The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-10-22
l. w
OF THE UNITED STA TIES.
PASSED AT THE FIRST SESSION
OF the
FORTf-THIRD CONGRESS-.
POSTAL CONVENTION
BETWEEN
THE. limited STATES OF AMERICA
AND THE REPUBLIC OF FRANCE.
Concluded April IS, 1874.

The undersigned, John d. CresWelt- IoSC-
master-General of the United States OF Amer-
ca, in virtue Of the powers vested In nun Dy
law, and NJ Amedee Bartholdi, officer OF the
national order of the Legion OF Honor, envoy
extraordinary and minister plenpotentiary
from France at Washington. &C., in the name
of his government and by virtue OF the powers
which he has formally presented to this effect,
have agreed upon the following articles, Wis
ARTICLE I.
There shall be between the postal admins
tration of France and the posta admlr1stra-
ton Of the United States an exchange, in clos
ed mails. Of letters, samples OF merchandise,
photographs and printed matter OF all Kinds,
bv the following means OF communication and
transportation, viz:
LIST. By the French mail packets.
3D. By the packets of the Hamburg line.
3D. BY the way OF England and the packets
employed in transporting the mails between
Great Britain and the UNITED States.
The expenses arising from the transporta-
ton Of the mails by any one OF the above men
toned routes shall be betrayed by the Dispatch
ine office: but it is understood that these eX-
penses shall be defrayed in both directions by
that of the two administrations which is able TO
secure the transportation upon the most 1;tvor-
able terms, the other administration to rem
burse to it its share of the said expenses.
The United States postal administration, now
ever, shall pay to the postal administrator OF
France for the conveyance OF mails sent from
the United States to France by means OF The
French packets. the same sea-rates as those
which the said United States postal admins
tration would pay, according to American leg
islation, for the maritime conveyance OF the
mails by steamers OF commerce. Ills also u'l-
tlerstoou that these rates are not to be lower
than those which the postal administration OF
France shall have to pay for the conveyance pS
the Hamburg packets of the mails which it shall
send by these packets to the United Strtes.
ARTICLE II.
| Persons who desire to send orllinar-. that is
to say not registered, letters, either from France
| and Algeria. for the United States and its ter
ritorics. or from the United States and its ter
| ritories for France and Algeria. may, at their
option, leave the postage of said letters to be
paid by the addresses or they can prepay SAID
| postage 10 destination.
ARTICLE III.
The charge to be levied in France upon let
tiers originating in or addressed to the United
| States shall be fifty centimes per 10 glsnlnles
or fraction of 10 grammes, under tie resefv;l-
ton FOR the French government OF the power
of hereafter applying the progression OF fifteen
gianmes The charge to be levied in the Uni
dressed to France shall be 8 cents Tor Ii
eram,nes or fraction of 10 grammes. 1ndepeii-
IDENTIFY of the charges mentioned above, a flxet
fec of % confines, or cents. as the case may
be, shall be levied upon the unpaid letters.
In regard to the letters insufiiciently paid by
means Of postage stamps, they shall be treated
| us unpaid letters. saving deduction OF the a
charge resulting from this deduction shall
give !, fraction of half decline French, or OF !;
| cent American, on e.tire half decline or cent,
as the case may be- shall be levied for the fracs
ton.
ARTICLE ~.
The public of the two counties may sent
letters, registered, from one country TO th'
other.
The postage on such registered letters mus
| always be prepaid to destination.
Every registered letter sent from France AMI
Algeria to the United States and its territories
shall bear, on departure, in addition to th'
postage applicable to an ordinary paid letter o
same weight, a fixed fee OF % centlmes; and
reciprocally, every registered letter sen
| from the United States and its territories tt
France and Algeria shall bear, on departure
in addition to the postage applicable to palt
letter of the same weight, fixed fee OF II
| cents
I
Samples of merchandise or Of grains, photo
graphs, engravinss, and Autographs, neWspa
/ pers. periodicals. seWed or bound books, pam
ptlets, sheets Of music, catalogues, prospec II
seS. announcements, and various circulars, prln
ted matter, engraved, Autographed, or autograph
ed, which shall be sent either from France an
| Algeria to the United States and its terrltorle
to France and Algeria, must be prepaid, OF
both sides, to destination.
The rates of prepayment shall be fixed b.
the government of the country OF origin.
ARTICLE vi.
Each administration shall retain the Who'll
J amount Of the sums which it shall have collec
ted by authority of Articles III, ~ and V pre-
| ceding 1t is formally agreed, between TIL
two contracting parties, that such objects a
are designated in the said article, which shall
have been prepaid to destination, cannot, ull
der any preteN or title whatever, be subjected
in the country of destination, to any postag
or fee to the charge Of the addresses.
ARTICLE VII.
The two administrations may reciprocal
deliver in open mails ordinary letters and prll
ted of all kinds coming from or addressed !
the countries to which they serve respective
us Intermediates and also registered letter
coming from oraddressed to such OF those coun
tries TO winch tne pa! iHtllt VI OIuindiy AoeteI
can be effected to destination.
This delivery shall take place according t
the following arrangements:
The correspondence exchanged between
France or Algeria and the countries to whic
the United States serve as intermedlares sinai
he made subject to the following settlements
; 1st.sro the payment By the French admins
lration, to the American administration, WheI
the postage shall be collected in France or Al
geria. of q rate Of postage equal to that Whie
is paid by the Inhabitants of the United State
! for the correspondence which they sexchang
with the same countries.
I'd. To tie payment by the American ad
miniStration to the French administration
when the postage shall be collected in tn
countries to which the United States serve a
Intermediates, of a rate OF French postage OF
cents per 10 limes or t a ction OF 10 grammt
for ordinary letters, of cents peril grammes 0
fraction of 10 grammes for registered letters
and l cent per 40 gramnes or fraction OF 4
grammes for printed matter OF all kinds.
The correspondence exchanged between tn
countries to which France serves as INFERNO
| diary and the countries to which the Unite
States serve as Intermediates, shall be mad
subject to the following settlements:
1st. To the payment by the French admir-
strntion to the American administration, It tn
: postage OH the correspondence is collected l
. the countries to which France serves as intel
d mediary. OF a rate Of postage equal to the pos
ace paid by the inhabitants OF the Unite
States for the correspondence which they G.