The evening times., 1902-09-13
BRITISH AMERICAN
PARCELS POST SYSTEM
Instituted Without Cooper
alton Of This Government.
INTEREST IN THE ATTEMPT
Great Britain and IN American Express
Company to Transmit Merchandise
Washington Authorities Skeptical Of
the Success of the Experiment.

The authorities of the Postofice De
paTtment are preparing to watch with
much interest the workings OF the new
parcels post system between this coun-
try and Great Britain, to be inaugurated
by the latter country in conjunction with
one Of the express companies.
The British Postoflce authorities have
entered into an agreement with the
American Express Company to the ef-
feet that the latter transmit and deliver
in this country parcels sent from Great
Britain. and vice versa The conven-
ton Is &c 90 into effect October 1 next.
Great Britain has endeavored. without
success. for a number of years to have
the United States PostofTlce Department
perform the duties With which the Amer
lean Express Company has now been en-
trusted
Monopoly Only on Letter Mail.
AS the law gives the postal service Of
this country a monopoly only OF mail
matter Of the first class, there is no vio-
lation Of the Law in the proposed ar
rangement, so far as the service in this
country is concerned.
Some difficulty is anticipated with the
system in the custom houses All par
cells arriving in this country from for
eign countries are inspected, and there
viii be necessarily detention and delay.
IN many cases it is believed there will
be duties 10 pay which will cause a good
deal Of red tape" The British post
Office authorities have been trying to
evolve some system Of guarantee for
duties. the sender Of Great Britain de-
posting 10 per cent Of the value Of the
package to cover possible customs
charges. and the British pOstoffice giving
bond in a general way for the entry of
the article
Difficulties With the Tanf.
In the case OF many articles the du-
ties are 50 OF 70 per cent of value. and
the British postofice people, it is be-
lieved. would have some difficulty in
hunting up the sender and collecting the
difference in case it should be collected
by custom house officials of this country.
The business that will devolve upon
the express company in clearing parcels
at custom houses will be necessarily
slow and burdensome. 1t is thought, and
postal officials do not expect the pro-
posed system to work with entire salts
faction.
The Convention With Germany.
The only parcels post convention en-
tered into by the United States with
foreign power which is in actual opera
tion at present Is that between this
country and Germany. Great Britain
has been trying for years to get the
American postal authorities to agree to
a parcel post convention.
Owing to the difficulties experienced
with Germany in that line, and on ac-
count OF the convention not proving
financial success, so far as this country
is concerned, the Postoffice Department
has not favored an extension Of the par
GELS post service with foreign countries
The British Announcement.
The English postal authorities have
made the following announcement: "On
and after the 1st of next month October
u parcels will be accepted at any post
Office in the United Kingdom for trans
mission TO the United States.
This service has been established in
cooperation with the American Express
Company. a private company Of car
riers. and the United States Postofice is /
not concerned in 1t.
CGreat Britain1 viii be performed by
the British postofice. The parcels will
be conveyed across the Atlantic by pack
cts of the Cunard and White Star lines. /
under contract with the postmaster gen
eral For their conveyance in the United
States the American Express Company |
is responsible.
This postage charges (that is, the /
charges for conveyance in this country
and the United States, and for the At
lantic transport, are as follows; On /
parcels for New York city, Brooklyn. /
Jersey City or Fiobokeu, not over /
pounds. / shilling; from 10 Z pounds. /
, shillings. from : - Il pounds. 5 shill- /
iugs; for any other port of the United I
states. not over } ounds, 2 shiIlings: !
from 3 10 : pounds. 3 shiIlings; from : !
70 j pounds. ! shillings.
a charge for the clearance Of parcels I
through the United States customs viii /
be made al the rate Of l shilling each /
This sum. together with an additional /
charge Of ] shilling levied by the United +.
States Government under the title .
sample Office fee or storage fee on f.
every parcel entering the country may
be prepaid or left 10 be collected from
the addressee. Customs duty at the or
dinary tariff OF the United States will /
also be charged.
The limits CT size and weight will be /
those Of the inland parcel post.
Parcels will be accepted for trans /
mission TO the British postofice at any
office Of the American Express Company /
in the United States"
HOSPITAL BURNED