The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-01 00:00:00

MAILS FOR MAURITIUS.

Information has been received that the Government of
Mauritius have made arrangements for the conveyance
of mails once a month by steam packets, between
Aden and that colony, in connection with tho Ovorland
Indian Mail despatched from London via Southampton,
on the 20th, and via Marseilles, on the 26th of each
month.

The regular mails for Mauritius will accordingly be
made up and despatched from London, in future, on the
20th and 26th of each month ; bat, in order that advan-
tage may be taken of any intermediate opportunity that
may offer of communicating with the Mauritius, via
Aden, supplementary mails will also be made up, for
conveyances as far as Aden, by the packets leaving
Southampton on the 4th of the month, and by the route
of Marseilles on the 10th of the month.

By command of the Postmaster-General,
RoWLAND HILL, Secretary.
General Post-office, Dec. 31, 1856.

ALTERATION IN RATES OF POSTAGE ON
BOOK PACKETS FOR AUSTRALIAN COLO-

NIES.

On the 13th January next, and thenceforward, book
packets between the United Kingdom and the Colonies
of New South Wales, South Australia, Western Aus-
tralia, Tasmania, and New Zealand, will be sent through
Egypt, and will be liable, in lieu of the rates of postage,
heretofore chargeable, to the following rates, via.:—
Not exceeding lb. in weight, Bd.; above lb. and not
exceeding 1 lb., ls. 4d. ; above 1 lb. and not exceeding
2 lbs., 2s. Bd.; above 2 lbs. and not exceeding 3 lbs., 4s.
No book packet exceeding the weight of 3 lbs. can be
sent to New South Wales ; but on books, &c., addressed
to any of the other colonies aboveraentioned, the postage
for heavier packets will increase by two rates of postage
for every pound or fraction of a pound, without limit.
The regulations under which these book packets are
forwarded through the post, as detailed in Instructions
No. 10, 1855, remain unaltered.

The book post not having been yet extended to Vic-
toria, book packets for that colony can only be forwarded
At present at the ordinary letter rates of postage.
By command of the Postmaster-General,
ROWLAND HILL, Secy.
Genesal Post-office, Dec. 30, 1856.

COMPULSORY PRE PAYMENT OF POSTAGE
ON LETTERS, Sto., FOR THE AUSTRALIAN

COLONIES.

All letters and, newspapers addressed to the Austra-
Xian colonies, including Tasmania and New Zealand,
posted on the 13th Jan. next, and thenceforward, will
be forwarded (unless otherwise especially directed) via
Suez, by the new line of contract packets established to
run once a month between this country and Australia,
and will be liable to the following rates of postage :
Via Southampton.—Letters—Not exceeding oz.,
6d. ; above j oz., and not exceeding 1 oz., ls. ; above 1
oz., and not exceeding 2 oz., 2s. ; above 2 oz., and not
exceeding 3 oz., 3s. ; above 3 oz., and not exceeding 4
oz., 4s. ; above 4 oz., and not exceeding 5 oz., ss. ;
above 5 oz., and not exceeding 6 oz., 6s. ' • above 6 oz.,
and not exceeding 7 oz , 7s. ; newspapers, Id. each.
Via Marseilles.—Letters—Not exceeding 1 oz., 9d, ;
above oz , and not exceeding oz., is. ; above oz.
and not exceeding oz , is. 9d. ; above oz. and not
exceeding 1 oz., 2e. ; above 1 oz. and not exceeding 11
oz., 3s. 3d. ; above 11 oz. and not exceeding 1 oz.,
es. 6d. • above 1. oz. and not exceeding 1 oz., 3s. 9d. ;
above 12 oz. and not exceeding 2 oz., 4s. ; newspapers,
Bd. each.

Under a new arrangement with the Australian colo-
nies, the present regulations for the optional pre-pay-
ment of postage on letters to and from these eolonies
will cease on the 12th January next. After that date
the postage of all letters, as well as of newspapers pasted
in the United Kingdom, addressed to the Australian
colonies (including Tasmania and New Zealand), must
be paid in advance, or they cannot be forwarded. The
postage also of letters, &c., posted in the Australian
colonies, addressed to the United Kingdom, will be re-
qu ired to be pre-paid by the senders.
The payment made upon letters for those colonies will
be regarded as an indication of choice of route (whether
via. Southampton or via Marseilles), on the part of the
sender, and letters will be forwarded accordingly.
The regulatian heretofore existing, under Instructions
No. 21, 1854, for the transmission by private ship direct,
of all letters for Western Australia, when not specially
addressed to be forwarded by packet, is now cancelled,
and letters, &c., for that colony will hereafter be for-
warded by packet via Suez, as a rule.
By command of the Postmaster-General,
ROWLAND HILL, Secy.
General Post-office, Dec, 10, 1856.