Star.
London, England, 1814-10-15 00:00:00

GENERAL POST-OFFICE, &ponder 17, 1814.
IAY Statute 39 Geo. 111. cap. 76, called the SHIP
3 LETTER AC T, the Postmaster General was authorized
to receive Letters directed to places within the King's Domi-
Mons, and to Countries blond the Seas, and to forward them by
any Vessels (although not Packet Boats) and to take a Rate of
one half of the Packet Postage of Letters conveyed by Packet
113 oats.

• And by the same Act the Postmaster General was authorize,'
td take a Rate of Postage of 4d. a single Letter, and sn in prd.
portion for Letters brought by Ships other than by-Packet Boats;
under certain Regulations from places Abroad mate Great Britain,

The Ant Clause in the above 'Act continues in force :—but

By an Act passed in the last Session of Parliament, 54 Geo. 111.
cap. 169, the above Rase of Postage of 4d. a single Letter will
cease on and from-the tOth October, 1814; and-a Rate of 6d. a
single Letter, and so on in proportion on double, trelge, and
ounce Letters, will become payable in lieu thereof, in addition to
any Inland Postage which may arise upon the internal conveyance
of the Letters..

And the same Act contains the following Regulations, viz :
Ship Letters may be forwarded by the Parties t' emselves.
*Seer. 3. The Postmaster General shall receive letter: di-
reetitl.to places Abroad, both within the King's Domin!ons and
Kingdoms and CoUntries beyond the seas, from Persons who
may be desirous to forward them tbeingelve= oven payment of a
third of the Picket Rates, and shall mark the Postage and re-
turn the Letters to the persons, who may forward them by any
Vessels, not being Packet Boats, without penalty.
Persons Licensed to collect Letters.

Secy. 4. And the Postmaster General shall and may licence
Persons to'coll.ct Letters to be so forwarded, upon payment •of
the afotesald Kates, so as inch licensed Persons shall prevqiusly
bring the Letters to 'a Poet-Office and pay the Rates, --and all
Coffce-bouse Keepers, brokers, and tithe" desirnu• of collecting
Letters at their house., are hereby required to apply to the Gene-
ral Post-Office. in Lombard-streer, or to the several Postmasters
at the Out Port, for the said Licences, which will be delivered
to them free of any charge whatever.
Agents in the King's nonunion, aad Countries beyotld the Seas.
Sec r. 5. For the Security of Leven comiaa to Grea' Britain,
and to place them under the operations pf this Act, Sect. 5 and
b, the Postmaster General Is to ale hortze Persons Abroad to col-
lect Letters•from Masters ot Ships and others, and to make them
up in sealed Bags or Pareals addressed to the Postmaster General,
putting into the said Bags or Parcels a Certificate of the slumber
of Letter; contained in the same, and an Impression of the Seal
which shall be used, and tfie date when sealed, and for their care
and trouble the Masters to whom-the Bags or Parcels shall be
confided fur conveyance to Great Britain, shall pay to such au-
thorized Person at the rate of Ss. British Money, for every 50
Letters, and so in proportion for a greater or lesser :lumber.
'' he Packet Attests and Deputies•te the Postma-ter General
in t! e King's Dominions, or Countries beyoud the Seas, the Co.
louial Postmasters, his Majesty's Consuls, or Vice-Consuls, or
where there are no Public Ulcers ot these descriptions, any other
Public Officers or respemble %ramie are :iereby atehorized by
Poainaster General to make up Bags and Parcels of Letters
in the manner before described.

Masters of Ship,:

Sec T. 6. Are to pay as above for the Bags entrusted to them,
and on delivering the sane in a perfect state at any Post- Office in
Great Britai,l, will be repaid by the Poottnister the sum of
money which they shall have so advanced, and also for their own
care and trouble the sum of Two-pence per Leuer for every
Lettrr oP.Paeket contained in such Bags or Parcels. _ _

S..c t.. 7 If any Master shall open any Bag or Parcel en-',
trusted to hini, or take out any -Lem r, or not d ly deliver the
Big 'with the Letters at the Post-Office, of the place where he
shall arrive, without wilful or unavoidable delay, every Master
shall forfeit and pay JEStA).
. • Sac r. It. `l be Masters are required on their arrival in Port,
to siga a Declaration that they have delivered all Letters en
board according to the Act, and until such Declaration, the, Offi-
cers are nut to permit the Vessel to break Bulk, and every Mas-
ter wilfully neglecting shall forfeit seso.
And with respect to Letters front Great Britain to Countries
abroad, Masters of Vessels are required to take notice, that if
they shall have on board any such Letter (except the Letters of
their Owners), neither inclosed in the seakd Bags that will con-
tinue to he'made up at the General Post-Office, and at the Out-
Ports, nor having the offici mark and stamp, to denote thata
rate f postage has been paid for the same (of which stamp im-
pressions ire exhibited at every Post-office), such Master shall,
a 3 aforesaid, forfeit tke sum of Five Pounds for every Letter.
And the Officers of the Customs are. under this Act, to admi-
tnister ari oat.. to every Master, that he has not any Letters on
board contrary to law. •
Officers of the Customs.

SECT. 9. The principal Officers of the Customs at every Port
are required to search z.,hips for Letters on board, contrary to
the Act, and to seize them, and they are to be twitted to a
Moiety of the Penalties.
Sect. 10. Such Offie2re are required to administer an Oath to
every Master outward bound, that he has nor any Letters on
board which have not paid the Rates, sot bring the Letters of
the Owners.
A DecUra•ion is to be signed by every Master arriving from
abroad, as explained in that part of this Advertisement Mime
'diatcly addressed to them, and until such Declaration. the Offi
cers are nut to permit the vessel to break bulk, 'and (Sect. lc) if
any Collector, Comptroller, or Principal Officer, heieby required
to prohibit any ship or vessel breaking bulk until the provis:ons
of this Act be complied with, shall permit spa ship ur vessel to
break balk, such Collector, Comptroller, or Officer so perinutthg
such skip or vessel to break hulk, shall forfeit and pay the sum of
Twenty Pounds; one moiety thereof to be paid to the informer.
Merchants, Brokers, and the
Sect 8. Will take notice that if any person whatsocvershaU
send any Letter,or Packer, by any ship or vessel, of which he
shall not be the Owner, or if any Master shall have on board or
carry any Letter not being the Letter of his Owners, without
' such official mark thereon, the person so 'offending shall forfeit
and pay Five Pounds for every such LeL,er or Packet.
Sect. 14. Any Person:who shall forge or counterfeit the Stamp
Mark of Postage, or Designation, to be put upon the Letters by
Authority of the Postmaster-General, with intent to avoid the
Portage, will be guilty of a Misd•.nteanour.
Sect. 13. 'the soma! Penalties of this Act to be recovered in
any Court of Record with full Costs; a Moiety to be paid to
the King, and the other to any Person who will Inform and sue
for the same.
Sect. 15. This Act does not extend to restrain the East India
Company nor their Directors, from sending -and receiving from
their Governments and Servants abroad, Packets. Letters, and
Papers relating to the Affairs of the Company, and of their Go-
vernments abroad in the manlier accustomed; but all Letters
that are not the Official Letters and Packets of the tan India
Company, are liable to the Rates and Reguladons of this Act.
This Act will be put in execution St sue General Peat-011ie,
London, and at all Post Offices in Great Britain, on the 11th of
October, 1814, and in places abroad as soon as may be after-
wards.
The Postmaster-General will feel it his duty to enforce Pay-
ment of the Penalties on every breach of the Law.
ComfOuf ve the Potematter Others',
it ANCIe FRAIAINGs* Si.ioreile