The use of the district system is, that if a letter, arriving from the country, has on the outside the district initials as well as the address, it has a fair chance of earlier delivery; and if sent from one part of London to another, such chance is the greater. The reason for this is, that much of the sorting is effected at the eight chief district offices, if the initials are given, to the great saving of time. An official list of a vast number of streets, &c., with their district initials, within the London District Post, is published at 1d., and is obtainable at most of the principal receiving-houses.
The portion of each district within about three miles of the General Post-office is called the Town Delivery, and the remainder the Suburban Delivery. Within the town limits there are twelve deliveries daily: the first, or General Post, commencing about 7.30, and mostly over in London about 9; the second commencing about 8.15, and the third at 10.30. The next nine are made hourly. The last delivery begins about 7.45. There are seven despatches daily to the suburban districts. The first, at 6.30 a.m., to all places within the London District limits. A second, at 9.30, to suburbs within about four miles of the General Post-office. The third, at 11.30, takes in almost all the London district. The fourth despatch, at 2.30 p.m., goes to spots within about six miles of the General Post-office. The fifth, at 4.30, comprises the whole of the suburban districts, and, except in the more outlying country spots, letters are delivered same evening. The sixth, at 6 p.m., goes to places under four miles from the General Post-office. The last despatch is at 7 p.m. Letters to go by it should be posted at the town post-offices or pillar-boxes by 6 p.m., or at the chief office of the district to which they are addressed. They will thus probably be delivered the same night, within about six miles of the General Office. The suburban deliveries begin one to two hours after despatch, according to distance.
It is always well to remember, that for any given delivery, a letter may be posted rather later at the chief office than at any of the minor offices of each district; that letters only, not newspapers, book-parcels, manuscripts, &c., may be put in pillar-boxes; and that letters posted during the night, (from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.,) have a chance of earlier delivery than otherwise, seeing that the pillar-boxes are cleared at 5 in the morning, and, as a rule, we believe, earlier than the receiving-houses. Outgoing letters for the evening mails are received at most offices till 5.30, and at the chief office of each district till 6. By affixing an extra penny stamp, the letter is receivable till 6 at the minor, and till 7 at the chief offices.
Telegraph Offices.—Telegrams may be sent from all Postal Offices within the London district. The charge for 20 words, not including address, is 1s.
READING AND NEWS-ROOMS.
Jerusalem Coffee-house, Cowper’s Court, Cornhill, (Indian, China, and Australian newspapers.)
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