the coast of Great Britain, the master shall cause all letters on board his ship (except such letters as may be obtained by such owners, &c. and shippers as aforesaid, and except letters and packets exceeding the weight of three ounces,) to be collected and enclosed in some bag, box, or other envelope, to be sealed with his seal, and to be addressed to any of his Majesty's deputy postmasters in Great Britain, to be in readiness to send on shore by his own boat, or by the pilot-boat, or any other safe and convenient opportunity, in order that the same may be delivered at the first regular post-office which can be communicated with, and be distributed from thence by the carliest inland posts; and shall likewise cause all letters and packets exceeding the weight of three ounces (except such as may be obtained by owners, &c. as aforesaid) to be collected and enclosed in some bag, box, or other envelope, to be sealed and addressed as aforesaid, and shall deliver the same at the regular port or place where the ship or vessel shall report, and shall at such port or place sign a declaration in the presence of the person authorized by the postmaster-general at such port or place, who shall also sign the same; which declaration shall be in the form or to the effect following; that is to say, "I, A. B., commander of the [state the name of the ship or vessel] arrived from [state the place] do, as required by law, solemnly declare, that I have, to the best of my knowledge and belief, delivered, or caused to be delivered, to the post-office every letter, bag, package, or parcel of letters that were on board the [state the name of the ship] except such letters as are exempted by law." And that until such declaration shall be made and produced to the comptroller or principal officer of the customs, he or they shall not permit such ship or vessel to report; and if any master of any ship or vessel shall willingly refuse or neglect to make or produce the said declaration, he shall forfeit and pay for every such offence the sum of £50; and if any collector, comptroller, or principal officer, hereby required to prohibit any ship or vessel reporting until the requisites of this act shall be complied with, shall permit such ship or vessel to report, such collector, comptroller, or officer shall forfeit and pay the sum of fifty pounds. § 21, 23. Persons having letters on board after delivery at the post-office.-If, after the master of any vessel shall have sent his letters to the post-office of any port at which he may touch, prior to his arriving at that port where the ship or vessel is to report, any letter or packet not exempted by this act shall be found on board his vessel, in his possession, or in the possession of any of his crew, or any passenger on board, every such person knowingly having such letter or packet in his possession or in his baggage, shall forfeit and pay for every letter the sum of five pounds. § 24. Officers to search packages.—And it shall be lawful for such collector, comptroller, or other officer, at any port or place whatsoever, who, in the due execution of his duty as a revenue officer, shall discover any letters or packets on board any vessel, in any port or place whatsoever, contrary to the provisions of this act, to seize and take all such letters and packets, and to forward the same to the postmaster-general or his deputy at the port or place; and that the officer seizing and sending the same shall be entitled to one moiety of the penalty which may be recovered for any such offence; and in all cases of such seizure, the proof that the provisions of this act have been complied with shall lie on the person in whose possession or baggage the letters or packets shall be found. § 25.* Penalty on breaking seals. But if any person to whom any letters may be intrusted by the master of any ship or vessel, sealed up in the manner required by this act, shall break the seal, or in any manute, open the same, or shall not duly deliver the same without wilful or unavoidable delay, every person so offending shall forfeit and pay for every such offence the sum of twenty pounds. § 26. Commanders to send letters to the post office, for which an allowance to be paid by postmaster-general.-And in case any bags, packages, or parcels of letters shall be brought by any ship of war, the commander thereof shall cause the same, and all letters which may be on board, (except the public despatches of government,) to be immediately sent to the post-office at the first port where he shall arrive; and such commander shall, for all such letters, be entitled to receive the same allow ances as are payable to the masters of other ships and vessels. But in case it shall happen from any unforeseen circumstances that the master of any ship or vessel, or the commander of any ship of war, shall, upon delivering his bags, packages, or parcels of letters, be prevented from receiving the money to which he shall be entitled, such master or commander shall nevertheless be paid the same, by the order of the postmaster-general, at such other places as may be most convenient. § 27, 28. Penalties how to be applied.-And one moiety of the several pecuniary penalties hereby imposed shall be payable to the use of his Majesty, and the other moiety to any person who shall inform and sue for the same, to be recovered with full costs of suit, by action of debt, bill, GENERAL POST OFFICE, 5 Nov. 1814. Sin,-The act of 54 Geo. IV. c. 169. relating to ship letters, which requires the officers of the customs to seize letters that have not paid the legal rates of postage, having made no provision for distinguishing letters belonging to owners of vessels, or the letters and invoices of shippers of goods, which under that act are not prevented from being sent free of charge, I am directed by the postmaster-general to acquaint you, that they have made a regulation by which letters of the above description, if brought open to this office, or to the post-offices of the out-ports, to satisfy the postmaster's general's officers and deputies of their being within the meaning of the exception in the former acts, will be stamped as follows; "Exempt Ship Letter." But the parties will also be required before the stamp is impressed to endorse their letters, if owners. Nov. 1814." "From A. B, owner of the ship C., Captain D., bound to And when from shippers of goods the endorsement will be"From A. B, solely relating to goods marked A. B., shipped by me or by C. D. on my account (as the case may be) on board the ship C., bound to Nov. 1814. In the last case, if the letters were found on board without a correspondent shipment of goods, they would at once be seizable. Their lordships have made this regulation for the convenience and satisfaction of merchants as well as your officers; but as we cannot compel persons to bring their letters here, your officers will no doubt use such a discretion about the unstamped letters as shall prevent any abuse; where the parties have not taken the trouble to get their letters stamped it will be a presumption against them. G. Delavaud, Esq. I am, &c. FRANCIS FREELING,'* GENERAL POST OFFICE, 19 Dec. 1814. SIR-I am directed by the postmaster-general to refer you to my letter of the 5 Nov. re specting certain ship letters supposed to be exempted from postage, and to acquaint you that the attorney and solicitor general have been consulted, and are of opinion that the ship letter laws allow of no exemption from postage for any letters that are not written by the owners of the ship on board which they were conveyed. My lords, therefore, have given directions that letters written by owners and shippers of goods, unless they are also owners of the vessels on board which such goods are shipped, shall henceforth be charged with the established rates of postages. The exempt stamp wi be continued to be applied to the letters of owners of vessels, &e. G. Delavand, Esq. I am, &c. FRANCIS FREELING. plaint, or information, in any of his Majesty's courts of record in Great Britain. § 29. In actions on the 9th Anne, c. 10, or 42 Geo. III. c. 81, proof shall lie on the defendant. This clause is the same as at page 339. § 30. Limitation of actions, treble costs.-This clause is the same as at page 339. § 32. Act not to extend to letters, &c. to or from China.-Nothing in this act contained shall be construed to extend to any letters or packets to or from China, but they may be sent and carried as heretofore has been used, any thing to the contrary herein contained notwithstanding. § 33. 7 and 8 Geo. IV. c. 21. An Act to amend the Laws relating to the Duties of Postage in Great Britain and Ireland. (Passed May 28, 1827.) Packet postage between Great Britain and Ireland to be payable according to schedule. From and after July 5, 1827, no other packet postage shall be demanded for letters or packets between Great Britain and Ireland other than is specified and set forth in schedule (A) given at page 347; and all rates or duties of packet postage between Great Britain and Ireland, under any act or acts passed at any time. before the passing of this act, shall cease and determine. § 2. Colonial newspapers brought into Great Britain and Ireland by ships other than packets, to be charged 3d. each.—Whereas newspapers printed within his Majesty's colonies and possessions beyond the seas, brought into Great Britain and Ireland by ships other than packets, and sent to the post-office of the port or place at which the letters brought by such ships are landed, are not liable to the same rates and duties of postage as letters; and it is expedient that the law in this respect should be amended: it is therefore enacted, that it shall be lawful for his Majesty's postmaster-general in Great Britain and Ireland to demand for the conveyance of every such paper by any ship other than a packet, and delivered by the commander of any such ship at any post-office with the ship's letters, the sum of threepence, on the delivery thereof to the person or persons to whom the same shall be addressed; provided every such paper be sent without a cover, or in a cover open at the sides; and that there be no writing thereon other than the superscription; and that there be no other paper or thing enclosed or concealed therein. § 6. Letters, &c. to and from Howth or Dunmore not to be charged with any increased postage. § 8. Newspapers, &c. to be put into the post-office within seven days after publication. But if put into any post-office after the expiration of seven days, such paper shall be charged with a rate of postage equal to that of a single letter. § 12. Letters with merchants' accounts, &c. and letters to more than one person on the same paper to be charged as single letters only.-Whereas by the laws in force merchants' accounts, bills of exchange, invoices, bills of lading, and proceedings at law, written on one and the same piece of paper with a letter, and also several letters to several and distinct persons, written upon one and the same piece of paper, are liable to be rated, taxed, and paid for as so many several and distinct letters; and it is expedient that the laws in this respect should be altered: it is there fore enacted, that from and after the passing of this act all merchants' accounts, bills of exchange, stamped receipts, invoices, bills of lading, and proceedings at law, written on one and the same piece of paper with a letter, shall be allowed and taken without rate in the price of the letter; and that any piece or sheet of paper upon which letters to several and distinct persons shall be written, shall not be charged or chargeable with any higher rate of postage in Great Britain or Ireland than if one letter only were written upon such sheet or piece of paper. § 13. To prevent the detention of letters on board ships arriving in Great Britain and Ireland from abroad.-It shall be lawful for any person thereunto duly authorized and appointed by the postmasters-general of Great Britain or Ireland, to demand from the master of any ship or vessel arriving at or off any port in Great Britain or Ireland, all such letters and packets on board the same as are not exempted by law; and the master of such ship is hereby required forthwith to deliver such letters and packets to the person authorized to receive the same; and it shall be lawful for the master to retain on board any letters or packets exceeding the weight of three ounces, until his arrival at the regular port or place of discharge of such vessel; and in case any letter or packet not exceeding the weight of three ounces (not being exempted by law) shall be found on board any such ship, or in the possession of the master or commander, or of any of the passengers or crew, at any time after the time when letters shall have been demanded or delivered as aforesaid, every and any penalty payable by law in respect of letters found in the possession of the master of any ship or vessel after delivering his letters at the post-office of any port at which he may touch prior to his arriving at the port where the ship is to report, or in the possession of any of the crew, or in the possession or baggage of any passenger on board, shall attach and be payable in respect of every letter or packet, not exceeding the weight of three ounces, which shall be so found after such demand and delivery as is required by this act; and every such penalty shall be paid and payable by the person or persons in whose possession or baggage any such letter or packet shall be discovered, and may be sued for, recovered, and applied in such manner as is directed with respect to such penalties by any act or acts in force in Great Britain or Ireland relating to the duties of postage. § 14. Powers, &c. of former post-office acts extended to this act. § 16. 2 Wm. IV. c. 15. An Act to enable his Majesty's Postmaster-General to extend the Accommodation by Post, &c. and for other Purposes relating to the Post-office. Postmaster may send letters by any British ships.--The postmastergeneral, &c. may contract and agree for the conveyance of mails of letters by any British vessel to or from any port or place whatsoever, and to forward the same accordingly-and to demand, &c. the like rates, as if such letters had been conveyed by regular packet-boats. § 10. Stealing or opening bags or letters felony.-Every person who shall steal or unlawfully take away any bag of letters sent by any ship-or shall steal or unlawfully take any letter or packet out of any bag-or shall unlawfully open any bag-shall be adjudged guilty of felony, and shall be liable to be transported for any term not more than fourteen or less than seven years-or be in prisoned for any term not exceeding three years. § 11. Letters to be sent only through the post-office.-No person shall receive, take up, dispatch, convey, carry, or deliver, or shall send or cause to be sent, or tender or deliver in order to be sent, any letter or packet, by any ship or vessel by which his Majesty's postmaster-general shall contract for forwarding mails of letters, on pain of forfeiting for each letter the sum of five pounds. § 12. Exceptions. Provided always, that nothing shall extend to subject any person to any such penalty, in respect of any letter which shall be sent with or shall relate to any goods on board any such ship, and entered in the ship's manifest. § 13. Custom-house officers to search for letters.—Any collector or other officer of his Majesty's customs, at any port or place whatsoever, may and they are hereby authorized and required to search every ship in any port or place for letters or packets, which may be on board contrary to the provisions of this act, and to seize all such letters, and to forward the same to the postmaster-general or his deputy at the port or place. § 14. TABLE OF THE RATES OF POSTAGE. GREAT BRITAIN. All former Rates were repealed by the 41 Geo. III. c. 7. (U. K.) by which Act new Rates were levied; to which have been added by the 45 Geo. III. c. 11. an additional penny on each single letter, and by the 52 Geo. III. c. 88. an additional penny on each single letter, above the distance of twenty miles, (so that the rates of postage now stand as follows); but the latter sum is not to extend to the islands of Guernsey, Jersey, or Man. N.B.-The postage stated is in all cases as for a single letter; double and treble letters pay in proportion; but no letter and the contents to be charged more than a treble letter, unless it weighs an ounce, and then to be charged as four single letters. From any post-office in Great Britain to any place,- Exceeding 15 miles and not exceeding 20 s. d. 0 4 ი 5 And so in proportion for any like excess of distance of 100 miles, the like further sum of one penny. IRELAND. By the 7 and 8 Geo. IV. c. 21. schedule A. the postage of letters from any place in Great Britain to any place in Ireland, or vice versa, is the same as for Great Britain, but― Letters and packets conveyed by Packet-boats to pay a 0 4 0 2 |