THE PARCELS POST. 259 
must in all cases be placed (as in the case of letters) close above 
the address. 
It is not intended to apply to postal parcels the practice which 
obtains of adding to the address, in the cases of letters for the 
Metropolitan Districts, the Postal District Initials, and such initials 
should not be used in addressing a parcel to London or the 
Suburbs. 
The public will greatly assist the work of the Post Office, and 
help towards the safe delivery of parcels, by taking care that they 
are in all cases strongly and securely packed, especially those with 
fragile or perishable contents. It must be borne in mind, although 
of course every care will be taken by the officers, that such a 
parcel must be several times handled before it reaches its destina- 
tion, and will probably have to be packed with many others of a 
different kind and shape, or more weighty and bulky. 
FORBIDDEN ARTICLES.—Parcels which bear on the outside any 
writing or drawing of an indecent or offensive nature, or within 
which any contents of a like nature, may be observed, and parcels 
containing gunpowder, cartridges, lucifer matches, or anything 
explosive or liable to sudden combustion, bladders containing 
liquid, live animals, grossly offensive or filthy matter, and anything in 
a condition likely to injure other parcels, or any officer of the post 
office, are prohibited. If any such parcel be tendered for posting, 
it will be refused, or, if detected in transit, it will be detained. 
Parcels known to contain a letter, packet, or parcel intended for 
delivery at an address other than that borne on the parcel itself, 
are prohibited. 
PERISHABLE AND DANGEROUS ARTICLES.—Parcels containing 
fish, game, meat, eggs, &c., or razors, scissors, needles, knives, forks, 
or other sharp instruments, will not be accepted unless securely 
packed so as to guard against risk of injury to other parcels. 
Liquids, or semi-liquids, such as jellies, pickles, paint, varnish, 
&c., will not be accepted unless in bottles or cans securely 
stoppered ; nor powders unless so packed that they cannot escape 
in transmission. Bottles, or glass in any form, will be accepted 
only when so packed as to be secure from breakage. If a parcel 
be tendered in a damaged or insecure condition, or in a condition 
likely to injure other parcels, or any officer of the Post Office, it 
will be refused. Ifa parcel in such condition should be observed 
in transit, it will, if possible, be made secure and sent forward ; but, 
if it cannot be so secured, it will be detained. 
RETURNED Parcets.—In order to facilitate the return of 
parcels which cannot be delivered, it is most desirable that the 
name and address of the sender should appear on the outside of 
every parcel. Ifa parcel which cannot be delivered bears on the 
