Meanwhile, under the authority given the Governor in Council by The Post Office Act, an agreement had been drawn up between the post office Departments of Canada and the United States for the purpose of establishing and regulating the interchange of mails between the two countries. This was signed on the 25th March, 1851, and was communicated to the Canadian post-masters by the first department order, as follows:—
DEPARTMENT ORDER [NO. 1.]
LETTERS, ETC., BETWEEN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING CALIFORNIA AND OREGON.
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT,
TORONTO, 2nd April, 1851.
Commencing on and from the 6th instant, Letters, Newspapers, &c., will pass through the Mails between Canada and the United States, including California and Oregon, at the Rates of Postage and under the Regulations herein mentioned.
1. Letters posted at any Office in Canada, addressed to any place in the United States, except California and Oregon, are to be rated with a uniform rate of six-pence, currency, per half-ounce.
2. Letters posted in any part of the United States, except California and Oregon, addressed to Canada, will be rated there with a uniform charge of ten cents, equal to six-pence, currency, per half-ounce.
3. The Postage Rate on Letters passing between Canada and California and Oregon, will be a uniform charge of nine-pence, currency, equal to fifteen cents per half-ounce.
4. It is to be understood that the above rates include the whole charge for the transmission of a Letter between any place in Canada and any place within the United States, including California and Oregon.