144

386  THE  CHINESE  EMPIRE
of  canals  and  small  creeks,  many  of  them  unnavigable  by
launches.  This  part  of  China  is  also  very  densely  populated,
and  although  the  Shanghai,  Hangchow,  and  Ningpo  districts
are  not  extensive,  they  contain  an  unusually  large  number
of  post  offices,  a  remark  likewise  applicable  to  the  Canton
delta  districts.
Communication  by  couriers,  of  a  kind  to  fulfil  the
requirements  of  a  Postal  Service  built  up  on  Western  lines,
has  naturally  been  no  easy  matter  in  a  vast  country  lik e
China,  presenting  every  variety  of  geographical  features
and  where  public  roads  are  utterly  neglected.  Old-established ­
  trade  routes  are  usually  followed,  even  at  the  cost  of
extra  distance,  as  offering  greater  safety  for  the  couriers,
and  as  capable  of  convenient  subdivision  into  stages,  from
the  number  of  towns  and  villages  found  on  them.  Stag#
are  generally  limited  to  ioo  li  (33  English  miles),  and  the
couriers  run  according  to  schedule  on  fixed  days  ;  but  oO
the  main  routes  speed  is  accelerated  as  much  as  possible,
daily  despatch  being  ensured  on  them  for  light  mails  and
an  every-two-days  or  semi-weekly  service  for  heavy  mail 5.
For  light  mails  night-and-day  foot  couriers  are  used  111
some  parts  and  mounted  couriers  in  others,  raising
speed  to  200  li  (or  65  miles)  per  day.  The  couriers  af e
the  employees  of  the  Imperial  Post  Office,  and  W#*
uniforms  or  badges.
As  actually  constituted,  the  staff  of  the  Imperial  P° s
Office  includes—

Foreign
Inspector  General  and  Headquarters
Staff
Postmasters  ex  officio
Postal  Commissioners
Postmasters,  Deputy  Postmasters,  and
Assistants
District  Inspectors
Postal  Officers
Mail  Escort  Officers

5
33
4
14
4
78
6