§ Mr. HENNIKER HEATONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 4 whether his attention has been called to the announcement made that the British post office in Tientsin, China, would, on the grounds of economy, be closed on 10th October next; whether Germany, France, and Russia had post offices at Tientsin, and if the Governments of those countries had called on the residents there to pay half the cost; whether a petition had been presented by the British residents at Tientsin stating that it was not compatible with our honour and prestige to close our British post office at Tientsin, while Germany, Russia, France, and Japan maintain post offices at that important place?
§ Colonel SEELYI understand that arrangements have now been made for maintaining the British post office at Tientsin for the present. I have no information with regard to the contributions of foreign residents towards the cost of their post offices, nor as to the petition referred to by the hon. Gentleman.