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Rh The maximum weight of the articles mentioned above is fixed at 250 grammes for patterns of merchandise, and at 1000 grammes for all the others.

There is reserved to the Government of each country of the Union the right to refuse to convey over its territory or to deliver articles specified in the present Article with regard to which the laws, orders, and decrees which regulate the conditions of their publication and circulation have not been observed.

The articles specified in Article 2 may be registered.

Every registered packet must be prepaid.

The postage payable on registered articles is the same as that on articles not registered.

The charge to be made for registration and for return receipts must not exceed that made in the interior service of the country of origin.

In case of the loss of a registered article, except in the case of vis major, there shall be paid an indemnity of 50 francs to the sender, or, at his request, to the addressee, by the Administration of the country in the territory or in the maritime service of which the loss has occurred—that is to say, where the trace of the article has been lost,—unless, according to the legislation of such country, the Administration is not responsible for the loss of registered articles sent through its interior post.

The payment of this indemnity shall be effected with the least possible delay, and, at the latest, within a year from the date of application.

All claim for an indemnity is excluded if it be not made within one year, counting from the date on which the registered article was posted.

Prepayment of postage on every description of article can be effected only by means of postage-stamps or stamped envelopes valid in the country of origin.

Newspapers and other printed papers unpaid or insufficiently paid shall not be forwarded. Other articles when unpaid or insufficiently paid shall be charged as unpaid letters, after deducting the value of the stamped envelopes or postage-stamps (if any) employed.

No additional postage shall be charged for the re-transmission of postal articles within the interior of the Union.

But in case an article which has only passed through the interior service of one of the countries of the Union should, by being re-directed, enter into the service of another country of the Union, the Administration of the country of destination shall add its interior rate.