Opening letters by the authorities.—The preamble to the statute of 1656 states, as already remarked, that the establishment of a general post office, besides the benefit to commerce and the convenience of conveying public despatches, will be the best means "to discover and prevent many dangerous and wicked designs." The policy of having the correspondence of the kingdom under the inspection of Government would still, according to Blackstone, be available in practice in case of need, for by the warrant of a Secretary of State letters could undoubtedly be detained and opened. In the case of a bankruptcy there is express statutory provision for the diversion to the official receiver or trustee of all letters forwarded to the bankrupt through the post.
Articles not allowed to be sent by post.—It is not everything that is allowed to be sent by the post. For example the postage of indecent or obscene prints, paintings, photographs, lithographs, engravings, books, cards, or any article having thereon, or on its cover, any words, marks, or designs of an indecent, obscene, or grossly offensive character, is absolutely prohibited. So also is the transmission of explosive, dangerous, noxious, or deleterious substances, filth, sharp instruments not properly protected, living creatures, except bees, and everything likely to injure the contents of the mails, or any offices of the post office. If a postal packet be tendered for transmission in contravention to the foregoing rule, it is refused, or if detected in transit it is detained. The contents are dealt with at the discretion of the authorities, and the sender of it is liable to prosecu tion. Certain articles, such as china, crockery, eggs, fruit, fish, and meat, can only be sent by the parcel post, and when so sent must be packed with special care. A postal packet sent by letter post which cannot from the nature of its contents be transmitted thereby is, if admissible by parcel post, transferred to that post, and treated and charged as a parcel posted out of course. If inadmissible by parcel post the packet is liable to be detained and disposed of. Letter packets containing liquids, grease, glass, or colouring powders, which are not packed in accordance with the regulations provided with regard to these articles, will be stopped. No one can send a number of letters differently addressed under cover of one letter or parcel, and so infringe upon the post-office monopoly. Such an infringement is guarded against by the important rule that "no postal packet may contain an enclosure addressed to a name and address differing from the name and address borne on the cover of the packet. If any packet is observed
to contain such enclosures each forbidden enclosure is liable to be taken out and forwarded to the address thereof, charged with separate postage at the prepaid rate." There is also a general prohibition against sending postal packets of such a form, or so made up for transmission, as to be likely to embarrass the officials in dealing with them in the post.
Different modes of sending and delivering letters.—There is first the ordinary mode of posting and delivering in the ordinary course. With this may he mentioned the arrangement whereby, upon payment of an extra fee, letters will be received for transmission after the public collection is closed until within five minutes of the despatch of the mail. For the receipt of late letters bearing an extra id. stamp, letter boxes are affixed to all snail trains to which travelling post offices or sorting carriages are attached. By rail.—Consistently with the official monopoly no railway company as such is entitled to carry letters for the public, though, as is well known, there is no such prohibition in the case of parcels. But by post-office arrangement with most of the railway companies the latter, subject to -::ertain conditions, may accept and convey by the next available train or steamship any inland letter which does not exceed 4 ounces in weight, either to be called for at the station of address, or to be transferred there to the nearest post-office letter-box for delivery by a postman. The conditions require that the sender of such a letter delivers it at the appropriate passenger station to a railway official in the parcels booking-office, or if that office is closed in the passenger booking-office. He must not hand it in at a post office unless he intends it to go by express delivery. The total charge of 3d. will defray the whole cost of transmission. A letter will not be accepted for transmission by rail if it exceeds the weight already mentioned ; nor will it if (a) from any words or marks thereon it appears to be intended for registration ; or (b) it appears to contain a watch, coin, jewellery, or anything requiring registration when forwarded through the post ; or (c) it appears to contain anything excluded from transmission by letter post. Foreign or colonial letters are not accepted. Letters addressed to a railway station to be called for are kept there seven days.