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HONGKONG POSTAL GUIDE.
civilised world except the Australasian group of colonies, a few countries in Central and South Anerica, and some West India Islands (see paragraph 41).
15.-The general Rates of Postage are as follow :—
Letters, per joz
Post Cards, each
Books and Commercial papers, per 2 oz.
Newspapers and Prices Current, each
Registration....
Do with return receipt
8 cents. 3
2
ور
2
8
15
12
1
16.- Exceptions. When the correspondence has to make a transit by Brindisi and London (including correspondence for London) higher rates are charged, viz. :—
Letters, per oz.
Post Cards each
Books and Commercial papers, per 2 oz.
Newspapers and Prices Current, each
Registration...
Do. with return receipt
17.-Exceptions. The following are the local and Town Rates:-
12 cents.
∞444
8
12
ور
>>
LETTERS PER OZ.
POST CARDS, EACH.
BOOKS &
NEWS- PAPERS.
PATTERNS. PER 2 OZ.
PARCELS REGIS-
PER lb. TRATION. INCLUDING
REGISTRY,
cents.
2
cents.
cents.
cents.
cents.
cents.
1
2
2
Within any Town or Settlement, or between Hong.
kong, Canton, and Macao, in either direction..... Between any other two of the following places (through a British Office) viz.: Hongkong, Macao, Ports of China, Siam, Cochin-China, Tonquin, and the Philippines, by Private Ship... Between Hongkong, Shanghai, and Yokohama, in either direction, by British, French, or U.S. Mail Packet....
Parcels: Between Hongkong, British Offices in China, Macao, Pakhoi, Singapore, Penang, and Malacca, by Private Ship
3
2
2
8
1
20
18.-Official Letters may be sent unpaid to certain public offices in London, as to which further information may be had on application. Official Unpaid Letters: re sent viâ Southampton unless otherwise directed.
Weighing Correspondence.
19.-In weighing letters it is better to leave a little margin, or add postage for the next half-ounce, as scales are apt not to be quite exact, and if the true weight be exceeded to the smallest extent the letter is treated as short-paid.
20.-Letter scales are very apt to get out of order, and the derangement almost always leads to their allowing too much weight in letters rather than too little. It is, however, easy both to test and to adjust them. Equal weights being placed in either scale, say half an ounce in each, the balance should be exactly even (each scale hanging free) and should turn with a bit of paper about the size of two postage stamps, otherwise it is wanting in sensibility. If not true, some of the metal should be scraped or filed from the pan on the heavier side until the balance is perfectly accurate. If this has to be done often, however, the scales should be replaced with
new ones.
21. No Postal Officer is bound to weigh correspondence, but he ought not to refuse to do so unless pressed for time.
Routes and Opportunities.
22. All ordinary correspondence is sent on by the first opportunity of which the prepayment admits, unless especially directed, or apparently prepaid for so e other route.
23. First opportunity is taken to mean the steamer which may reasonably be expected to arrive first, but does not signify a sailing ship, as no correspondence is forwarded by that means unless specially so directed, or to a place to which few steamers run.
24. Correspondence specially directed for any particular steamer is sent by her (failing any request to the contrary) however many times her departure may be postponed, unless it is post- poned sine die, in which case the correspondence is sent on by the next opportunity.
25.-Residents in Swatow, Amoy, Formosa, or Foochow, should prepay their correspondence for the Brindisi route when there is a chance that the Coast mail may fail to catch the French Packet. Such correspondence should be marked By first mail, otherwise it is strictly confined to the route marked or paid for. No late fee is ever charged on Coast correspondence, at whatever bour it may reach the Hongkong Office.
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