HONGKONG POSTAL GUIDE.
391
(d) That the Postmaster General is satisfied the loss occurred whilst the correspondence was in the custody of the British Postal administration in China; that it was not caused by any fault on the part of the sender; by destruction by fire, or shipwreck; nor by the dishonesty or negligence of any person not in the employment of the Hongkong Post Office. 30.-No compensation can be paid for mere damage to fragile articles such as portraits, watches, handsomely bound books, &c., which reach their destination, although in a broken or deteriorated condition, nor on account of alleged losses of the contents of Registered covers which safely reached their destinations, nor on account of any article for which the addressee has signed a receipt.
31.-The Post Office declines all responsibility for unregistered Letters containing bank notes, coin, or jewellery, and, where Registration has been neglected, will make no enquiries into alleged losses of such letters.
32.-A postcard enclosed in a packet of correspondence, for return to the sender by way of receipt, will not under any circumstances be admitted as evidence that any particular article reached the Post Office.
Unpaid Letters.
83.-The general rule as to insufficiently paid letters is to double the deficient postage. If the despatching office has not indicated how much the deficiency is, it is taken to be 10 cents por half ounce, and the letter is consequently charged 20 cents per half ounce. Any foreign postage stamps affixed are neglected in making this charge. Hence letters sent loose on board ship are treated as wholly unpaid, however many stamps of other countries they may bear. This practice is based on international rules, and is required by Treaty. Nothing can be sent wholly unpl except letters. The prepayment of postage on local letters is compulsory.
34.-Consignees' letters, being privileged by law, need not be sent to the Post Office at all, but if they are sent they are liable to ordinary rates of postage.
Soldiers' and Sailors' Letters.
35.-Privates in H.M. Army or Navy, Non-commissioned Officers, * Bandmasters. School- masters (not Superintending or First Class), Writers, or School-mistresses may send HALF-OUNCE letters to the United Kingdom by the English Mail at the rate of two cents each, or by the French Mail at the rate of four cents each. The postage must be prepaid in Hongkong Stamps. 36.-To other places not beyond Great Britain, such as India, Malta, &c., the postage is 2 cents.
37.-The same privileges apply to letters addressed to the Privates and Non-commissioned Officers named above.
38.-The letters must not exceed half an ounce. No handkerchiefs, jewellery, &c., can be sent, even with the ends open.
39.—If from a Soldier or Sailor his class and description must be stated in full on the letter, the cover of which must be signed by the Commanding Officer, with name of regiment, ship, &c., in full. If to a Sollier or Sailor, his class and description, with name of regiment, ship, &c.,
must be stated in full.
40.—Soldiers and Sailors have no privileges with regard to books, papers, or parcels.
Post Cards.
41.—Two values of Post Cards are issued, as follows :-
Corea,}
For local circulation, i.e., anywhere within the limits of China, Japan, Corea, 1 cent.
Siam direct, Cochin-China, Tonquin, or the Philippines
To Union Countries generally......
3 cents.
42.-Nothing must be written or printed on the stamped side of the card but the address, and, if desired, the sender's address. Any communication whatever, whether of the nature of a letter or not, may be written or printed, or partly written and partly printed on the other side. But no card will be forwarded on which anything libellous, insulting, or indecent has been written, printed, or drawn.
43.-Nothing must be attached to a Post Card, nor may it be folded, cut, or otherwise altered. If so, it will be charged as a letter. Thin paper, smaller than the card, may, however, be pasted smoothly on it.
44.—In regard to hours for posting, late fees, &c., Post Cards are submitted to the same rules as letters.
45.—A card of insufficient value may be fully prepaid by the addition of an adhesive stamp of proper amount.
Books and Patterns.
46.-Books and patterns are charged at so much per two ounces. The Union rate is 2 cents. 47.-The term books includes all kinds of printedt literary matter, with whatever is necessary for its illustration or safe transmission, as maps, rollers, binding, &c., but a book must contain no communication whatever of the nature of a letter. Stamps of any kind, whether obliterated or not, or any papers representing monetary value, such as coupons, drafts, lottery tickets, &c., must be sent at letter rates.
• But not Warrant Officers, Assistant Engineers, Gunners, Boatswains, or Carpenters,
✦ Copying from a gelatine pad is taken to be printing, but press copying is writing,