Jacques: Yes; and we must double that number, because the letter may, or may not, belong to the service rural.
John: There are, then, 24,200 things to be inquired into with reference to every hundred letters. And how does the postmaster then proceed?
Jacques: He marks the weight on one corner of the letter, and the postage in the middle of the address, by a hieroglyphic agreed upon at headquarters.
John: And then?
Jacques: He stamps the letters, and arranges them in ten parcels corresponding with the other post-offices with which he is in communication. He adds up the total postages of the ten parcels.
John: And then?
Jacques: Then he enters the ten sums in a register, with counterfoils.
John: And then?
Jacques: Then he writes a letter to each of his ten correspondent postmasters, telling them with what sums he debits them.
John: And if the letters are prepaid?