The Hawaiian gazette., 1876-04-19
The international Postal system,

We are glad to learn that there is a fair
prospect of Hawaii joining the international
postal Union, Minister Allen, who is now in
Washington, having been authorized to COM
plete the necessary negotiations The Postal
Treaty which he made with the United States
in 1870 was great Improvement on the sys-
TEN as then established, and the postal Union
promises even greater public benefits to this
Kingdom. This Union now comprises the fol-
lowing nations: United States, England, Ire
land and Scotland, German Empire, Russia,
Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Norway and
Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Switzerland,
Poland, Netherlands, Holland, and Egypt.
There may be others, of which we have no
notice. Application has been made by other
governments to join, and it is probable that at
the next session, in June, the postal Union
will include every nation having any large
foreign mails
The object of the international postal Union
is to secure uniform rate of postage on letters
and papers, and by the prepayment of postage
to do away with all international accounts
The rate adopted is FIVE cents for each half
ounce letter, two cents for each newspaper,
and one cent an ounce for each book or par
eel. These rates prepaid, for instance in st.
Petersburg carry letter or paper through
Germany, France and England to any part of
the United States, where it is delivered free
of charge; and so, if Hawaii joined it, letters,
papers or books would be carried free, after
prepayment of the above rates, to any country
belonging to the Postal Union The principle
adopted by the postal Union is so simple and
clear, viz: that each country shall be entitled
to all the postage it collects; and the rates
are so low, that the system has given univer-
sal satisfaction. Under its operation, the
amount of correspondence is increasing won
derfully, and the postal receipts of every
country that has adopted it, increase in the
same ratio. England now derives over FIVE
millions surplus income from her pOst-ofice
department, and so great has become her for
eign correspondence carried across the Allan
tic, that she has given notice to the steamship
companies that hereafter all mail contracts
will be paid per letter, and not by specific
subsidy as formerly.
Let US see how it would operate here If
Hawaii joins the postal Union, prepayment
of FIVE cents will carry letter fiom Honolulu
10 any part of America or Europe, instead of
eleven cents now paid to Europe. On news
papers, two cents prepaid would carry to any
part of Europe, instead of four or more cents
now exacted And no other charge can be
made on delivery. The present rate of Ha-
waiian postage on foreign letters is six cents,
but the loss of one cent will be more than
made up during the first year by the increase
in correspondence, especially to Europe Our
post office department, therefore, instead of
losing would double its receipts from this
source in two or three years.
To continue the present system is unfair to
Europeans residing here, as it compels them
TO pay eleven cents on each letter and four
cents on each paper, when by entering the
Union, we can secure reduction of their
postage to five and two cents. The heavy |
postage now exacted is a gross injustice to our
European residents.
So popular has this postal Union become
hat application has been made to join by
'ome Of these governments who are not yet in
/, and if we should fail to be represented at
he next congress in Switzerland, we will be
lmong the few left out, and our European
-esidents viii continue to be heavily taxed,
I
when there is no good reason for It.
Hawaii heretofore has always been among
he first to adopt cheap hostages and postal
but in the present instance, she
las allowed other nations to outstrip her, at
considerable cost to her own people
PGRIs, April 4.-The Ae,sags de Paris, abiding to
be action Of France in the Egyptian Affairs, says
rance has resumed the rank belonging to her. Our
restgs IN the East Is restored, without England haT
q any right 70 complain.