The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-09-01

Some Of the Features OF the Postal eys-
tens of Asiatic Countries.

Some Of the Features OF the Postal eys-
TENS of Asistic Countries.
The commoneSt type of Indian post
runner, or "Tappal wallah," wears .
long white coat, very light trousers in
close his lean legs, and his headdres.
is huge light blue turban. His letter
bag is slung on his side. and it is
necessary that he should be good
lingust and be able to read great
variety of strange, grabbed characters,
for several of the multitudinous lang
uages of Hindostan in quite distinct
characters, all of which are alike in
comprehensive to our untutOred eyes.
The rural letter-carrier of HindoStan
carries a long stick with a sharp iron
point. which can be used as = weapon in
case of need. The stick is adorned with
little brass bells, which serve TO brighten
away reptiles and dangerous ami
mails, and also to give notice of the
approach of the post. The danger
from wild beasts is, in some districts. 4
very real one, the .'tappal' runners
through the forest districts in the south
of Ceylon having occasionally had
very narrow escapes from the attacks
of rogue elephants aud other Wild
beasts.
Of all varieties of Indian letter-car-
riers. clothed or unclOthed. none are
so picturesque as the camel express
messengers. The men wear service
able red uniform. and large green tur-
ban embroidered with gold thread.
From their girdle hangs a curved saber
in red sheath. The camels are
adorned with trappings of gay cloth
and tassels. ornameIted with blue
beads and cOwrie shells, and small
brass bells round the neck TO give
notice of their swift approach.
1t is said that their rough and
rapid trotting, sometimes at the
rate of eighty miles day. is
so trying to the riders as TO shorten
their DAYS. Two heavy mail-bags hang
| to right and left on each side Of the
camel, and the saddle is so arranged
that passenger can take seat behind
the postman.
In no country in the world is the
postal organization more wonderful
that, till about a dozen years ago,
there was no regular Government insti-
tutions of posts in the country. In
1871, when Japan awakened like a
giant from her long sleep of exclusive
ness, and set TO work to accomplish
changes of every sort, she resolved to
establish the European postal system;
and with such astonishing zeal has she
done her work that within ten years
| the British, American and French post
| offices, which had been established at
all the open ports, were closed, foreign
nations being satisfied with the thor
oughness of the japanese postal SER
| vice. In that short period mail routes
have been organized over $3.50 miles;
mail trains and steamers, pOSt-yans
and runners were all enlisted; 1927
post-offices and 7,439 letter-boxes had
been established; money-order offices
and post-office savings banks were in
full operation; $500 persons were en-
ployed on the regular staff; stamps,
stamped envelopes, postcards and
newspaper wrappers were issued at the
same rate as our own; letter postage
to any part of the empire being at the
rate of one pence, and post cards one
half pence; while within the limits of
the city of Toxic these hostages are re-
speetively only half price.
Where the post-office had thus been
started at full swing it is needless to
say that the telegraph was not forgot
ten; and by 1880 it was in full working
order over a distance of about ten
thousand miles and giving employment
to about fifteen thousand persons
Mss Gordon Cumming, an CaSSeFs
Family Magazine.