Proceedings of the Polytechnic Association. 729 



in proper time, if at all, and save the postal department thousands of 

 unn accessary questions and ourselves much valuable time in obtaining 

 answers. 



One department rule is that if a letter is not prepaid, when pre- 

 payment is required, the letter or package goes direct to the dead 

 letter office. Through the French mails, if the postage on a letter is 

 not fnllj' paid, the amount paid is forfeited. A little ignorance, a 

 little miscalculation, or a little carelessness on our part giv^es us weeks 

 and often months of disappointment and much pecuniary loss. 



To obviate the above difficulties, we often fall into anotlier, by 

 stamping our communications with double the amount necessary for 

 transmission, which is a small amount as to one letter, but in time 

 shows an amount that would surprise and cause us to look seriously 

 for its remedy. 



Again, we should know by wliat route we may send our packages 

 wath least expense. This point is also seen to be of importance, 

 when we state that there are four ditferent mail routes to China, as 

 follows : 



For a letter package weighing eight ounces the postage is, 



Yia American packet via San Francisco %1 60 



" British mail via Southampton 5 44: 



" " " Marseilles 6 72 



" French mail 9 60 



Making a diiference of eight dollars on the package to the same 

 point. 



This example is not an isolated one, but in nearly every foreign 

 country with which we have postal relations the prices will be found 

 to vary as in the above illustration. 



It has been tlie inventor's careful study to produce a simple and 

 substantial scale that would remedy all of these difficulties ; so simple 

 in its construction, and so complete in its workings, that none need 

 err in the transmission of their postal communications. 



We will not attempt, at this time, to give a full description of the 

 scale, but enough to show the great advantages claimed for it over 

 the common scales now in use for postal purposes. 



All parts of the world with which vce have postal relations are 

 alphabetically arranged upon a metallic disc of twelve inches in 

 diameter, with the various postal routes by which such post is reached, 

 and then the exact sum of money necessary for the transmission of 

 any letter, newspaper, printed or other mailable matter, weighing 



