Letters by private ship, under ½ oz., 6d., except Belgium and Holland, Newspapers 1d.
Unpaid Letters.—Persons sending letters by post unpaid, which from any cause cannot be delivered, are liable to pay the postage so charged, under the 3rd and 4th of Victoria, cap. 96, and the 10th and 11th of Victoria, cap. 85; and, under the 1st of Victoria, cap. 36, may be recovered, with costs, by a summary process before a magistrate.
A letter when posted is considered the property of the person to whom it is addressed, and the receivers may not therefore give back a letter under any circumstances whatever.
Re-directed letters subject to a second postage at the rate charged for prepaid letters.
Soldiers’ or seamen’s letters are subject to a postage of 1d. if prepaid and under ½ oz.; by private ship 1d. gratuity in addition must be paid. Letters from abroad sent by or addressed to soldiers or seamen, when unpaid, are charged 2d. If sent to or through a foreign country they are liable to foreign rates in addition, but to no further charge upon re-direction.
Letters from soldiers or seamen to the United States are subject to the United States’ rate of 2½d. in addition to the usual reduced rate, the whole to be paid in advance when posted in this country.
Registered Letters.—Inland, colonial, and ship letters, can be registered upon payment of 4d. for inland, and 6d. colonial and ship letters, beyond the postage.
Registered letters for France, and countries through France, must be prepaid with double the amount of the ordinary postage, and those for Prussia, and countries through Prussia, must have the foreign registration fee and postage paid in addition to the British. Registered letters for Russia must prepaid with double the amount of the ordinary postage. Registered letters must be posted half an hour previous to the ordinary letters, but are received at the General Post Office, and at the chief district and branch offices in London, up to the latest time for posting, on payment of an additional fee of 4d.
Newspapers (stamped) sent by post must be made up in covers open at the sides, have the impressed stamp visible, and no marks or writing (other than the address) thereon, or anything enclosed, or it subjects them to letter postage. British newspapers, when duly stamped, are forwarded free throughout the United Kingdom (except those delivered within three miles of the place where posted, which are charged 1d.) Unstamped newspapers, if weighing under 4 oz., may be forwarded between places in the United Kingdom by affixing 1d. pottage stamp. For places abroad, the impressed stamp is valueless, as the postage must be prepaid by postage labels.
Note.—Newspapers for foreign parts and colonies, if posted later than fifteen days after date of publication, are charged letter postage.