Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 16.djvu/938

This page needs to be proofread.

904 POSTAL CONVENTION WITH BELGIUM. Dncmmmt 21, 1859. United States and Belgium, which shall be subject to the following postage charges, viz: _ _ Peefase l>Y dl- Postage on each letter or packet not exceeding half an ounce in weight, "°° hues' nftcen cents; above half an ounce and not over one ounce, thirty cents; over one ounce and not exceeding two ounces, sixty cents, and so on, thirty cents being added for each additional ounce or fraction of an ounce. Payment in advance shall be optional in either country. It shall not, however, be permitted to pay less than the whole rate, and no account shall be taken of the prepayment of any fraction of that rate. The newspapers, as well as the articles of printed matter enumerated in Article XIII. of the present convention, may be in like manner sent by the said direct lines, on condition of prepayment to destination. The price of prepayment of newspapers, gazettes,and periodical works shall be levied at the rate of fifteen centimes in Belgium, and of three cents in the United States, for each package the weight of which shall not exceed ninety grammes (three ounces). Packages weighing more than ninety grammes shall pay an additional rate for each ninety grammes or fraction of ninety grammes. The price of prepayment of stitched books, of bound books, pamphlets, papers of music, catalogues, prospectuses, advertisements, and notices of various kinds, printed, engraved, lithographed, or autographed, shall be levied at a rate of fifteen centimes in Belgium, and of three cents in the United States, per thirty grammes, (one ounce,) or fraction of thirty grammes. The proceeds of the above-mentioned postages shall be divided in the proportion of two—thirds, or two cents, to the profit of the country which shall furnish the packets, and one·third, or one cent, to the profit of the other country. _ _ _Postage by ARTICLE XXIV. The postage for which the United States and Belgian greg; l;*£¤» hx; Post Offices shall reciprocally account to each other upon letters which

,,,._ mm e shall be exchanged by the said direct lines of steamers shall be established,

letter by letter, according to the scale of progression established by the preceding article, as follows, viz: The Belgian Office shall pay to the United States for each unpaid letter weighing half an ounce or less, originating in the United States and destined for Belgium, as well as for each letter of like weight prepaid in Belgium and destined for the United States, the sum of five cents (being the United States inland postage) when the Atlantic sea conveyance is performed by a Belgian mail steamer; and twelve cents (representing the maritime postage and the territorial postage of the United States) when said sea conveyance is performed by a United States mail steamer. On the other hand, the United States shall pay to the Belgian Office for each unpaid letter weighing half an ounce or less, originating in Belgium, and destined for the United States, as well as for each letter of like weight prepaid in the United States and destined for Belgium, the sum of three cents (being the Belgian inland postage) when the Atlantic sea convey- ance is performed by a United States mail steamer; and the sum of ten cents (representing the maritime postage and the Belgium territorial postage) when the said sea. conveyance is performed by a Belgian mail steamer. Letter bills and acknowledgments of receipt for mails exchanged by Pon, pp. 906. means of direct steamers, shall be according to the forms annexed, marked 9*"9· A and B. f°Le£tei·s from IARTIGLE XXV. On all letters originating and posted in other coun- ’°’*¤“ °°“”m°“‘ tries beyond the United States and mailed to and deliverable in Belgium, or originating and posted in countries beyond Belgium and mailed to and deliverable in the United States or its Territories, the foreign postage (other than that of Belgium and other than that of the United States) is to be added to the postage stated in Article XXIII. And the