The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-02-02
OFFICIAL.
La,0s Passed BIZ the Second Sessson'of
The Fortieth Congress.

1t~ 0ONSf
Convention for the Regulation OF
the Postal Intercourse between the
United States of America and Bel
GUM.
The POST Office Department Of the
United States Of America and OF BEL
GUM, being DESTROYS to regulate by a
new Convention the postal intercourse
between the two countries, the under
signed. being duly authorized by their
rsspectiye Governments. have agreed
upon the following articles:
ARTICLE l..
There shall be an exchange of COR
respondenee, by means Of their re
speetive Post Departments, between
the United States of America and
Belgium, and this correspondence
shall embrace:
l.. Letters, ordinary and registered.
2. Newspapers, Book-Packets prints
of all kinds, Comprising maps, plans,
engravings, drawings, photographs,
Autographs, and all other like pro-
ductions of mechanical process, sheets
of music, &C. and patterns or sam
niles of merchandise, including grains
and seeds.
ZAuu SAOh WI
exchanged, whether originating 10
either of said countries and destined
for the other, or originating IN or
destined for foreign countries TO
which they may respectively serve as
Intermediates.
ARTICLE II.
The offices for the exchange OF
mails shall be (a) on the part of the
United States:
/. New York.
(by On the part of Belgium:
l. Antwerp.
2. Ostend, Travelling OHice.)
3. OsteBd, (local.)
The two Post Departments may at
any time discontinue either of said
g Offices of exchange, or establish others.
ARTICLE III.
Each office shall make its own ar
rangements for the dispatch of its
mails to the other Office by regular
lines of communication, and shall, at
its cost, pay the expense OF such in
termediate transportation. 1t Is also
agreed that the cost of international
ocean and territorial transit of the
closed mails. between the respective
frontiers. shall be first betrayed by
that one OF the two Departments
which shall have obtained from the
Intermediates the most favorable pc
c~uniary terms for such conveyance;
and any amount so advanced by one
for account of the other shall be
promptly reimbursed.
=. ARTICLE Nv.
The standard weight for the single
rate of posting and rule of progress
sion shall be:
1. For letters, ID grammes.
2. Fer all other correspondence
mentioned in the second paragraph of
the first article, that which each De-
partment shall adopt for the mails
which it dispatches to the other,
adapted to the convenience and hab-
its of its interior administration.
But each office shall give notice to
the other of the standard weight it
adopts, and OF any subsequent changes
thereof.
The rule of progression shall al
ways be an additional single rate for
each additional single weight or frac-
ton thereof.
The weight stated by the despatch
ing office shall always be accepted,
saving the case of manifest mistake.
ARTICLE ".
The single rate OF postage on the
direct correspondence exchanged be-
tween the United States and Belgium
shall be as follows:
1. On pre- paid letters from the Uni.
ted States, Is cents.
2. On prepaid letters from Belgi-
um, so confines.
3. Ga all other correspondence
mentioned 10 the second paragraph oil
the first article, the rate shall be, for
the mails sent, that which the des-
patching Office shall adopt In con-
formity with the convenience and
habits Of its interior administration
But cash office shall give notice to the
other of the rate it adopts, and of AM
subsequent change thereof.
ARTICLE VI.
Whenever there shall be estab
lished a direct line of steam commu.
~nieation between the ports of thC
United States and of Belgium, adapt
cd to the regular transportation O
the mails between the two coun
tries and acceptable to the TIVE
Departments it is agreed that tn,
international single letter rate APP
plicable to this route shall be re
uuCeu W IL ceulS III tue OuIteu OCaJe
and 90 confines In Belgium, of whicl
six cents go centimes) shall repre-
sent the maritime rate; and for thl
other correspondence mentioned il
the second paragraph of the frs
article the maratime rate in such cas-,
shall be 10 cents go centimes) pc
kilogramme.
But this article shall not be carries
into effect until a time upon whicI
the two Post Departments shall here
after agree.
ARTICLE VII.
The payment of postage O.
ordinary letters shall be option
al, subject to the condition il
article VIII. mentioned, but O
registered letters, and on all othe
correspondence mentioned in til
second paragraph of the first articl
it shall be compulsory.
ARTICLE VIII.
IF however, the postage on an
article shall be prepaid insult