I am especially indebted to Professor Graham Wallas for valuable suggestions and advice.
A. D. SMITH.
London School of Economics,
1917.
CONTENTS
| page | |||
| Preface | [v] | ||
| Introduction | [xi] | ||
| I. | The Rate For Letters— | ||
| Letter Post in England | [1] | ||
| Letter Post in Canada | [37] | ||
| Letter Post in the United States of America | [59] | ||
| Letter Post in France | [78] | ||
| Letter Post in Germany | [97] | ||
| II. | The Rate For Newspapers— | ||
| Newspaper Post in England | [111] | ||
| Newspaper Post in Canada | [136] | ||
| Newspaper Post (Second-class Mail) in the United States of America | [148] | ||
| Newspaper Post in France | [164] | ||
| Newspaper Post in Germany | [173] | ||
| III. | The Rate For Parcels— | ||
| Parcel Post in England | [183] | ||
| Parcel Post in the United States of America | [191] | ||
| Parcel Post in France | [204] | ||
| Parcel Post in Germany | [209] | ||
| IV. | Minor Rates— | ||
| (i) | Book Post | [220] | |
| (ii) | Samples | [229] | |
| (iii) | Commercial Papers | [238] | |
| (iv) | Postcards | [241] | |
| (v) | Rate for Printed Matter for the Blind | [244] | |
| (vi) | Minor Rates in the United States and Canada | [244] | |
| V. | Local Rates | [247] | |
| VI. | International Rates— | ||
| (i) | International Letter Post | [263] | |
| (ii) | International Parcel Post | [277] | |
| VII. | An Analysis Of Cost— | ||
| Method | [283] | ||
| Cost | [289] | ||
| VIII. | Conclusion | [312] | |
| Appendix A— | |||
| I. | RATES OF INLAND LETTER POSTAGE CHARGED IN ENGLAND, 1635-1915 | [336] | |
| II. | FOREIGN RATES IN THE BRITISH SERVICE | [340] | |
| III. | THE THURN AND TAXIS POSTS IN GERMANY | [349] | |
| IV. | PARCEL POST IN CANADA | [355] | |
| V. | THE SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES | [357] | |
| VI. | POST OFFICE REVENUE | [358] | |
| VII. | GRAPHS | [368] | |
| Appendix B— | |||
| DOCUMENTS AND EXTRACTS ILLUSTRATING ASPECTS OF POSTAL HISTORY— | |||
| (i) | Ancient Posts | [374] | |
| (ii) | Nuncii and Cursores | [377] | |
| (iii) | Witherings' Scheme for the Reform of the Posts in England, 1635 | [378] | |
| (iv) | The Monopoly and the General Farm of the Posts | [380] | |
| (v) | The English Post Office in 1681 | [384] | |
| (vi) | The Cross Posts | [388] | |
| (vii) | The Early Posts in North America | [391] | |
| (viii) | The Clerks of the Road and the Transmission of Newspapers | [403] | |
| Appendix C— | |||
| list of authorities | [412] | ||
| Index | [425] | ||
INTRODUCTION
This book contains a collection of facts and an examination of principles which will be of value to all students of the subject with which it deals. It is more comprehensive than any book on rates of postage yet published in the English language, or, I believe, in any other. It is careful and unbiased, and although here and there some of the author's conclusions may not meet with unanimous acceptance, they cannot fail to stimulate useful discussion on a matter which is far more important than is often realized.