The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-16 00:00:00

LETTERS TO VENEZUELA.

On the Ist January next, and thenceforwad, the
following alterations will take place in the British
rates of postage chargeable upon letters, book
packets, and newspapers conveyed by packets be-
tween the United Kingdom and the Republic of
Veneznela. Letters : The postage of letters will
be reduced to the uniform British rate of Gd. the
half•ounce, and so on, according to the usual scale
for charging inland letters. This postage must, as
heretofore, be in all cases prepaid. Book Packets
The British postage of book packets (which must
also be prepaid) will be as follows—Not exceeding
40z., 3d. ; above 40z., and not exceeding Boz., 6d. ;
above Boz., and not exceeding 1113., is. ; above 11b.,
and not exceeding 141 b., is. Gd,; above 111 b., and
not exceeding 21b., 2s. ; and so on, adding Gd. for
each additional half-pound, or fraction of half-a-
pound. A book packet may contain any number
of separate books or other publications, prints, or
maps, and any quantity of paper, parchment, or
vellum ; and the books or other publications, prints,
maps, &c., may be either printed, written, or
plain, or any mixture of the three. Further—all
legitimate binding, mounting, or covering of a
book, &c,, or of a portion thereof, will be allowed, whe-
ther such binding, &c., be loose or attached ; as also
rollers, in the case of prints or maps ; markers
(whether of paper or otherwise) in the case of books
and, in short, whatever is necessary for the safe
transmission of literary or artistic matter or
usually appertains thereto ; but no patterns or
books of patterns (unless consisting merely of paper)
will be allowed. The following regulations must
be observed:-1. Every packet must be sent either
without a cover, or in a cover open at the ends or
sides. 2. A book packet must not contain any
written letters closed or open, nor any enclosure
sealed or otherwise closed against inspection, nor
must there be any letter or any communication of
the nature of a letter, written in any such packet,
or in or upon its cover. 3. No book packet must
exceed two feet in length, width, or depth. News-
papers—The British charge upon a newspaper not
exceeding 4oz. in weight will be id., and a like sum
of ld. will be charged for each additional 4oz. or
fraction of 4oz. This postage must also be paid in
advance.---By command of the Postmaster-General,
ROWLAND HILL, Secretary.
General Post-office, Dec. 13.

THE BANK of DErosiT.—On Thursday, pursu.
ant to notice, Mr. Hume, chief clerk to the Master of the
Rolls, with the assistance of the official manager, Mr ,
Harding-, proceeded to settle the list of contributories of
the Deposit Bank, legally called the National Assurance
and Investment Association. There appeared a combined
determination on the part of the directors, both in London
and Bath, to oppose their names being placed on the list,
and affidavits of some were read, denying their liability.
The list having been formally gone through, the matter
was adjourned for the personal attendance and examination
r affidavits.—The
at s. r T
meetingh e A rc us.
o
of certain of those claiming exemptions, including that of
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ily Ab earfctoerrnn,
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ry
was:held in the Free Assembly-hall, Castle hill, Edinburgh,
" for the purpose of supplicating Almighty God that it
might please Him, in mercy, to avert the threatened war
with America." Major-General Anderson occupied the
chair.
Immediately on the announcement of a probable
war with America, all the officers of the reserve constabu-
lary, phcenix..park, Dublin, volunteered for active service
in Canada. At the commencement of the Crimean war
they did likewise, and 16 of thorn wore at onco appointed to
important posts.