THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 20TH MAY, 1865.
POST OFFICE NOTIFICATION.
269
It is hereby notified for general information that henceforward Book Packets and Packets of Patterns or Samples of Merchandize may be transmitted through the Post by the Mails made up to be forwarded by the British Contract Packets betweeen Shanghae and the United Kingdom, at the following rates, viz.:
Via Southampton.
FOR A BOOK PACKET OR PACKET OF PATTERNS
Not exceeding 4 02. 8 cents.
Above 4 oz. and not
exceeding fib.
16 cents.
Above Alb, and not
exceeding 1lb.
32 cents.
Above 1lb. and not
exceeding 14lbs.
48 cents.
Above 14lbs. and not exceeding 2lbs. 64 cents.
Every additional
lb.
16 cents.
Via Marseilles.
FOR A BOOK PACKET OR PACKET OF PATTERNS
Not exceeding 4 oz.
Above 4 oz. and not
exceeding Alb.
24 cents.
12 cents.
Above lb. and not exceeding 1lb.
48 cents.
Above 1lb. and not
exceeding 14lbs.
72 cents.
Above 14lbs. and not exceeding 2lbs. 96 cents.
Every additional Lib. 24 cents.
Special attention is directed to the following rules and regulations which will be strictly enforced :
AS REGARDS BOOKS.
A Book Packet may contain any number of separate Books, Almanacks, Maps or Prints, and any quantity of paper, vellum or parchment (to the exclusion of letters whether sealed or open); and the Books, Maps, Paper, &c., may be either printed, written or plain, or any mixture of the three.
All legitimate binding, mounting, or covering of the same or of a portion thereof, will be allowed, whether such binding be loose or attached; as also rollers in the case of prints, markers (whether of paper or otherwise,) in the case of Books, and ia short whatever is necessary for the safe transmission of literary or artistic matter or usually appertains thereto.
Every Book packet must be either without a cover, or in a cover open at the ends or sides.
It must not contain any letter, open or sealed, nor any sealed enclosure whatever.
No packet must exceed two feet in length, breadth or width, exceeding these dimensions it cannot be forwarded through
the Post.
AS REGARDS PATTERNS.
They must not be of intrinsic value. This rule excludes all articles of a saleable nature, and indeed, whatever may have a value of its own, apart from its mere use as a pattern; and the quantity of any material sent ostensibly as a pattern must not be so great that it can fairly be considered as liaving on this ground an intrinsic value.
There must be no writing or marks other than the address of the person for whom the packet is intended, a trade mark and numbers, and prices of the articles; otherwise the Packet will be detained or forwarded charged as an unpaid letter.
The Patterns must be sent in covers open at the ends, so as to be easy of examination. Samples however, of seeds, drugs, and so forth, which cannot be sent in open covers, may be enclosed in bags of linen or other material, tied at the neck; bags so closed that they cannot readily be opened, even although they be transparent, must not be used for this purpose. Non-compliance with this rule will also subject the packet to be detained or forwarded as an unpaid letter.
The Packets or the contents thereof must not contain any inclosure, sealed or otherwise closed against inspection.
In all other respects the general regulations of the Book Post between Hongkong and the United Kingdom will apply to the Pattern Post. Under these regulations, in order to prevent any interruption to the regular transmission of letters, a Packet of Patterns may, when it is necessary be kept back for the following Mail by which, in the ordinary course, it would be forwarded.
The decision of the Postmaster General as to the eligibility of any Packet, pattern, or sample contained therein, to be forwarded under these regulations, will be final and conclusive.
The rule which forbids the transmission through the Post of any article likely to injure the contents of the Mail Bags or Boxes, or the person of any Officer of the Post Office is, of course, applicable to the Pattern Post; and a packet containing saything of the kind will be stopped, and not sent to its destination. Articles such as the following have been occasionally tel as Patterns in the United Kingdon and have been detained as unfit for the Post, viz.: Metal boxes, porcelain and China, fruit, vegetables, bunches of flowers, cuttings of plants, spurs, knives, scissors, needles, pins, pieces of machinery, harp pointed instruments, samples of metals, samples of ore, samples in glass bottles, pieces of glass, acids of various kinds, curry combs, copper and steel engraving plates and confectionery of all kinds.
General Post Office, Hongkong, 19th May, 1865.
F. W. MITCHELL,
Postmaster General.
WEATHER TABLES FOR THE PAST WEEK. REGISTER AT HARBOUR MASTER'S OFFICE, QUEEN'S ROAD.
6 A.M.
NOON.
6 P.M.
1865.
Barometer.
Thermometer. Barometer. Thermometer.
Barometer.
Thermometer.
May 13
29.95
14
29.94
"
15
29.87
16
29.89
17
30.00
18
30.04
19
29.96
DDDDDD ad
82
29.95
86
29.01
84
84
29.87
84
20.90
84
84
29.84
86
29.82
85
84
29.92
86
29.92
85
84
30.00
85
29.99
84
29.96
80
30.01
81
00.06
80
29.89
81
कळ
84
83