Directory_and_Chronicle_1885 — Page 1098

HONGKONG POSTAL GUIDE.

397

nor by the dishonesty or negligence of any person not in the employment of the Hongkong Post Office. 58.-No compensation can be paid for mere damage to fragile articles euch as portraits, watches, handsomely bound books, &c., which reach their destination, although in a broken or deteriorated condition.

59. & moment's reflection will shew that, if an ordinary letter or packet be once lost, there is almost no chance of its being traced. A registered article, however, is practically beyond risk of loss (except from casualty) and may be looked on as absolutely safe.

60. The Post Office declines all reasonsibility for unregistered Lotters containing Bank notes, &c.. and, where Registration has been neglected, will make no enquiries into alleged losses of such lettera.

61.-It is particularly recommended that packets of photographs, collections of postage stamps, &c., be registered. These objects offer temptations to theft, and frequently attract attention from the way in which they a packed.

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62 —A redirected Registered ertie · should not be dropped into the box or sent to the Post Office without remark, but the attenti t the receiving officer should be called to the fact that it is registered, and the receipt origin is signed for it should be obtained and destroyed.

Letters. Unpaid and Loose.

63.—As a general rule, unpaid correspondence bears the mark T. Nothing can be sent wholly unpaid except letters. The addressee is charged double the deficient postage, unless the despatching office have omitted to indicate it, when he is charged a double union rate. Per sons receiving unpaid letters which they suppose to be wrongly charged, should pay the postage, and keep the corer for the purpose of obtaining a refund (see paragraph 2). No letter can be treated as Refused if it has been opened.

64.—Letters arriving loose on board ship (7 e. not in the Mails) are treated as unpaid, no credit being given for any foreign Postage Stamps they may bear (see paragraph 162). Asa general rule, n loose letter may be distinguished by its bearing only one Postmark, víz, that of the office of delivery, and this on the adress side, not on the seal side.

65. 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.

66.—A short-paid her, directed for a route by which prepayment is compulsory, is returned to the writer (being opened, if necessary, for that purpose) unless there is some other route by which it can be sent.

67. It is not undertaken that such letters will be returned in time to be reposted for the mail. If the writer cannot be found, the letter is advertised as detained for postage and a notica sent to the addressue.

Soldiers' and Sailors' Letters.

68.-Privates in H. M. Army or Navy. Non-commissione Officers,* Bandmasters, School- masters (not Superintending or First Class) Writers, or School-mistresses may send half-ounds letters to the United Kingdom by the English Mail at the rate of two cents (one penny) each, or by the French Mail at the rata of four cents (two pence) each. The postage may be prepaid either in Imperial or in Hongkong Stamps, but not by both kin s on the same letter.

(b) To other places not beyond Great Britain, such as India, Malta, &c., the postage s

2 cents (one penny).

69. Soldiers and Sailors' Letters are, however, charged as Ordinary Letters if they do not conform to the following regulations:-

1-Not to exceed half an ounce. No double letters are allowed.

2.—If from a soldier or sailor, bis class or description must be stated in full on the letter, and the commanding officer must sign his name, with name of regiment, or ship, &c., in full.

3.-If to a soldier or sailor, his class or description must be stated in full, with name of

regiment, or ship, &c., in full.

Post Cards.

70.-Two values of Post Cards are issued by the Hongkong Office, as follows :

For local ei ulation, ie, anywhere within the limits of China, Japan, Siam} 1 cent.

divet, Cochin-China, Tonquin, or the Philippinest

To Union Countries generally

11 -

$ cents.

71-Nothing to be written or printed on the stamped side of the card but the address, Any communication whatever, whether of the nature of a letter or not, may be written or printed, or partly written and tactly printed on the other side. But no card will be forwarded on which anything libellous, insulting, or indecent hua been written, printed, or drawn.

72-Nothing must be attached to a Post Card, nor may it be folded, cut, or otherwise altered, If so, it will be charged a letter. ThinĮ sper, smaller than the card, may, however, be gummed amoothly on it,

73--No other kind of card can be forwarded through the Post except at letter rates, or at Book rate if the card bears no commu..ication of the nature of a letter.

• But not warrant offiesta, vis,, conductor, ginner, boatswain, or earpenter.

† As to waing these cards for the purpose of obtaining rekaowwedgiuenta úf porting, ser par 25.