Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-04-01

O FF IA L.

OFFICIAL.
Convention for the A nm = lioratIen of m. p.s.
tai Intercourse Between the United
states Of America and the Swiss Csnfed.
eratisn. t ..f4 O. = - =
The Post Department of tue JIn,ted States nv
its Special Commissioners, John A. Kassor.
Esq, and the Federal Council of the Swiss
Confederation by DIR. Jaques Dubs, Vice Presi-
aent OF the sederaI Council ard Chief OF the
Federal Post Department, have agreed upon
the following articles, subject TO ratification
ny the respective authorities Of the two coun-
tries. -.f
ART.
Ihere shall ba an exchange OF CORE spondenee
between the United States of America and ths,
Swiss Conteder alton by means of their respect
i've Post departments and this correspondents
l. Letters, ordinary at d registered.
Newspapers, book packets, prints of all
drawings, photographs, lithoEraphs, and All
other like prod uctions of mechanical processes
sheets OF music, &c.,) and patterns or samples
OF merchandise including grains and seeds.
Such correspondence may be exchanged.
whether originating In either of said countries
and d. stiped for the other OF originating in or
may respectively serve as Intermediates.
ART. 2.
The, Offices for exchange of mails shall be on
the part of the United States,
New York.
on the pant Of the Swiss Confederation
(a) Basic -
lOJ kW0cu inc SWISS COnfederatlOQ
shall find il expedient).
The two Offices, by agreement. NAV at sny
time establish additional Offices Of exchange
ART. 3.
The principle is agreed that each Office shall
make its own arrangements for the despatch of
Its mails TO the other office by regular lines OF
communication, and shah at its own cost pay
the expense of such intermediate transporta-
ton. 1t is also agreed that the cost Of intsrna-
tional ocean and territorial transit Of the closed
mails between the frontiers of the two coun-
he fret 6ofr ,t~o.
two Departments which shall have obtained
from the Intermediates the most favorable ne.
cuniary terms for such conveyance, and which
b all effect such transport in that case in both
directions: and any amount so advanced by one
for account Of the other shall be promptly re-
imbursed
The standard weight for the single rate of
international postage. and rule Of progression
1. For letters Is grammes
q For all other correspondence. mentioned
In tne second paragra phi Of the first article, that
which the despatChing Office shall adopt for
the mails which it dispatches to the other,
adapted 10 the convenience and habits of the
interior administration. But each Office shall
give notice to the other of the standard weight
itadopts, and of any subsequent change there
o. The rule OF progression shall always be an
additional single rate for each additional stand.
ard weight, or fraction thereof.
The weight stated by the despatching Office
shall always be accepted exceptin case OF man
ifest mistake.
ART. 5.
The single rate of postage on the direct cor
respondence exchanged between the two admin
istrttlons subject TO the reserve mentioned in
art. Z, shall be- as follows:
1. On letters from the United States Is cents
2 ON letters from the Swiss Confederation 81
centimes.
3 I'm all other correspondence mentioned in
IN second paragraph OF the first article, the
rate snail be, for the mails despatched, that
which the despatching office shall adopt.
adapted 10 the convenience and habits of its
Mt rlol administration. But each office shall
give notice 10 the other of the rate it adopts,
anu OF any subsequent change thereof
ART. o.
The prepayment of postage on ordinary let
ters shall be optional, subject TO the conditions
in art mentioned, but on registered letters
ana on all ors~r correspondence mentioned i'm
paragraph second OF the first article, it shall be
obligatory.
ART. =
II, however, the postage of any correspond
ence shall be prepaid ins efficiently. il shall
nevertheless be forwarded TO its destinations
charged with the deficient postage aiding full
amounts, instead OF fractions, of 1 cent CT
centimes.
Upon the delivery Of any unpaid, or insult
feiently paid letter, OF of any other Insult
fciently paid correspondence, there shall be
levied a fine, in the United States not exceed
ing five cents, and in Switzerland not exc eed-
ing 25 centimes. This fine, and also the de-
letters, shall not enter into accounts between
the two Offices, but shall be retained to the use
of the collecting office.
ART. 2
Registered correspondence sh all in addition
to the postage, be subject to a register fee not
exceeding 10 cents in the United States, and
not exceeding so ce ntimes in Switzerland, and
this fee shall always be prepaid.
ART. 9.
ANY correspondence may be registered,
as we'll international correspondence as that
originating In or destined for other countries to
which these two administrations may respec-
lively serve as Intermediates in either direc-
ton for the transmission of such registered
articles. Each Department shall notify the
other of the countries to which II may thus
ART. 10.
Accounts between the two Offices shall be
regulated on the following basis: From the
total amount of postages and register-fees COL
lected by each Office on letters, added to the
total amount Of prepaid postages and register
spatches, the despatching Office shall deduct
the amount quired, as the agreed rate for the
coat OF intermediate transit thereof bet ween
the two from tiers, and the amount of the two
net sums shall be divided between the two
ofices in the propC rtion of three fifhs (3-5) to
the United States ohce, and two fifths f2-5) 10
the Swiss office.
The corresponds en- ce mentioned in the second
paragraph Of the first art Gle shall be de-
spatehed under regulations to be established
by the des patching office but always including
the following: lst. No packet shall contain any.
thing which shall be closed against inspection:
nor any written communication whatever, ex.
cept to state 10 whom and from whom the
packet Is sent; and the numbers and prices
placed upon patterns or samples of merchah.
die. TIT"
end No packet may exceed two feet N length
or one foot in any other dimension, or the
equivalent In Swiss meas urement H.a-
3rd. Neither office shall be bound to deliver
any article the importation of which NAV be-
prohibited by the laws or regulations of the
country of destination.
4th. So long as any custom-duty may be
chargeable on any article exchanged In the
mails, such duty may be levied for the use Of
the customs. f.-r .r-
5th. Except as above, no charge whatever,
otherwise than is herein expressly provided,
shall be levied or collected on the correspon.
denee exchanged.
-.hHE ART. L.
The two Post Departments shall establish Dy
agreement and in conformity with the arrange.
ments in force at the time, the conditions upon
which the rwo ON ces may respecti yeIy e. xchange
In open mails the correspondence originating
in or destined TO the other foreign countries to
which they may reCiprocaliy serve as inter.
mediaries. 1t is always understood, however
that such correspondence shall only be charged
with the rate applicable TO direct International
eorro rospondence, augmented by the postage d ne
to foreign countries, and by any other tax for
extel ior services.
ART. 10.
Each Office accords to the other the privilege
of transit Of closed mails exchanged, in either
direction between the latter and any country TO
which the other may serve as an intermediary,
by its usual Irpana of mail TRANSFORMATION