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CHINESE IMPERIAL POST-TARIFF OF POSTAGE
1 DOMESTIC PLACES
LOCAL: Tariff I.—Mail matter within delivery radius.
DOMESTIC: Tariff II.-Mail matter between Imperial Post Offices in China.
2 FOREIGN COUNTRIES
UNION: Tariff III. (Union Rates).—Mail matter to or from countries in the Postal Union. JAPAN: Tariff IV.—Mail matter to and from Japan.
HONGKONG: Tariff V.-Mail matter to or from Hongkong, Macao. Tsingtao (German Kiaochow), and Port Edward (Weihsiwei).
These Tariffs frank International Letters and Postcards prepared at Union (III), or at specially arranged rates (IV, V) to and from any place in China where an Imperial Post Office exists; but Tariff II (Domestic) is additional for all International heavy_mail articles-News- papers, Books, Printed Matter, Commercial Papers and Samples-carried by courier to or from inland establishments not reached by steam.
[In the case of International Parcels, Tariff II (Domestic) is additional to the rates in Special Table of Union Postage on Parcels, unless otherwise provided by special international arrangement.]
N.B. Full prepayment of Domestic rates in Chinese stamps is compulsory; articles insufficiently prepaid, other than Letters, will be refused when presented for posting, and if dropped into the letter-box, are liable to detention. Articles arriving from abroad insufficiently franked will be forwarded to destination, but double the deficiency in Union postage, and, for heavy mail articles transmitted inland, once the deficiency in Domestic postage, will be collected from the addressee on delivery. The amount due will be assessed in every case by a Head Office of the I.P.O. and indicated in postage-due stamps affixed on the cover: refusal to acquit the postage due so indicated will be equivalent to refusing the article.
Any mail matter destined for inland places where no Imperial Post Office exists will be forwarded through Native Agencies at the risk and expense of the addressee or sender.
NOTES.-a. Prepayment of full postage is compulsory.
b. When not registered, prepayment of postage is optional; but unprepaid mail matter is liable to a charge of double postage on delivery, and insufficiently prepaid matter of double the deficiency.
c. At least part postage must be repaid.
d. Limit of weight, 2,000 grammes (4 Iħ.) ; limit of size, 60 by 30 by 30 centimetres (2 feet by 1 foot by 1 foot).
e. Limit of size, 45 by 45 by 45 centimetres (18 inches by 18 inches by 18 inches); in rolls, 75 centimetres (30 inches) in length by 10 centimetres (4 inches) in diameter.
f. Limit of size, 30 by 20 by 10 centimetres (12 inches by 8 inches by 4 inches); in rolls, 30 centimetres (12 inches) in length by 15 centimetres (6 inches) in diameter.
g. Liable to letter tariff if sealed against inspection.
h. Tariff I and II: Limit of weight, 10 kilogrammes (22 tb.); limit of size, 60 by 60 by 60 centimetres (2 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet); except for inland places, for which the limits are 3 kilogrammes and 30 by 30 by 30 centimetres,
Tariffs III, IV, and V: Weight and size must conform with the rules of the- countries concerned.
PARCELS.-Parcels may be insured at Money Order Offices against a domestic insurance fee of 1 per cent. of the amount insured, with a minimum fee of 10 cents; the Union insurance fee is additional, A Return Receipt may be obtained on payment of an additional fee of 5 cents in the case of Domestic Parcels, and 10 cents in the case of International Parcels.
Parcels taxed with trade charges are accepted for transmission between Money Order Offices- on payment of a 2 per cent. fee of the amount to be collected.
MONEY ORDERS.-Limit of one order, $50, between Money Order Offices connected by steam, and $10 between certain Offices in inland districts. For exchange rates and list of places to which Orders are issuable, inquire from I.P.O.
CURRENCY for the purchase of Stamps).-Full value dollars purchase 100 cents in stamps; inferior dollars and fractional coins are only accepted at current discount. Copper cash accepted at average dollar exchange rates periodically fixed by Postmaster.
* Parcels to and from places in Shensi, Kansuh, Yunnan, Kweichow, and Szechuen are charged double rate. 1 An extra charge of 2 cents per kilogramme (1b.) is collected on Parcels via Hongkong to domestic places. NOTE--It is forbidden to send by post articles which, from their nature, may soil or damage the correspondence; also contraband, explosive, ‘infammable, or dangerous substances, and opium." Coins of all kinds, articles liable to Customs duty, and gold, silver, jewellery, and precious stones may not be sent in ordinary or registered correspondence, but may be sent by Parcels Post under special regulations,