which their offices are located. Where a legal holiday falls upon a Sunday, the following Monday may be observed, unless otherwise specially provided by proper authority. Post offices must be kept open on holidays a sufficient length of time to meet the public convenience. Mails will be made up and dispatched as on other days. THE UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION Increased international intercourse has made it desirable that there be some means of regulating foreign postal affairs. For this purpose the Postal Union was formed. The aim of the Union is to have, for purposes of international and mail communication, a single postal territory embracing the whole earth, with uniformity of postal charges and conditions of international exchange for all descriptions of correspondence. Nearly all the civilized nations are members. The credit for the formation of this Union belongs to the United States, as the first idea of a postal congress was suggested here in 1862. The first and preliminary meeting took place in Paris, May 11, 1863, at which were present representatives from Great Britain, France, United States, Prussia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Costa Rica, the German Free Cities, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the Sandwich Islands. Another meeting was necessary, and the Congress reassembled at Berne, Switzerland, September 15, 1874. All the countries of Europe, the United States, and Egypt were represented, and a treaty was signed October 9, from which the actual organization of the Postal Union may be said to date. A central office, known as "Le Bureau Internationale de l'Union Postal," was established at Berne, under the superintendence of the Swiss postal authorities, and its expenses are borne by the various countries composing the Union. The second meeting of the organized Union was held in Paris in May, 1878; the third at Lisbon, February, 1885; the fourth at Vienna, May, 1891; the fifth at Washington, May, 1898. At the time of its formation, the jurisdiction of the Postal Union extended over an area of about 14,294,000 square miles and about 350,000,000 inhabitants, while the Union's present operations cover 40,000,000 square miles, inhabited by no less than 1,100,000,000 people. The rates of international postage, as now fixed by the Postal Union, are as follows: letters five cents a half ounce if prepaid, and double this rate to be collected on delivery if not prepaid. Postal cards, two cents each. Printed matter, Printed matter, commercial papers, and samples of merchandise, one cent for each two ounces, if prepaid, and double this rate if not prepaid. Exercise 107 1. Give the different classes of mail matter and a general description of each. 2. What are the rates of postage for each class, and how must the matter be prepared to entitle it to its particular rate? 3. What will it cost to send the following articles by mail in the United States? Three letters weighing 24 ounces each. One package of newspapers weighing 9 ounces. One registered letter weighing 3 ounces. One special delivery letter weighing 2 ounces. One package of merchandise weighing 2 pounds. Three letters each to Berlin, London, and Paris, weighing 2 ounces each. 4. What is the limit of size and weight of the different classes of mail matter? 5. Describe the method of sending money by the Money-order Department. Give its advantages. 6. Describe the method of registering letters and packages. Give its advantages. 7. To what extent does the post office hold itself liable for the loss or destruction of registered matter? 8. How is the claim for indemnity made? 9. What is meant by parcels post? To what extent has the United States a parcels post? 10. What is meant by the Universal Postal Union? 11. How may letters be recalled? 12. What precautions does the superintendent of the Dead-letter Office advise to secure the return of undeliverable mail matter? 13. Describe the advantages of the special delivery service. What entitles one to the benefits of this service? 14. What matter is unmailable? Exercise 108 On August 25, of the present year, J. H. Haines, of 121 W. State Street, Harrisburg, Pa., mailed a package at the letter box at Second and State Streets, Harrisburg, which contained a dark brier pipe with an amber stem inclosed in a velvet-lined box, and which was addressed to William Cox, Atlantic City, N.J. The article was never received. Haines is under the impression that it had insufficient postage on it. Write a letter to the First Assistant Postmaster General, Division of Dead Letters, Washington, D.C., asking whether such a package has been received at that office. |