Towns > Glasgow > 1828-1912 - Post-Office annual Glasgow directory > 1875-1876

POST OFFICE REGULATIONS.
19
transmission in identical terms to several persons,
and the whole or greater part of which is printed,
engraved, or lithographed — may also be sent by
book post.
4. But a book-packet may not contain any letter,
or communication of the nature of a letter * (whether
separate or otherwise), unless it be a circular- letter
or be wholly, printed ; nor any enclosure sealed or in
any way closed against inspection; nor any other
enclosure not allowed by Rule 3. If this Rule be
infringed, the entire packet is charged a3 a letter, f
5. A book-packet may he posted either without a
cover (in which case it must not be fastened, whether
by means of gum, wafer, sealing wax, postage stamp,
or otherwise), or in a cover entirely open at both
ends, so as to admit of the contents being easily
withdrawn for examination ; J otherwise it is treated
as a letter. For the greater security of the contents,
however, it may be tied .'it the ends with string;
Postmasters being authorised to cut the string in
such eases, although if they do so they must again
tie up the packet.
G. No Buok-puckefc may be above 5 lbs , nor above
1 ft. G in. in length, 9 in. in width, or G in. in depth, un-
less it be sent to or from one of the Government Offices.
7. When, owing to a great and unusual influx of
letters, books, &c, the transmission or delivery of
the letters would be delayed if the whole mail were
dealt with without distinction, book-packels may be
kept back till the next despatch or delivery.
(6.) Card Tost.
1. Posi Cards, whether official or piivate, having
a halfpenny stamp impressed upon them (adhesive
stamps not being accepted in payment of the post-
age), may be transmitted between places in the
United Kingdom with letters written upon the
back.
2. The front (or stamped) side is intended for the
address only, in addition to the printed words "Post
Card " and " The address only to be written on
this side." There must be nothing else written,
^printed, or otherwise impressed on it, nor must there
*be any writing or printing across the stamp. On
the reveise side any communication, whether of the
nature of a letter or otherwise, may be written or
printed. Nothing whatever may be attached ; nor
may the card be folded, cut, or otherwise altered.
If - any one of these rules be infringed, the card will
be charged Id. on delivery.
3. When, owing to a great and unusual influx of
letters, books, &c, the transmission or delivery of
the letters would be delayed if the whole mail were
dealt with without distinction, Post Cards may be
kept back until the next despatch or delivery.
4. No card other than one of those issued by the
Government, or a private card impressed with a
halfpenny stamp at the Office of Inland Revenue,
Somerset House, or at the Stamp Offices at Liver-
* Entries merely staling who sends the book, &c, or
to whom it is given, are not regarded as a letter.
1 It is the duty of Posimasters, whenever they have
ground for suspt cling an infringement of any of the
above conditions, and occasionally even when there is
no ground for suspicion, to open and examine book-
packets posted at, or passing through, their office.
J In order to secure the return of book-packets which
cannot be delivered, the names and addresses of the
senders should be printed or written oulside ; thus "From
of • ."
pool and Newcastle-on-Tyne, will pass under a holf-
penny stamp, if it bear on it a written communica-
tion of the nature of a letter.
5. For information as to the conditions under which
private cards are impressed with a halfpenny stamp, ap-
plication must bemadetotheOfiiceof Inlar,d Revenue.
Post Cards are sold only in packets of a dozen for Sfad.
(7.) Articles not allowed to be sent by Post.
1. It is forbidden to forward by post any indecent
or obscene print, painting, photograph, lithograph,
engraving, book or card, or any other indecent or
obscene article, or any letter, newspaper, publica-
tion, packet, or card having the eon any words,
it arks, or designs of an indecent, ob.-ctne, libellous,
or grossly offensive character. Anything posted
contrary to this prohibition will be stopped and sent
to the Returned Let'.er Oifice.
2. Postmasters are instructed not to receive any
letter which there is good reason to believe contains
anything liksdy to injure the contents of the mail
big, or to do bodily harm to any officer of the Post
Oifice. If such a packet be posted without the
Postmaster's knowledge, or if at any time before its
despatch he should discover any such packet, he is
diiected not to forward it, but to report the case,
with the address of the packet, to the Secretary.
The following are examples of the articles referred
to:—
A glass bottle, or glass ia any form ; leeches,
game, fish, meat, fruit, or vegetables; bladders or
other vessels containing liquids; gunpowder, lucifer
matches, or anything which is explosive or liable to
sudden combustion ; razors, scissors, needles, forks,
or other sharp instruments are also forbidden, except
when sent in packets of samples to the foreign
countries mentioned in Rule 6, Section 7.
3. According to the regulations of Germany, no
letter exceeding 260 grammes in weight (a little
more than 8J cz.), can, if containing any other
enclosure than paper, be allowed to circulate by the
post. Any such letters, therefore, forwarded in the
Mail to Germany, will be liable, ou their arrival at
the German frontier, to be stopped, and sent to the
Custom House for delivery as freight.
4. The laws of Spain, Peru, Russia, and Egypt
forbid the transmission, by the post within those
countries, of letters or other packets containing coin,
watches, jewellery, or other articles of value, which
are liable to Custom duties; and the circulation of
such articles in letters is also prohibited in Belgium
and Italy. Any such packets which may be for-
warded in the mails to Spain, Belgium, or Italy, will
not be delivered, but will be sent back, and any sent
to Peru or Russia are liable to confiscation. A
similar prohibition, on pain of forfeiture, is placed upon
the transmission of diamonds and other jewels to the
Turkish Empire, of money and jewellery to the Re-
public of Costa Rica, and of jewellery, &c, to the Cape
of Good Hope, Canada, and the colonies of Queensland,
and Victoria, Australia. Packets containing jewellery
or other articles of value for the Cape of Good Hope,
Canada, Queensland, or Victoria are liable to be
detained until the customs duties have been paid.
(8). Colonial and Foreign Book Post.
1. The rates of postage en book-p'ackefes to the
colonies and foreign countries are given in the sub-
joined tables, as also in Colonial and Foreign Postage.
2. Every book-packet must be posted either with-