Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/230

 of printed papers. The postage on the letters to and from France near at hand was 14 times heavier than on those sent through France to Australasia, 12,000 miles. But the rate of postage on the printed papers was the same from England to France, as from England to Australia. Yet mail-bags containing letters, and mail-bags containing printed papers, are not distinguishable except by experts, and receive exactly the same care and treatment.

4. The imports from and exports to each other of England and France amount to £69,000,000 (1,725,000,000 fr.) The present high foreign postage is in effect a tax on the exports of each country—injurious to both.

5. Under Clause 21 of the Postal Union any two States might establish lower postage between themselves by forming a Restricted Union. Several pairs of States (e.g. Austria and Germany, Canada and the United States, Mexico and the United States) have formed such unions with penny postage. Why should not England and France form one?

6. The French postal authorities have expressed a desire to discuss postal rates with our Post Office. The British officials have admitted that the 2½d. rate is too high, but still wish to charge 2d., or twice as much for sending a letter across the Straits of Dover to Calais as across St. George's Channel to Dublin, or across the Mediterranean to Algiers. The postage level being the same on both sides, the Channel tax is as absurd as would be locked gates in the Suez Canal, as exasperating as would be a toll-gate in Cheapside.

7. The. Anglo-French Postal Union, similar to the Austrian-German, American-Canadian, and other