THE PARCELS POST.
ON Wednesday next, the Parcels Post will come into opera- tion. It will be rather difficult for most persons to realise at first that they can send a parcel of substantial weight to any place in the United Kingdom by merely placing a few stamps upon it, and taking it to the nearest Post Office. The incompetence or perversity of the Railway Companies has left parcels baffle in such a condition that private per- sons avoid sending parcels altogether, if they can. When the necessity arises, they make up their minds that they will have to pay an extravagant price, and are only too thankful if they find they can pay it all at one end, and can ensure the actual delivery of the parcel without imposing a tax of an unknown amount on the recipient. But in very many cases, such a state of assurance is out of the question. The parcel cannot be delivered at all, or will be finally handed over for delivery to some local carrier, of whom the sender has no knowledge, and over whose movements and charges he has no control. Even when the journey is between towns, if more than one Railway Company engages in the conveyance, it is often found that no through rate exists, and that the parcel is practically charged for two journeys,—one at each end. The late Professor Jevons, two or three years ago, applied his keen powers cf analysis to the rates for parcels charged by the leading Com- panies, and came to the conclusion that it was impossible for any one who was not a Railway manager to understand them. Some reduction of rates has recently been made, in view of the Post-Office competition ; but this is only of partial application, and it is certain that the general public are as much in the dark on the subject as ever. It is a notable instance of the danger to the public interests of leaving to trading corpora- tions, huge enough to be monopolists, a discretion to charge the public as they please, in the confidence that their own in- terests will protect the public convenience. Had the rates for small parcels been regulated like those for goods, the anomalies of the Companies' tariffs would certainly have been less glaring. However, possibly there would then have been a i less imperative demand for the Parcels 'Post, and t is doubtful whether the most enlightened Railway management could ever have done for us what the Post Office may be expected to do.
The limit of weight by the new Post is 7 lb. This is slightly more than the maximum of the International Parcels Post,-3 kilogrammes, or about 6/ lb. On the other hand, the internal Parcels Posts of many countries—for example, of Germany, where the system is most perfect, and of Switzer- land—recognise no limit of weight, heavy trunks and goods being transmissible. It is obvious, however, that when great weights are dealt with, the conditions of the service are neces- sarily altered. It becomes then a serious question whether uniformity of charge for all distances can be maintained ; in Germany, it is not. No one, therefore, will be disposed to quarrel with Mr. Fawcett for fixing, at the outset, a very moderate maximum, while they will be grateful that it is fixed sufficiently high to admit of harmonious working with the general Continental system. The dimensions, again, are neces- sarily limited. A parcel of feathers might reach a portentous size, while keeping within the prescribed weight ; and one such parcel might interfere with the convenient delivery of a whole mail. The dimensions adopted are very simple, and fairly elastic. Parcels must not be more than 3 ft. 6 in. in length, or 6 ft. in length and girth combined. This mode of measurement is highly convenient. As the official notices tell us, all that has to be done is to get a piece of tape 6 ft. long, and to mark upon it the length of 3 ft. 6in. The first step in testing a parcel will be to apply the smaller measurement to the greatest dimension of the parcel. If this is found not to overstep the mark, the condition as to length is satisfied. The residue of the tape not consumed in measuring the actual length will then be available for testing the girth. If it will go round the parcel, the second condition is complied with. Thus, if the parcel only measures three feet in length, there will be three feet of tape left to go round it at its thickest part ; if its largest dimension is only 18 in., it may measure 4 ft. 6 in. in the round. Simplicity of measurement is as important as convenience of dimensions at starting, and no more simple plan than that adopted could well have been hit upon.
The Post Office does not propose to adopt any machinery for the posting of parcels analogous to letter- boxes. Parcels are to be posted by being handed in at a post office. Moreover, the sender is to see that his parcel is accepted, as being within the limits of weight and dimensions, and properly stamped. If it does not comply with the regula- tions, it will not apparently be forwarded, there being no refer- ence in the official notices to any collection of deficient postage from the addressee, as in the case of letters. The rates of postage have been often quoted. They are,—For 1 lb., 3d. ; 3 lb., 6d. ; 5 lb., 9d. ; 7 lb., is. The present letter-rate, it will be remembered, is reasonable enough up to 12 oz., but the luckless individual whose letter is found to exceed that weight is charged ls, ld.,-1d. an ounce. A letter of 1 lb. weight, therefore, costs is. 4d., whereas a parcel of the same weight will be 3d. With the book-rate, again, the new scale compares favourably. Books can be sent, in open wrappers, at id. for every 2 oz., or 4d. a pound. A parcel of books, under the new rates, will be sent for Id. less, and may be completely enclosed, and, if the sender likes, sealed. A book of 3 lb. at the present rates costs is., under the new tariff it may be sent for 6d., and so on. On the other hand, it must be remembered that the Post Office has never guaranteed that parcels will go with the same speed as letters. The delivery will be certain, and we may be sure there will be no unnecessary delay. But it may obviously be impossible to send a considerable weight of parcels by the very rapid trains, such as the Limited Scotch and the Irish mails. For books and heavy packets of letters and papers, therefore, the choice will be between cheapness of rate and extra speed. Only the Inland Parcels Post commences next Wednesday. It will not be possible at present to send parcels to the Con- tinent. It is to be hoped that it may not be long before Mr. Fawcett completes the service, by this most necessary supple- ment; but when it is considered that some 15,000 postmasters, scattered. throughout the country, many of them men of a very limited range of experience, have to master an elaborate set of new Rules in order to ensure the smooth working of the Post, it will probably be thought prudent to pro- ceed by steps. The Post will, however, extend to the most remote districts of Ireland and Scotland, as well as to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is not improbable that Scotland will make a large contribution in the shape of grouse before the Post is a month old, for game, and even fish, may be sent, if properly packed. In Ireland, it is very possible that the effect of the Post may be more felt than that of some directly remedial measures. Dairy produce lends itself easily to transmission in small quantities, and peasant- farmers may find that by the expenditure of a shilling in postage, they are enabled to save middlemen's profits of two or three times as much. But, indeed, this is only a particular instance of what may reasonably be expected throughout the country. Professor Jevons, if we recollect rightly, considered that the operation of the Post would be akin to that of Free-trade,—it would enable goods produced where the conditions are most favourable to be distributed with an ease hitherto unknown. He had in view, no doubt, a much more extended Post than that which is about to commence. But, in its degree, the new Post will have the effect suggested. It will place dwellers in rural districts in direct communication with the large centres of industry. A person remote from a town will be able to obtain, with an ease and certainty hitherto unknown, and at an ascertained expense, small packets of goods from the large distributing establishments of London and the bigger provincial centres. Indeed,a closer competition between the towns will be promoted, for the postal charge being uniform, it will be as easy for a person living twenty miles from Manchester to obtain a parcel from London as from that town. Whether it will be detri- mental to the interests of rural tradesmen remains to be seen. We are inclined to think not, for, except in articles of food, there is no rural trade at present. The wants of a village and the scattered houses and farms around it are not such as to make village shops profitable under- takings. The difference will rather be that persons will be able by the new Post to get things which they must now go without, or must obtain only when opportunity serves. Living in the country will be made more pleasant, and anything which has that effect in England must be hailed as a blessing. Whatever its precise effects, there are no two opinions upon the advan- tages which will be derived from the new Post, and its working in its early stagea and its subsequent development will be watched with keen interest.
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