kinds, and patterns or samples, 8 cents per four ounces or fraction thereof; prepayment required. If, however, the postage on any article shall be insufficiently prepaid, it will be, nevertheless forwarded to its destination, charged with the deficient postage, and also subject to a fine on delivery. 3. To or from Italy and Switzerland, by Closed Mail, via England, Belgium and Germany.— The rates and conditions on newspapers, book packets, prints of all kinds, and patterns or samples, are the same as the above, (paragraph 2). 4. To or from the North German Union (including all the German States and Austria), by direct Mail via Bremen or Hamburg.-Newspapers, if not over 4 ounces in weight, 3 cents each, and if over 4 ounces an additional 3 cents for each additional weight of 4 ounces or fraction thereof; prepayment required. Book packets, prints, patterns and samples, 6 cents per four ounces or fraction thereof; prepayment required. But unpaid or part paid letters and other articles insufficiently prepaid will be forwarded, charged with the deficient postage, and subject to a fine on delivery. The registration fees on registered letters or other postal packets is 8 cents to all the above mentioned countries; prepayment of postage and fee compulsory. The above rates (paragraphs 2, 3 and 4) are in full to destination; and no charge is to be made on the delivery of newspapers, book packets or samples arriving from Germany, Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy or Switzerland, by the above mails, except the deficient postage or fine on such matter when insufficiently prepaid. REGULATIONS WITH RESPECT TO NEWSPAPERS, BOOK PACKETS, PATTERNS, SAMPLES, &C., TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 1. Newspapers and other Printed Matter.-Newspapers, circulars, pamphlets, periodicals, books or other printed papers, (including maps, plans, prints, engravings, drawings, photographs, lithographs, sheets of music, &c.), must be wrapped or enveloped in covers open at the sides or ends, so as to admit of the inclosures being removed for examination. No newspaper, pamphlet, periodical, or article of printed matter, may contain any word or communication, whether by writing, printing, marks or signs, upon the cover or wrapper thereof, except the name and address of the person to whom it is sent, the printed title of the publi cation, the printed name of the publisher or vendor who sends it; or, in case of newspapers or other regular publications, when sent to subscribers direct from the office of publication, the printed date when subscription expires. It must not contain a letter or any communication in writing, or other inclosure. The law and regulation of this department which excludes all obscene books, pamphlets, pictares, prints, or other publications of a vulgar or indecent character from the mails of the United States, are also to be enforced with respect to books, pamphlets, pictures, prints, or other publications of like character, addressed to foreign countries. 2. Book-Packets. No book-packet may contain anything that is sealed or otherwise closed against inspection, nor must there be any letter, nor any communication of the nature of a letter, whether separate or otherwise, unless the whole of such letter or communication be printed. But entries merely stating from whom or to whom the packet is sent shall not be regarded as a letter. No book-packet must exceed two feet in length, or one foot in width or depth. Any book-packet which is not open at the sides or ends, or has any letter, or communication In the nature of a letter, written in it, or upon its cover, cannot be received or forwarded in the mail; and it is the duty of postmasters, whenever they have ground for suspecting an in fringement of any of the above conditions, to open and examine book-packets, patterns, samples, or other postal packets, posted at or passing through their offices. 3. Patterns or Samples of Merchandise.-Patterns or samples of merchandise must not be of Intrinsic value; which rule excludes from the mails all articles of a saleable nature, or whatever may have a market value of its own apart from its mere use as a pattern or sample; or where the quantity of any material sent ostensibly as a pattern or sample is so great that it could fairly be considered as having on this ground an intrinsic value. No packet of patterns or samples must exceed 24 inches in length or 12 inches in breadth or depth. or 24 ounces in weight. Patterns or samples of merchandise exceeding the weight of 11-2 ounces cannot be sent by mail to the North German Union. Patterns or samples must not bear any writing other than the addresses of the persons for whom they are intended, except the address of the sender, a trade mark and numbers, and the prices of the articles. There must be no enclosures other than the patterns or samples themselves. The particulars allowed to be furnished under the preceding paragraph must in all cases be given, not on loose pieces of paper, but on small labels attached to the patterns or samples, or the bags containing them. Patterns or samples must be sent in covers open at the ends, so as to be of easy examination. Samples, however, of seeds, etc., which cannot be sent in open covers, may be enclosed in bags of linen or other material, fastened in such a manner that they may be readily opened for examination. Patterns, samples or other packets containing liquids, poisons, explosive chemicals, or other articles likely to injure the contents of the mail-bags, or the per son of any officer of the post office, are positively excluded from the mails. UNITED STATES EXCHANGE OFFICES FOR FOREIGN MAILS. New York is an office of Exchange for British, French, North German Union, Italian, Swiss, Belgian and Netherlands Mails. Boston is an office of Exchange for British, French, North German Union, Belgian and Netherlands Mails. Philadelphia and Baltimore are offices of Exchange for British and French Mails. Chicago, Portland and Detroit are offices of Exchange for British, French and North German Union Mails. San Francisco is an office of Exchange for British Mails only. TABLE OF POSTAGES TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES. The Asterisk (*) indicates that in cases where it is prefixed, unless the letter be registered, prepayment is optional; in all other cases, prepayment is required. a. When the letter a is prefixed, the foreign postage (which in each case is 12 cents) is increased by an additional rate for every 7 grammes (4 oz.) or fraction thereof. The United States inland and Atlantic sea postage (which in each case is 10 cents the single rate) is increased by an additional rate for every 15 grammes (+ oz.) or fraction thereof. b. Where the letter b is prefixed, an additional rate is to be added to the foreign portion of the postage for each 4 ounces or fraction thereof, if the newspaper exceeds 4 ounces in weight. The foreign postage, in each case, is ascertained by deducting from the amount set down the sum of 2 cents, which is the United States portion of the postage on a single newspaper, regard less of weight. In all other cases, the postage is for each newspaper without regard to its weight, when sent in British mail. c.-The book and pattern post to Egypt via British mail extends only to Alexandria, Cairo and Suez. d.-Registration to Egypt by British mail extends to Alexandria, Cairo and Suez only. e. The rates of postage on Printed Matter to the Argentine Republic, Uruguay and Paraguay, by the direct lines of American and French mail packets, via Rio de Janiero, (Brazil), are as follows: Newspapers, pamphlets and periodicals weighing 1 oz. or under.. .4c. .5c. .7c. .8c. .11c. .13c. and so on for greater weights, adding 1 4-10th cents for each additional ounce or fraction thereof, and 2c. for each additional weight of 4 oz. or fraction thereof. The above rates cover the United States and French charges only, to or from port of debark ation or embarkation in countries of the La Plata. F. The charge on Newspapers to Belgium, The Netherlands, the North German Union, or via the North German Union to countries beyond, and to Italy and Switzerland, increases a single rate for every four ounces of weight. g.-Cannot be sent. h.-LETTERS only can be registered. i.-12 cents per 15 grammes (half ounce). k.-Transient pamphlets, magazines and periodicals, two cents per four ounces. Domestic rates are chargeable to and from the line on all mail matter, except letters, to or from British North American Provinces. 1.-Letters, if unpaid, or insufficiently paid, are subject to a fine on delivery, in addition to the deficient postage. Other matter insufficiently paid is also forwarded (but not if wholly unpaid) subject to a similar fine, when addressed to Germany, Austria, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, or Italy; but no other matter than letters will be forwarded to Great Britain or Ireland, unless fully prepaid. |