NEW POSTAGE REGULATIONS.

Cosy of :1'reamry Minute, dated '20/i December 1839.

My Lords read the Minute of the 23d of Ang,ust, proposing to receive cow- munications from the public with reference to the letter-stamps named in the Act 2 and 3 Victoria, cap. 52, and offeritat certain rewards fur the same.

The conimunicatiens (more than 2,600 in number) received in conseytence of this 31initte have for a long time occupied the attention of their Lordships. iNlany of thou display much ingenuity. They are highly satisfactory, as 0111- eing the interest taken by men of science and by the public in general ist the measures now in progress for the reduction of postage, and they have atfordest lunch useful information with reference to the details of the new arrangements. Upon full deliberation, however, their Lordships do not think it will be advis- able to adopt any one of the specific plans proposed, without modification rout combination with other arrangements.

After the best consideration my Lords can give the subject, and with the

view of awarding most fairly between the parties, my Lords have decided not to give the specific sums mentioned in thew 31inutu of 23d .hugest, but have selected four communications which are the most distinguished either for originality or for completeness, and front which ray Lords have derived the greatest service, and decided to award the suns of 1001. to each. The authors of thtse four communications are as follows, the names being arranged alpha- betically:; viz. Messrs. Bogardus and Coffin (who have 'acted together), Mr.. Benjamin Clieverton, Mr, Henry Colo, and Sir. Charles 'Whiting. My Lords next proceed to take into consideration the several points calmer- eftsd in the Minute of the 211d of August, and the suggestions connected there- with which occur its the COliiiiiiiiiirationS already referred to.

Tins-Lordships, alma full cut have decided to require that, as far

as practicable, the postage of lettem shall be pre-paid, and to effect such pre- payment by means of stumps. Their Lordships are of opinion that the coove• iiienee of the public will be consulted, inure especially at first, by issuing stamps of vat-ions kinds, itt order 111;11 every one way select that tics:cription of stamp which is most suitable to his own peculiar circumstances; alai with a view of affording an ample choice, their Lordships are pleased to direct that the follow ing stamps be prepared.

First, Stmliped covers. The st.mip being struck on pieces of paper of the size of half a sheet of quarto letter-paper.

Second, Stamped envelopes. The sbuiip being struck on pieces of paper of a lezettge form, of which the stationers awl others may manutheture elm:lopes. Third. Adhesive stamps, or stamps MI pieces of paper with a gluti- nous wash at the back, which may be attached to letters either before or after they are w ri t ten ; and Fourth. Stamps to be struck on paper of any description which the public may send to the Stamp-office for that purpose. '(lie paper for the tir.,t, second, unit third kinds of stamps to be peculiar in its water-mark, or saute other gesture, but to he supplied to Goverument ity coin petit ion. Sly Lords direct that the Commissioners of Stamps and Tuxes, nod the Com- missioners of Excise, should receive the official directions to take the necessary steps in conjunction with this Board, and with the Postmaster General, fir the• preparation of the stamps herein unninerated. Although t be necessary experiments and investigations which have been conducted under the direction of this Board are already far advanced, my Lords fear that a coesiderable time will be required for completing the preparation of the dies, plitte-:,, and machinery, (much of which is unavoidably of It novel con- struetion,) necessary for the manufacture of this stamps; aud being desirous of affording to the public with the least possible delay the fall advai■I ago id' the intended reduction iti postage, their Lordships propose at once to effect such rediwtion.

On the use of stamps, however, my Lords have fully derided : Hwy will be prepared with the least possible delay ; and when ready, due notice will be given of their introduction.

Boeing, therefore, communicated with the authorities of the lost-ollice, my Lords are pleased to direct thut on the loth of January next the following ar- rangentents shall come into operatiou- The scale of weight already established for General Post letters to be ,ex- tended to the London district and other local post letters. Tito charge on all letters passing between one part of the United lilingdorn and another, whether by the General Post or the London district or other local post, to be one penny per single rate.

Such postage.tobe pre.paid; if not pre-pantile be charged double on delivery. Letters between the United Kingdom and the Colonies to he charged, if con- veyed by packet, and not passing through France, at the rate of Is. per single rate; and packet, conveyed by private ship, at the rate of 8d. per single rate, in

iVhatCver part of the United Kingdom they may be posted or delivered. ' Letters between the United Kingdom and foreign countries (those passing to or from or through France excepted) to be charged as follows:

If conveyed by packet, andposted at the port of departure, or delivered at the port of arrival within the United Kingdom, the present packet rates. If posted or delivered in any other part of the United Kingdom, 2d. per single tate, in addition to the present packet rates, unless where a lower charge shall new exist, in which case such lower charge to continue. If conveyed by private ship, 8d. per single rate, in whatever part of the United Kingdom they may be posted or delivered. With regard.to foreign letters to and from France, or passing through France, env Lords consider that pending such modifications as may be introduced into the treaty with that country, the maximum of the charge for packet and inland posta:,e humid not exceed that rate which i3 now chargeable on a letter to and from London; no alteration being made in cases where the charge under the present treaty shall be less than such before-mentioned rate. The present reductions do not apply to letters passing rid France between the United Kingdom and the Mediterranean, Egypt, and the East Indies, which will continue to be charged as at present. Letters between the United 'Kingdom and foreign countries will continue to be suldeet to the same regulations with regard to pre-payment as at present. Lord Melbourne states to the Board her Majesty's desire that such measures may be taken with reference to her Majesty's prig liege of franking, as my Lords may consider advisable for the public service, and in conformity with the other regulations which they may lay down with regard to franks. My Lords are pleased to direct, that from and after the 10th of January next, the privilege of franking, both Parliamentary and official, shall cease. The printed Votes and Proceedings of the imperial Parliainent, or of the Colonial Legislatures of either of her Majesty's Colonies, if sent in the manner now required by law, to be charged as ffillows, whether passing from one part of the United Kingdom to another, or between the United Kingdom and the Colonies, provided they do not pass through France, or to the East Indies rid Val maul h — Not exceeding two ounces in weight, 1r1.

Exceeding two ounces, and not exceeding four ounces, 2r1.; And so on, an additional penny for every additional two ounces, without limi- tation as to weight ; such charge to be the same whether pre-paid or not.

Their Lordships, however, consider it will be proper that the Postmaster- General should be authorized, in cases where it may nppear necessary so to act, to postpone the despatch of Parliamentary proceedings for twenty-fur hours; their Lordships bong aware that the greatest inconvenience frequently has arisen from the very large influx of heavy Parliamentary papers. And their Lordships are theretbre pleased to call the Postmaster-General's attention to this point, with a view of his making such regulations as may be required. The privileges now attached to addresses to her Majesty, to Parliamentary petitions, to newspapers, and to the letters of soldiers and sailors engaged in service abroad, to remain unaltered, except that a soldier's or sailor's single letter will be interpreted to mean a letter not exceeding half an ounce in weight. lf any privileged letter or other article become liable to the full letter rates of postage, such rates to be charged according to the scale of rates herein esta- blished for letters. The treble duty to which newspapers in certain cases be- come liable to be calculated according to the same scale.

All privileges except those already enumerated to cease.

The following are exceptions to the regulation which restricts the amount of weight to sixteen ounces. I. Parliamentary proceedings as already named.

2. Addresses to her Majesty, and Parliamentary petitions. 3. Letters and packets received from or addressed to places beyond the limits of the United Kingdom. 4. Letters and packets addressed to or despatched by the Government de- partments, or such officer as may now have the privilege of franking by virtue of his office. And 5. Deeds, if transmitted under such regulations as the Postmaster-General nay consider necessary to prevent abuse of the privilege.

In consideration of the reduction now made in the postage of ship letters, and theprobable increase of such letters, the master's gratuities will be reduced to 2s. Oil. per hundred for all letters, newspapers, and other packets conveyed between one part of the United Kingdom and another. At the sure time, gra- tuities of one penny per letter or packet and one halfpenny per newspaper, will he given to the toasters of ships trading to the East Indies, on the same con- ditions as those now applying to other ship letters and papers. With reference to the arrangements herein made, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are to be considered as parts of the United Kingdom, and the Ionian Isles and Honduras as British colonies.

My Lords are of opinion that the whole of these arrangements should apply to all letters and packets posted within the United Kingdom, or (if brought from abroad) first delivered up to any Post-office within the United Kingdom on or after the 10th of January next. My Lords will communicate with the public departments with regard to the mode of charging the letters ot' such departments. Transmit a copy of this Minute officially to the Postmaster-General, and desire his Lordship will give the necessary instruction to his officers to carry the directions of my Lords into effect. Desire also that he will direct the Solicitor of the Post-office to prepare a draft of n warrant in conformity with the provisions of the Postage Acts, to he signed by my Lords, and inserted in the Gazette, pursuant to the provisions of the Act 2d and all Vie. cap. 5.2. My Lords, in carrying the reduced rates of postage into operation, feel it their paramount duty to provide against any disarrangement which a great influx of letters posted at the htst moment might occasion in the business of the Post-office.

Whilst their Lordships are most unwilling that there should be any positive curtailment of the time allowed to the public in posting letters, their Lord- ships feel it necessary, in the first instance at least, to hold out an inducement to the public not to delay the posting of letters to it late period, by restricting the benefit of the full reduction to those letters which shall be posted early. And their Lordships, with this view, are pleased to authorize the Postmaster- General to close the letter-boxes throughout London at five o'clock; and in the country an hour or half an hour earlier than at preseut, according to the circumstances of each place. My Lords direct that the fees for late letters be charged as follows—from the future hour of closing each box until the present hour, one penny per letter or packet, without regard to its weight ; and after the present hour of closing each box, twopence per letter or packet, except where a larger fee is now established, in which ease the present fee will continue. Instruct the Postmaster-General to make arrangements for carrying to the general revenue the fees for late letters, at the same time submitting far the consideration of this Board any cases for compensation which he may consider necessary.