German Parcels Post.
Consul W. T. Fee, of Bremen, states that the parcels post system of Germany, as well as most of the railroads, is owned by and is under the control and operation of the Imperial government. He adds:
The express companies in Germany are less developed than those in the United States, where the largest part of parcels forwarded are handled by these companies. Under the German parcel-post system, parcels are divided into five classes namely: (1) Parcels with value declared; (2) registered parcels; (3) common parcels, value neither declared nor registered; (4) collect-on-delivery parcels; and (5) urgent parcels. Each shipment of parcels must be accompanied by a waybill called “packet addressee”; and no more than three packages which must be of the same class, and which must bear the same address, are to be entered on one waybill. Each c. o. d. or urgent package, however, must have its own waybill.
Forms of waybills, with the respective postage stamp of the amount of the charge printed thereon, are furnished by the postoffices at the price of the postage charge, while waybills, without this stamps imprint, are sold by the postoffices at the price of 1.19 cents for five pieces. Forms of waybills, which are purchased from other sources, must conform in every respect with those furnished by the postoffice department. There are two different kinds of waybills in use, foreign and domestic.
At times of increased postal traffic, before Easter, Whitsuntide and Christmas, a waybill for each package is required. The prices charged by the postoffice for forwarding parcels vary according to the weight of the packages and distance. The fees charged are shown in the following statement:
| For distance up to— | over | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46 miles | 92 miles | 230 miles | 461 miles | 702 miles | |
| For parcels weighing up to— | cents | ||||
| 11 pounds | 5.9 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 11.9 |
| 15.4 pounds | 7.1 | 14.2 | 16.6 | 19.0 | 23.8 |
| 17.6 pounds | 8.3 | 16.6 | 21.4 | 26.18 | 35.7 |
| 19.8 pounds | 10.7 | 21.4 | 30.9 | 40.4 | 59.5 |
| 22 pounds | 11.9 | 23.8 | 35.7 | 47.6 | 71.4 |
| additional 2.2 pounds | 1.1 | 2.38 | 4.76 | 7.1 | 11.9 |
The maximum weight for parcels to be forwarded by post is 110 pounds.
For registered packages an additional fee of 4.76 cents is charged, while the insurance fee for packages with declared value is 1.19 cents for each $71.40 or fraction thereof. For “not-prepaid” parcels up to 11 pounds a collection fee of 2.38 cents is levied. Besides this, in places where there is delivery to the house, an extra fee of 3.5 cents is charged for packages weighing up to 11 pounds.
Packages may be sent c. o. d. in the German Empire if the amount to be collected does not exceed $190.40. These c. o. d. packages, if payment is not made at presentation, will be held for seven days. Meanwhile another request will be made on the consignee to pay the amount charged, and then if payment is refused the package is returned to the consignor. The fee charged for c. o. d. packages in addition to the ordinary postage is 2.38 cents, and the fee for the postal money order, by means of which the amount collected is returned to the consignor is charged. The charges for these money orders for amounts not exceeding $1.19 are 2.38 cents; not to exceed $23.80, 4.76 cents; $47.60, 7.14 cents; $95.20, 9.52 cents; $142.80, 11.9 cents; and $190.40, 14.28.
Printed matter, samples without value, newspapers and business cards do not come under the heading of parcels or packages, different rates of postage and also different limits of weight and measure being provided for these classes.