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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 25TH APRIL, 1868.
And whereas further powers are given to the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury by another Act of Parliament, passed in the eleventh year of the reign of Her Majesty, chapter 85, for giving further facilities for the transmission of letters by post, and for the regulating the duties of postage thereon, and for other purposes relating to the Post Office.
And whereas it is expedient to authorize the transmission of certain packets by the post between Hongkong and Shanghai, and between Hongkong and Shanghai and certain other ports in China and Japan, and for that purpose to fix certain rates of postage and make certain regulations in the manner hereinafter mentioned and set forth.
Now we, the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, in exercise of the powers reserved to us in and by the said berein- before recited Acts of Parliament respectively, and each of them, and of all other powers enabling us in this behalf, do by this Warrant, under the hands of two of us, the said Commissioners (by the authority of the statute in that case made and provided) order, direct, and declare as follows:-
1. All packets consisting of books, publications, or works of literature or art, whether British, colonial, or foreign, or consisting of printed votes or proceedings of the Imperial Parliament, or the Colonial Legislatures, and all packets consisting of patterns or samples of merchandize, posted in Hongkong, addressed to Shanghai, or posted in Shanghai, addressed to Hong kong or posted in Hongkong or Shanghai, addressed to any other port in China, or any port in Japan at which the British packet boat calls, or posted in any port in China (except Hongkong or Shanghai), or any port in Japan at which the British packet boat calls, addressed to Hongkong or Shanghai, may be transmitted direct by British packet boat between Hongkong and Shanghai, and between Hongkong or Shanghai, and any other port in China, or any port in Japan at which such packet boat calls, subject to the several rates of postage hereinafter mentioned, that is to say:-
On every such packet so transmitted, if not exceeding four ounces in weight, there shall be charged and taken an uniform
rate of postage (British and colonial combined) of three pence;
And on every such packet exceeding four ounces, and not exceeding eight ounces in weight, there shall be charged and
taken two rates of postage;
And on every such packet exceeding eight ounces, and not exceeding twelve ounces in weight, three rates of postage; And on every such packet exceeding twelve ounces, and not exceeding sixteen ounces in weight, four rates of postage; And for every additional four ounces in weight of any such packet above the weight of sixteen ounces, there shall be charged and taken one additional rate of postage; and in charging any additional rate of postage under this clause every fractional part of every additional four ounces shall be charged as an additional four ounces in weight; and each progressive and additional rate chargeable under this clause shall be estimated and charged at the sum which any such packet would be charged with under this Warrant, if not exceeding four ounces in weight.
2. The postage of all such packets as aforesaid shall in every case be paid at the time of the same being posted either in money or by the proper postage stamp or stamps being affixed thereto, which stamp or stamps shall in every case be affixed or appear on the outside of every such packet near the address or direction, and shall be of the value or amount of the postage duty payable thereon under or by virtue of this Warrant.
3. Every packet transmitted by the post, under the provisions of this Warrant (except packets consisting of patterns or samples of merchandize), shall be sent open at the ends or sides, and either without a cover or envelope, or in a cover or envelope open at the ends or sides, and there shall be no written letter, either closed or open, nor any written communication in the nature of a letter, either closed or open (whether such letter or communication be addressed to or intended for the person to whom the packet shall be directed or any other person), nor any enclosure sealed, or otherwise closed against inspection, nor any other enclosure, not authorized by this Warrant, sent in or with any such packet, nor shall there be any written letter, or any written communication, in the nature of a letter in or upon any such packet, or on the cover or envelope thereof. 4. Every packet consisting of patterns or samples of merchandize transmitted by the post, under the provisions of this Warrant, shall be so transmitted in conformity with and under and subject to the several orders, directions, regulations, and conditions following (that is to say)-
There shall be no enclosure sealed or otherwise closed against inspection and examination, nor any other enclosure, not
anthorized by this Warrant, sent in or with any such packet;
There shall be no writing or printing upon any such packet, or the cover thereof, or contained therein, except the address of the person for whom it is intended, the address of the sender thereof, and a manufacturer's or trade mark, and number and price of the pattern or sample, and every such manufacturer's or trade mark, number and price, shall be written or printed on labels attached to such patterns or samples, or to the bags or boxes containing the same, and not on loose pieces of paper or other material;
All such packets shall be sent in covers open at the ends, so as to be easy of examination, nevertheless, samples of seeds, drugs, and such other articles, and things as cannot be sent in open covers may be enclosed in boxes or in bags of linen, paper, or other material which shall be tied with a string or otherwise fastened in such a manner that they may be readily opened, and closed bags, if transparent, may be used for this purpose;
No article which might injure the contents of the mail bags or the persons of the officers of the Post Office, shall be transmitted by the post under the authority of this Warrant; nevertheless any packet containing any razor, scissors, knife, fork, or other sharp, or pointed instrument, keys, watch machinery, metal, metal tubing, or ore, or such like, shall and may (notwithstanding anything in a certain Warrant of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, hearing date the 28th day of November, 1844, contained to the contrary), be transmitted by the post under the authority of this Warrant, subject to the several orders, directions, regulations, and restrictions herein mentioned and contained relating thereto; provided that every such article or instrument so contained in any such packet shall be securely packed and guarded, and every such packet shall not only conform in every respect to the several orders, directions, regulations, and restrictions herein contained, but the same shall also furnish sufficient protection against injury to the officers of the Post Office, and to the contents of the mail bags, while at the same time the patterns or samples may be easily examined, provided always that nothing herein contained shall extend to authorize the transmission by the post of any packet containing any explosive or other dangerous material or substance.
5. No packet exceeding in length two feet, or in breadth or depth one foot, shall be forwarded by the post under the provisions of this Warrant unless under the special authority of the Postmaster General.
6. Every packet transmitted by the post under the provisions of this Warrant shall be put into the Post Office at such hours in the day and under all such regulations as the Postmaster General may appoint.
7. If any packet be sent or be tendered or delivered in order to be sent by the post under the provisions of this Warrant otherwise than in conformity with the provisions and regulations applicable thereto hereinbefore contained the same shall (except as provided by the eighth clause of this Warrant), be chargeable and shall be treated in all respects as a letter.
8. If any packet sent or tendered or delivered in order to be sent by the post, under the provisions of this Warrant, shall contain any written letter or any written communication in the nature of a letter, whether closed or open, or any enclosure sealed or otherwise closed against inspection, or any other enclosure not authorized by this Warrant, every such letter or communication or enclosure may be taken out by any officer of the Post Office, and either returned or given up to the sender thereof, or be forwarded to the address on the packet, charged not only with the fill rates of postage as an unpaid letter, but also with a further and additional rate of postage of three-pence, and the remainder of the packet, if duly prepaid, may be forwarded to the place of its address without any extra charge.
9. In order to prevent any obstacle to the due and regular transmission of letters by the post, any officer of the Post Office may delay the transmission of any packet posted or forwarded by the post under the provisions of this Warrant, either