FOREIGN MAILS.

The exchange of correspondence between the United States and foreign countries is regulated by postal treaties establishing the rates and conditions of exchange, or by and in pursuance of legislation by Congress.

The International Postal Treaty concluded at Berne, Switzerland, October 9, 1874, embraces, in the Postal Union established by it, the United States, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, Denmark (including Iceland and the Faroe Islands), Egypt, Spain (including the Belearic Isles, the Canary Islands, the Spanish possessions on the northern coast of Africa, and the postal establishments of Spain upon the western coast of Morocco*), Great Britain (including the island of Malta), Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, The Netherlands, Portugal (including the island of Madeira and the Azores), Roumania, Russia (including the Grand Duchy of Finland), Servia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and France, and went into operation on July 1, 1875, except with France, its operation, in the case of that country, having been suspended until January 1, 1876.†

The provisions of the treaty extend to letters, postal cards, newspapers, and other printed papers, stitched or bound books, pamphlets, music, visiting cards, catalogues, prospectuses, announcements, and notices of various kinds, whether printed, engraved, lithographed, or autographed, photographs, legal and commercial documents, and patterns of merchandise.

REGISTRATION of any of the above classes of correspondence is permissible, the postage payable on registered matter being the same as that on similar matter not registered.

PREPAYMENT OF POSTAGE on postal cards, registered matter, newspapers and other printed papers, is compulsory.

UNPAID LETTERS will be charged in the country of destination with double the rate for prepaid letters.

The Spanish possessions on the northern coast of Africa are, Ceuta, Penon de la Gomera, Alhucemas, Melilla and the Chafarine Islands. The postal establishments upon the western coast of Morocco are Tangier, Tetuan, Larrache, Rabat, Mazagan, Casa Blanca. Saff, and Mogadore.

† Montenegro has been admitted into the Postal Union.

Newspapers and other printed papers unpaid or insufficiently prepaid cannot be forwarded.

Other articles unpaid or insufficiently prepaid will be charged on delivery as unpaid letters, after deducting the value of the stamps or stamped envelopes employed.

THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT for patterns of merchandise is two hundred and fifty grammes, or eight and three-fourths ounces, and the maximum weight of other articles, except letters, is one thousand grammes, or two pounds three ounces.

BOOKS, NEWSPAPERS, PRINTED PAPERS, and other similar articles, must be placed under bands, or in an envelope open, or simply folded so as to admit of easy examination, and must contain no manuscript writing, figure, or mark whatever, except as follows:

Proofs of printing or of music may bear corrections made with the pen, relating exclusively to the text, or to the execution of the work, and the manuscript of the proofs may be annexed to them.

Circulars, notices, etc., may bear the signature of the sender, with his trade or profession, and may also indicate the place of origin and the date.

Books may bear a manuscript dedication, or a complimentary inscription from the author.

Passages in printed text to which it is desired to call attention, may be marked with a simple stroke of the pen.

Printed or lithographed stock and share lists, prices-current, and market reports may have the prices added in writing, or by means of any impression whatever.

No other manuscript additions are allowable, nor even those produced by typographical characters, if the latter tend to take from the packet its general character.

Such of the above-mentioned articles as shall not fulfill the foregoing conditions will be considered as unpaid letters, and charged accordingly, with the sole exception of newspapers, and printed papers, such as circulars, notices, etc., which will not be forwarded in such cases.

PATTERNS OF MERCHANDISE must be placed in bags, boxes, or envelopes, removable, so as to admit of easy examination. must not have any saleable value, nor bear any manuscript writing

They

other than the name, the trade or profession of the sender, the address of the person for whom intended, a manufacturer's or trade mark, or numbers and prices.

It is forbidden to introduce these articles into a letter, or a packet of any other kind, save in the case in which they form an integral part of a particular work.

Patterns which do not conform to the requirements of the treaty will be charged as letters, except those which are valuable. The latter will not be forwarded, nor those the conveyance of which would be attended with risk or danger.

LEGAL AND COMMERCIAL DOCUMENTS, under the treaty, embrace acts and deeds of all kinds drawn up by public functionaries, invoices, the various documents on the service of insurance companies, copies or extracts of deeds under private seal, written upon stamped or unstamped paper, scores or sheets of manuscript music, and, in general, all manuscript papers and documents which have not the character of an actual and personal correspondence. Such documents must be sent under a movable band, and be made up so as to admit of easy examination. If not fulfilling the conditions above enumerated, packets of this character will be treated as unpaid letters, and charged accordingly.

ARTICLES EXCLUDED FROM THE MAILS.

The treaty prohibits the transmission, in a letter or other packet sent by mail, of gold or silver money, jewels or precious articles, or any article liable to customs duty.

FOR RATES OF POSTAGE under the treaty, see the table of foreign postage in this book.

POSTAL CARDS.

The object of postal cards is to facilitate letter correspondence and provide for the transmission through the mails, at a reduced rate of postage, of short communications, either printed or written in pencil or ink. They may therefore be used for orders, invitations, notices, receipts, acknowledgments, price-lists, and other requirements of business and social life; and the matter desired to be conveyed may be either in writing or in print, or partially in both.

In their treatment as mail matter, they are to be regarded by postmasters the same as sealed letters, and not as printed matter,

except that in no case will unclaimed cards be returned to the writers or sent to the Dead Letter office. If not delivered within sixty days from the time of receipt, they will be burned by postmasters.

The postage of one cent each is paid by the stamp impressed on these cards, and no further payment is required.

No card is a "postal card" except such as are issued by the Post Office Department. An ordinary printed business card may be sent through the mails when prepaid by a one-cent postage stamp attached; but such card must contain absolutely no written matter except the address; otherwise it will be treated as not fully prepaid, and refused admission into the mails.

In using postal cards, be careful not to write or have anything printed on the side to be used for the address, except the address; also be careful not to paste, gum, or attach anything to them. They are unmailable as postal cards when these suggestions are disregarded.

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES ARE UNMAILABLE.

Packages containing liquids, poisons, glass, explosive chemicals, live animals, sharp pointed instruments, sugar, or any other matter liable to deface or destroy the contents of the mail, or injure the person of any one connected with the service. All letters upon the envelope of which, or postal card upon which obscene, scurrilous, or abusive epithets have been written or printed, or disloyal devices printed or engraved, and letters or circulars concerning illegal lotteries so called, gift concerts, or other similar enterprises offering prizes, or concerning schemes devised and intended to deceive and defraud the public. Also, all obscene, lewd, or lascivious books, pamphlets, pictures, papers, prints, or other publications of an indecent character.

MONEY ORDERS.

Postal conventions for the exchange of money orders have been concluded with the following foreign countries, viz.: Switzerland, Great Britain and Ireland, and Germany.

The exchange of money orders between the United States and each of the countries mentioned, is effected through the agency of "International Exchange Offices," of which New York is the