"Attention is especially called to the following topics of international concern:

"1. A uniform standard weight for the single rate of written correspondence.

"2. A uniform standard for adjusting postal rates on printed correspondence exchanged.

"3. Uniformity of rates to destination, by whatever route of intermediate transit.

"4. Uniform conditions of prepayment, either compulsory or optional; or, if optional, a double rate when not prepaid. “5. A uniform scale for the increase of rates.

"6. Whether each country may collect and retain the postage collected by it, whether compulsory or optionally prepaid, or remaining unpaid, thus avoiding accounts except for intermediate transit postal charges.

"7. Transit postal charges overland, by intermediate countries, to be established on a uniform basis, and accounted for by the ounce by the dispatching country, on matter transmitted in closed bags or otherwise.

"8. The same proposition for ocean transit in closed bags or otherwise.

"9. The disposition to be made of all letters not delivered in the country of destination.

"10. A uniform international system for the registration of letters, and postal charges therefor.

"11. Classication of printed matter which may be transmitted by mail, and the right reserved by each country in respect thereto.

"12. The right reserved by each country in respect to the route of transit of correspondence dispatched by it.

"13. The practicability of an international limited moneyorder system.

"14. Such other topics of postal importance as may be offered to the consideration of the conference by either national post department.

"I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

"Hon. William H. Seward,

"Secretary of State."

"M. BLAIR.

At the gathering of the conference at Paris in 1863, which was the sequel of the letter above quoted, the United States was at the front in the person of John Kasson, and at its close the Swiss Minister, speaking for the conference, declared that "if the deliberations of the conference have led to results from which a favorable influence upon future postal treaties may be expected, these results are largely due to the liberal and conciliatory spirit constantly shown during the deliberations by the delegate of the government which took the initiative in the conference, Hon. John Kasson.

The delegates at this conference did not have power to bind their respective governments, but simply to adopt resolutions which were to be recommended for adoption by the several legislatures on the return home of the delegates. While the World's Postal System was not mentioned at this conference, and later the honor of suggesting it fell to the German postal administration with Dr. von Stephan at its head, that administration having experimented with a German-Austrian system, it is no doubt true that the American idea which resulted in the Paris Conference of 1863 led to the organization of the World's Postal Convention. The first of these conventions was held at Berne in 1874. Then followed the Paris Convention, 1878, Lisbon, 1885, Vienna, 1891, and Washington, 1897, with several other call meetings which were intended to pass upon special matters. At all of these conventions the United States took a foremost part, largely due to the fact that it had among its delegates men who were thoroughly familiar with the postal service, as Joseph Blackfan, who had risen from the ranks to the position of Superintendent of Foreign Mails at the Berne Convention, James N. Tyner and Joseph Blackfan, the former having passed through the degrees of postal experience from a special

INTERNATIONAL

POSTAL COMMISSION, PARIS, 1863.

(From photograph in possession of Hon. John A. Kasson.)

agent in the field to Postmaster-General, at Paris; James S. Crawford, Superintendent of Foreign Mails, at Lisbon; N. M. Brooks, who at that time had nineteen years' postal experience and was Superintendent of Foreign Mails at Vienna, and James N. Tyner and N. M. Brooks, with one convention each to their credit, and A. D. Hazen, who had climbed the postal ladder from a $1,200 clerkship to the office of Third Assistant Postmaster-General at the Washington Convention. At the last call convention at Berne, in 1900, our representatives were W. S. Shallenbarger, Second Assistant Postmaster-General, and N. M. Brooks, both experienced postal men. Others who accompanied the gen

tlemen named to some of the conventions were valuable representatives, but at a gathering of that nature, the very object of which is to decide on details, the experienced postal men have an advantage over others. The next regular convention will be held at Rome in the near future. It promises to be one of great importance, and in anticipation of it a large volume of 472 pages, containing matter which it is proposed to consider, has been published by the International Post Office at Berne.

The results of these conventions are not generally appreciated because people do not realize the unsatisfactory conditions of the foreign service prior to 1863. Now, postage rates are low and uniform to any country from any point in the United States, and the mails are safe, speedy and run on regular schedules. For the simplification of the system it is arranged that each country in the Postal Union accepts for free transportation and delivery within its domains letters on which the postage has been fully prepaid in the country of origin, each country retaining the postage it collects for its own use, thus eliminating the complicated system