THE  POST  OFFICE  387
Chinese
Inspecting  Clerks  ..  ..  ..  29
Chinese  Clerks—linguists  ..  ..  319
„  non-linguists  ..  674
Postal  Agents  ..  ..  ..  ..  1,361
Writers  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  5

Sorters,  Letter-carriers  and  Couriers,  and
Miscellaneous  ..  ..  ..  3,190
5,578

Total  Foreign  and  Chinese  ..  5,722

The  functions  of  Postmasters  are  for  the  present  fulfilled
by  the  Commissioners  of  Customs  authorised  to  act  at  the
Treaty  Ports  as  Postmasters  ex  officio,  or,  for  a  few  ports,
by  separate  appointees.  Deputy  Postmasters  are  additional ­
  at  the  largest  ports.  District  Inspectors  reside  in
the  interior  in  charge  of  sub-districts  or  travel  on  tours  of
inspection  of  the  inland  establishments.  Postal  Officers
supervise  all  Service  details  at  Head  Offices,  and  control
from  there  all  the  routine  work  and  active  operations
carried  on  by  native  hands  throughout  the  districts.  Chinese
linguist  clerks  possess  a  practical  knowledge  of  English,  and
do  duty  at  Head  Offices  or  act  in  charge  of  Branch  Offices
at  places  where  foreign  communities  are  found.  Nonlinguists ­
  are  not  required  to  know  a  foreign  language,  and
work  at  Head  Offices  under  the  linguists,  or  in  charge  of
various  establishments  inland.  Grades  and  rates  of  pay
are  fixed,  and  all  employees  advance  by  promotion.  Chinese
clerks  are  all  guaranteed,  and  the  whole  system  which,  in
the  main,  rests  on  their  honesty  and  their  efficiency,  works
satisfactorily,  cases  of  loss,  misbehavior,  or  peculation
being  of  extremely  rare  occurrence.
A  uniform  and  elaborate  system  of  accounts  has  been
devised  for  recording  all  receipts  and  expenditure.  Each
Head  Office,  under  foreign  supervision,  keeps  the  accounts
°f  its  district  and  renders  them  to  Peking,  where  they  are