158 



Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



POST-OFFICE REGULATIONS. 



The speedy and cheap transmission of intelligence is of the 

 highest importance for the interest of science, and our attention 

 has been directed to it as a subject of general complaint, as well 

 as by the inconvenience and loss which we ourselves experience. 



In the Advertisement prefixt to the eighth volume of the Monthly 

 Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, the Council regret the 

 difficulty and delay in receiving scientific information. " With other 

 countries," they observe, " and for larger parcels, the communication 

 is most unsatisfactory. The expenses and extra charges at the En- 

 glish ports are equivalent to a negative upon direct intercourse, even 

 where the freight is prepaid, and the duty trifling. The Post-office 

 charges for pamphlets over-sea are the same as for letters. Until 

 these matters are better regulated, a greater service can scarcely be 

 rendered to scientific bodies than by facilitating the rapid transfer of 

 international communications at a moderate cost. Any information 

 on this subject will be attended to." 



We are glad to find that the subject has at length received atten- 

 tion from tlie authorities of the Post-office, and that some important 

 improvements have been lately introduced : and with a view to 

 render these available for the interests of science, we are glad to be 

 enabled to furnish the following particulars from the Post-office re- 

 gulations of the most recent date. 



Periodicals published as pamphlets, and parliamentary proceedings, 

 provided they are made up in the same manner as newspapers, in 

 covers open at the sides, so as to admit of examination, are forwarded 

 to the countries mentioned below at the following rates, which must 

 be prepaid either in stamps or money. 



Rates of Postage chargeable upon Periodical Publications and Par- 

 liamentary Proceedings to Foreign Countries. 



Beyond the vireight of 1 6 ounces, they can only be forwarded at 

 letter rates of postage. 



The countries to and from which the above rates are applicable 

 are: — 



Cvia Belgium*, 

 Prussia < via Holland, 

 {via Hamburg. 



Belgium, 



Bremen, 



F'rance, 



Holland, 



* Periodicals, &c., when sent to Prussia via Belgium, are subject to a 

 Belgian transit rate of 2c?. per quarter ounce, in addition to the above rates. 

 In charging works of this description, when more than one copy is under 

 the same band, each copy is weighed and charged separately. 



