The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-05-30

for the information of the public
According to treaty stipulation the single rate let
between this country and Great Britain twenty
cents, as follows
United States inland postage. 5 cents
Sea postage.
British inland
"a
The treaty further expressly provides that these rates
Of postage both and inland shall be combined into
rate of which payment in advance shall be optional
either country shall mol, Aoueeer, be permitted pay
less than ne whole combined rate
The established rule under the treaty requires that let
tiers shall be charged with single postage not ex-
ceedng the weight of half ounce double exceed
ing half an ounce but exceeding ounce quadrupe
rate if exceeding ounce but exceeding ounces
and on charging two for every fractional
part of an ounce over the first ounce.
This rule differing from that applicable domestic cor
respondence where each half goes for one rate
was soon found that letters weighing an ounce
many mistakes made by postmasers in failing to take
the full number of rates required Thus letter weigh
ing fraction ounce they would receive as in full
payment three rates II cents whereas the rule will
eperceyed calls for four rates. cents and so on the
error generally being in demanding one rate too little
These mistakes being unavoidable without any nstruc
tons from headquarters either SIDE the exchange offices
OF New York, Boston, and Liverpool adopted the
most natural of giving credit for each full rate Of
twenyour cents and charging the balance be collected
at the office of delivery. Under this arrang the only
loss which the parties writing could possibly suffer was in
cases where fraction only of tho combined rate might
happen to be prepaid and this of sourse on any letter or
parcel must have been less than twenty-four cents
This practice worked satisfactorily until some time in
1852 when, il appearing that the London Office of Ex-
change had mailed to New York some letters on which
contrary to treaty stipulation credit had been given for
the British Post Office called the subject with the
suggestion that in order to regulate and simplify the &C
counts it would be well to discontinue credng such let
ters Instead of acquescng and instrucng the London
Office to conform to the practice Of the Liverpool New
York. and Boston Offices Of creditng only each full rate
the order given BY the British Office to allow no credit
whatever any letter unless the whole postage thereon
should be prepaid They, however, same time pro-
posed that the treaty be modified require all the
exchange Offices take of and credit any and all
fractions even to penny cent that might through
ignorance or mistake be prepaid
This last proposition our Post Department very prop
ery declined stating thes objections that in under
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qure great deal Of time in making up the mails to de-
termine the proportion of such postage belonging to each
goyernmeneach letter having be accounted for sepa-
rately that would lead endless correspondence in
balancing accounts and that it would cause great delay
in despatching the mails 1t further and as we think
with great reason urged part that while compare
lively few Of these odd likely to be prepaid in
Great Britain in the United States where there is SO large
,knro
sary many inexperienced postmaster mistakes Of the
kind referred TO- IS experience showed would be almost
innumerable and that consequently aside from compli-
eating the accounts, the principal labor and trouble
attending the arrangement, if adopted would be thrown
upon our own exchange Offices. 1t was contended on
our part that the practice, in the natural course Of
business adopted by the New York, Boston, and Liv-
erpool offices entirely in accordance with the pro-
visions Of the treaty. since nothing less than the whole
combined rate of twenty-our cents regarded and
the sanction and continuance of this practice was earnestly
pressed upon the British government AS an instance
the gross injustice to be experienced by enforcing their
alternative regulation of giving credit unless the whole
postage should be prepaid their attention was called to
particular packet then jus: received New York from an
office in the INFERIOR probably from poor emigrant to
bis wife or mother at home on which was paid 81 Sc,
thineteen whole combined rates when it should have
been 81 80 the packet weighing doubtless less than nine
and half ounces but subject be charged ounces
with twenty BY the originally pursued this
parcel would have been forward charged only with
one additional rate Of twentyfour shor, paid
under the alternative regulation insisted by the British
Office the "a So paid dsregarded and the whole sum
of s. 80 collected at the office of delivery.
1t was all to no purpose The British Office had made
their propositions and in the instance Of their pro-
posa for "book post if they could not have their own
way, they would not move at all and the public must
be content to suffer II is true they did finally offer to as
sent to the rule of credit in operation from the time the
treaty took effect early in ls49, till time in the sum
mer of 1882 Except regards the London Office prov
ded the United States would agree to the constituting of
Dublin of the Offices of exchange whereby undue ad
vantage TO be given Great Britain by their thus be-
ing enabled to land and receive the Irish mails Holly
head, when steamers could not without modif
cation Of the existing contract be required touch that
port The was that government had objec
ton TO Dublin being made exchange Office whenever it
should be arranged for the Collins well the Cunard
steamers to stop olyhead but till then and that
with reference to the mode of accounting for postage
il was considered a sensibIy affecting
the British than American correspondents since far