an occasional letter can avoid much trouble by writing a request to return if not delivered," etc., on the envelope. When dropping a letter, newspaper, etc., into a street mailing-box, or into the receptacle at a post-office, always see that the packet falls into the box and does not stick in its passage: observe, also, particularly, whether the postage stamps remain securely in their places. Postage stamps should be placed on the upper right-hand corner of the address side of all mail matter. The street and number (or box number) should form a part of the address of all mail matter directed to cities. In most cities there are many persons, and even firms, bearing the same name. Before depositing any package or other article for mailing, the sender should assure himself that it is wrapped and packed in the manner prescribed by postal regulations; that it does not contain unmailable matter nor exceed the limit of weight as fixed by law; and that it is fully prepaid and properly addressed. The postage stamps on all mail matter are necessarily cancelled at once, and the value of those affixed to packages that are afterward discovered to be short-paid or otherwise unmailable is therefore liable to be lost to the senders. It is unlawful to send an ordinary letter by express or otherwise outside of the mails unless it be inclosed in a Government-stamped envelope. It is also unlawful to inclose a letter in an express package unless it pertains wholly to the contents of the package. It is forbidden by the regulations of the Post-Office Department for postmasters to give to any person information concerning the mail matter of another, or to disclose the name of a box-holder at a post-office. Letters addressed to persons temporarily sojourning in a city where the Free Delivery System is in operation should be marked Transient" or General Delivery," if not addressed to a street and number or some other designated place of delivery. Foreign books, etc., infringing United States copyright are undeliverable if received in foreign mails, or mailed here. The foregoing rates, rules, and suggestions apply to postal matters in the United States. Foreign Mails. POSTAGE RATES AND CONDITIONS. 5 cents. 2 cents. 1 cent. 5 cents. 1 cent. THE rates of postage to all foreign countries and colonies, including Newfoundland (except Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, and Shanghai, China), are as follows: Letters, per 15 grams (ounce).. Postal cards, each. Newspapers and other printed matter, per 2 ounces... Commercial papers (such as legal and insurance Packets not in excess of 10 ounces.. papers, deeds, bills of lading, invoices, Packets in excess of 10 ounces, for each 2 manuscript for publication, etc.).......... ounces or fraction thereof...... Packets not in excess of 4 ounces. Samples of merchandise. Packets in excess of 4 ounces, for each 2 ounces or fraction thereof Registration fee on letters or other articles........ 2 cents. 1 cent. 8 cents. On printed matter and commercial papers the limit of weight is 4 pounds 6 ounces, except that single volumes of books to Salvador, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, and Panama, are unrestricted as to weight. Size-The limit of size is 18 inches in any one direction, except that printed matter or commercial papers in rolls may be 30 inches long by 4 inches in diameter. Ordinary letters for countries of the Postal Union (except Canada and Mexico) will be forwarded, whether any postage is prepaid on them or not. All other mailable matter must be prepaid at least partially. Domestic rates apply to Porto Rico, Guam, Philippine Islands, Cuba, 'Canal Zone," Republic of Panama, Tutuila, and Hawaii. 66 Under the provisions of the Universal Postal Convention the rate of postage on letters for foreign countries will, after October 1, 1907, be five cents for the first ounce or less than an ounce, and three cents for each additional ounce or fraction of an ounce. Any article of correspondence may be registered. Packages of merchandise are subject to the regulations of either country to prevent violations of the revenue laws; must not be closed against inspection, and must be so wrapped and inclosed as to be easily examined. Samples must not exceed 12 ounces in weight. No sealed packages other than letters in their usual and ordinary form may be sent by mail to Canada, U. S. NAVAL VESSELS. Mail matter for officers or members of the crew of United States vessels of war stationed abroad is subject to domestic postage rates and conditions. Articles should be addressed U. S. S. (name of vessel), care of Postmaster, New York, N. Y." and be fully prepaid. Mail so addressed will be forwarded to the vessels. Express packages will not be received at the post-office unless they conform to the Postal Regulations and are placed in the mail with the postage properly prepaid. SHANGHAI, CHINA. Domestic postage rates and conditions apply to articles addressed for delivery in the city of Shanghai, but for other places in China the Universal Postal Union (foreign) rates apply. MEXICO. Letters, newspapers, and printed matter are now carried between the United States and Mexico at same rates as in the United States. Samples, 2 cents for first 4 ounces, and 1 cent for each additional 2 ounces; limit of weight, 12 ounces. Merchandise other than samples should be sent by Parcels Post. No sealed packages other than letters in their usual and ordinary form may be sent by mail to Mexico, nor any package over 4 pounds 6 ounces in weight, except Parcels Post packages to certain cities. (See Parcels Post.) SAMPLES, Packets of samples of merchandise are admissible up to 12 ounces in weight, and the following dimensions apply to all Postal Union countries: 12 inches in length, 8 inches in width, and 4 inches FOREIGN MAILS-Continued. in depth, or if they are in the form of a roll, 12 inches in length and 6 inches in diameter. Merchandise of salable value and goods not in execution of orders, or as gifts, must be paid at full letter rate, unless sent by Parcels Post to the countries with which Parcels Post exchange is maintained. PARCELS POST. Unsealed packages of mailable merchandise may be sent by Parcels Post to Jamaica, Turk's Island, Barbados, the Bahamas, British Honduras, Mexico, the Leeward Islands, (Antigua, St. Kitts, Nevis, Anquilla, Dominica, Montserrat and Virgin Islands), Colombia, Costa Rica, Salvador, British Guiana, Danish West Indies (St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John) and the Windward Islands (St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada, and the Grenadines), Trinidad, including Tobago, Venezuela (Bolivia, Peru and Chile, 20 cents per pound), Newfoundland, Honduras (Republic of), Germany, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Norway, Japan, including Korea and Formosa Island, Hong Kong, Belgium, Great Britain and Ireland, and Australia, Denmark, Sweden and China (the following places only: Amoy, Canton, Cheefoo, Foochow, Haihow, Hankow, Hong Kong, Liu Kung Tau, Ningpo, Shanghai, Swatow, Changsha, Chinkiang, Hangchow, Nanking, Newchwang, Peking, Shanghaikwan, Shasi, Soochow, Sungchin, Taiya, Tien-Tsin and Wuchang), at the following postage rate: For a parcel not exceeding one pound in weight, 12 cents; for each additional pound or fraction thereof, 12 cents. The maximum weight allowed is eleven pounds-except that to certain places in Mexico and to all parts of Germany, Norway, Hong Kong, Japan, Belgium, Great Britain and Ireland, and Australia, Deumark, Sweden, China the places mentioned above), the limit is 4 pounds 6 ounces, and the value of parcels for these countries and Peru must not exceed $50-the extreme dimensions allowed for Mexico, Costa Rica, and Colombia being two feet length by four feet girth. and for the other countries not more than three feet six inches in length, nor more than six feet in length and girth combined. Parcels must be wrapped so as to permit their contents to be easily examined by postmasters. Liquids, poisonous, explosive, and inflammable substances are excluded. Parcels may be registered for 8 cents each to any of the above places, except Barbados and Great Britain and Ireland. A Customs declaration (furnished on application at any post-office) must be attached to any Parcels Post package. Parcels for Salvador must have two declarations, and parcels for Venezuela three declarations attached. Rates and conditions to countries not in the Universal Postal Union are now the same as those to Universal Postal Union countries. GENERAL REGULATIONS RESPECTING FOREIGN MAILS. Postage can be prepaid upon articles only by means of the postage stamps of the country in which the articles are mailed. Hence articles mailed in one country addressed to another country which bear postage stamps of the country to which they are addressed are treated as if they had no postage stamps attached to them. Unpaid letters received from the Postal Union are chargeable with 10 cents per 15 grams ( ounce). Insufficiently prepaid correspondence of all kinds is chargeable with double the amount of the deficient postage. Matter to be sent in the mails at less than letter rates must be so wrapped that it can be readily examined at the office of delivery, as well as the mailing office, without destroying the wrapper. Newspapers and periodicals sent in the mails to foreign countries other than those of the Postal Union should be wrapped singly. Those sent by publishers to regular subscribers in Canada, Cuba, Mexico, and Panama are transmissible as in domestic mails, except that packages addressed to Mexico, Cuba, and Panama must not exceed 4 pounds 6 ounces in weight. The United States two-cent postal card should be used for card correspondence with foreign countries (except Canada, Cuba, Mexico, and Panama, to which countries the one-cent card is transmissible), but where these cards cannot be obtained, it is allowable to use for this purpose the United States one-cent postal card with a one-cent United States adhesive postage stamp attached thereto. Private cards can now be used if conforming in size, etc., to Government cards, and bearing words "Post Card." Mail matter of all kinds received from any country of the Postal Union is required to be reforwarded at the request of the addressee, from one post-office to another, and in the case of articles other than Parcels Post packages, to any foreign country embraced in the Postal Union, without additional charge for postage. All articles prohibited from domestic mails are also excluded from circulation in the mails to and from foreign countries. Postal cards or letters addressed to go around the world will not be forwarded, being prohibited. The act of March 3, 1883, imposes a duty of 25 per cent. ad valorem on all printed matter not therein otherwise provided for, without regard to mode of importation. Under said act all printed matter, except newspapers and periodicals, and except printed matter other than books imported in the mails for personal use, is subject to the regular duty of 25 per cent. ad valorem. FOREIGN (INTERNATIONAL) MONEY ORDERS. When payable in Switzerland, New Zealand, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Japan, Denmark, Orange River Colony, Netherlands, the Bahamas, Trinidad, Austria, Hungary, Bermuda, Luxembourg, Chile, Egypt, Bolivia, Mexico, Liberia, Costa Rica, Peru, and the Transvaal, the charge is as follows: For order not exceeding $10, 8 cents; over $10 and not exceeding $20, 10 cents; over $20 and not exceeding $30, 15 cents; over $30 and not exceeding $40, 20 cents; over $40 and not exceeding $50, 25 cents; over $50 and not exceeding $60, 30 cents; over $60 and not exceeding $70, 35 cents: over $70 and not exceeding $80, 40 cents; over $80 and not exceeding $90, 45 cents; over $90 and not exceeding $100, 50 cents. When payable in any other foreign country, the charge is as follows: For order not exceeding $10, 10 cents over $10 and not exceeding $20, 20 cents over $20 and not exceeding $30, 30 cents; over $30 and not exceeding $40, 40 cents; over $40 and not exceeding $50, 50 cents; over $50 and not exceeding $60, 60 cents; over $60 and not exceeding $70, 70 cents; over $70 and not exceeding $80, 80 cents; over $80 and not exceeding $90, 90 cents: over $90 and not exceeding $100, $1. The maximum amount for which a money order may be drawn payable in Cape Colony is $100. There is no limitation to the number of international orders that may be issued, in one day, to a remitter, in favor of the same payee. Domestic rates and regulations apply to money orders for Canada, Cuba, Hawaii, Newfoundland, Porto Rico, and the Philippine Islands, also Windward Islands, Jamaica, and Leeward Islands, British Honduras, British Guiana, Canal Zone (Isthmus of Panama), Tutuila (Samoa), United States Postal Agency at Shanghai (China), Virgin Islands and Quam Distances and Postal Time from New York City. TIME of transit of malls, as indicated by the Official Postal Guide, showing the time in transit from New York City between depot and depot. Subject to alteration consequent upon changes in time tables and connections. CITIES IN UNITED STATES. Miles. Hours. CITIES IN UNITED STATES. Miles. Hours. CITIES IN UNITED STATES. Miles. Hours. DISTANCES AND MAIL TIME TO FOREIGN CITIES FROM THE CITY OF NEW YORK. 854 30 1,163 40 985 1,057 327 1,344 32 1,383 43 90 3 431 13 325 12 905 264 3,209 102 ROME 647 840 414 639 1048 1180 1033 1746 1223 TRIESTE 510 487 370 391 533 888 1066 1009 1828 1416 WARSAW 806 1276 702 436 1156 1021 398 576 895 2593 1925 1067 1557 1355 CONSTANTINOPLE 1205 1725 2138 1564 1298 2018 1883 1699 1903 2025 3345 2718 1899 2232 2030 ODESSA 363 842 1330 1800 1226 960 1680 1545 1240 1418 1737 3117 2625 1760 2119 1917 Moscow 950 1339 811 1617 2087 1513 1247 1967 1832 1209 1387 1706 3414 2904 1843 2117 1915 ST. PETERSBURG 435 1356 1733 693 1769 2239 1395 399 2119 1714 1091 1269 1588 3286 2874 1699 1976 1774 STOCKHOLM 430 836 1510 2408 1082 1171 1731 1084 1110 1337 1176 685 580 993 2384 1972 1219 1491 1289 COPENHAGEN 416 846 1252 1510 1510 6681067 1318 671 697 1047 885 270 208 620 2012 1600 812 1181 979 Metric System of Weights and Measures. THE METRIC SYSTEM has been adopted by Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Peru, etc., and except Russia and Great Britain, where it is permissive, by all European nations. Various names of the preceding systems are, however, frequently used: In Germany, kilogram-1 pound; in Switzerland, 3-10 of a metre 1 foot, etc. If the first letters of the prefixes deka, hecto, kilo, myria, from the Greek, and deci, centi,mili, from the Latin, are used in preference to our plain English, 10, 100, etc., it is best to employ capital letters for the multiples and small letters for the subdivisions, to avoid ambiguities in abbreviations: 1 dekametre or 10 metres 1 Dm.; 1 decimetre or 1-10 of a metre 1 dm. The METRE, unit of length, is nearly the ten-millionth part of a quadrant of a meridian, of the distance between Equator and Pole. The International Standard Metre is, practically, nothing else but a length defined by the distance between two lines on a platinum-iridium bar at 00 Centigrade, deposited at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, Paris, France. The LITRE, unit of capacity, is derived from the weight of one kilogram pure water at greatest density, a cube whose edge is one-tenth of a metre and, therefore, the one-thousandth part of a metric ton. The GRAM, unit of weight, is a cube of pure water at greatest density, whose edge is one-hundredth of a metre, and, therefore, the one-thousandth part of a kilogram, and the one-millionth part of a metric ton. The Metric System was legalized in the United States on July 28, 1866, when Congress enacted as follows: The tables in the schedule hereto annexed shall be recognized in the construction of contracts, and in all legal proceedings, as establishing, in terms of the weights and measures now in use in the United States, the equivalents of the weights and measures expressed therein in terms of the metric system, and the tables may lawfully be used for computing, determining, and expressing in customary weights and measures the weights and measures of the metric system. The following are the tables annexed to the above: |