Spain, German mail, direct | 11 | 6 ” via New Orleans * | 10 | 2 Sweden and Norway, by direct steamers for U. S. | † 6 | 2 Sweden, via England and Christiana | 9 | 4 Switzerland, via England | † 10 | 4 ” ” Germany | † 8 | 3 Vancouver’s Island (Letters, if unpaid, 10 cents per | | ½ oz.) | † 6 | 2 West Indies, except otherwise stated, via St. Thomas | 18 | 4 -----------------------------------------------------+--------+--------- * Denotes that the postage is the United States postage only, which must be prepaid on matter sent and collected on matter received. † Denotes that prepayment of postage is optional; in all other cases it is compulsory. GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.—Letters wholly unpaid or insufficiently prepaid are subject on delivery, in addition to the deficient postage, to a fine of 6 cents in the United States and 3d. in Great Britain. Book manuscript and corrected proof may be sent at book-packet rate of postage. CHAPTER XLI. REGISTERED AND DEAD LETTERS. REGISTERED LETTERS. Within the last few years the Registered Letter Department has grown to enormous proportions. In former times the registering of a letter was only a notice to those handling it that it was valuable, the process being to simply paste a Registered Letter Bill to the letter and place it among the ordinary letters. If any officer was dishonest and wanted the letter, all he had to do was to take it and destroy the bill, and the chances of detection were very slight. The fee was small and the safety smaller. Under the new system which has been in operation some few years, and is copied from England, the safe transmission and delivery of money and valuables is almost certain. Only letters or other mail matter on which letter rates of postage are fully prepaid can be registered. Each postmaster is furnished with all the proper blanks, including the package envelopes and seals. The latter is a large whitish brown envelope, longer and broader than an ordinary official size envelope, and “Registered Letter” printed in large red letters across the face. The seal is similar to a postage stamp, only larger, and is placed over the lap after the envelope is sealed, and then cancelled. When a letter is presented for registration at any post office, the postmaster must require that the name and post office address of the writer thereof be endorsed on its face; he must also see that the postage, as well as the fee for registering, is fully prepaid by stamps affixed to such letter; he will then fill out a receipt, entering thereon the number of the letter, the date and name of his office, the name and address of the writer, and the address of the letter, sign and deliver it to the person presenting the letter.