Straits Settlements have been actually compelled to legislate in the
matter. It is said, however, to be remarkable how safe the native post is,
not merely for the carriage of ordinary letters, but for the conveyance of
money. We should add that, on February 2, 1897, the Imperial Chinese Post
Office was opened under the management of Sir Robert Hart, and China has
since joined the Postal Union.
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Words from 185603 to 185876
of 191255
