Postage to be reduced. Rates of newspaper postage. Printed matter, country. It is, however, formally agreed that the single rate of internation letter-postage shall be reduced to twelve cents in the United States and to twelve sen in Japan, at the expiration of twelve months from the date of carrying this convention into effect. The United States post-office shall levy and collect to its own use, on newspapers addressed to or received from Japan, a postage-charge of two cents, and on all other articles of printed matter, patterns and samples of merchandize addressed to or received from Japan, postage. charge of two cents for each weight of two ounces or fraction of two ounces. The post-office of Japan shall levy and collect to its own use on newspapers and other articles of printed matter, patterns and samples of merchandize addressed to or received from the United States, the regu lar rates of Japanese domestic postage chargeable thereon by the laws and regulations of the Empire of Japan. Newspapers and all other kinds of printed matter, patterns and sametc., to be subject ples of merchandise, shall be subject to the laws and regulations of each to laws, etc., of country respectively, prescribing the conditions of their publication and circulation, and also with regard to their liability to be rated with letter-postage when containing written matter, or for any other cause specified in said laws and regulations, as well as in regard to their liability to customs duty under the revenue laws of either country. Fines on insuffi ters. ARTICLE IV. Every international letter insufficiently paid, received in the United ciently-paid let States from Japan shall, in addition to the deficient postage, be subject to a fine of six cents, to be retained by the United States post-office; and every international letter insufficiently paid, received in Japan from the United States, shall, in addition to the deficient postage, be subject to a fine of six sen, such fine to be retained by the Japanese postoffice. Exchanges with United States postal agency at Shanghai. Rates on hai. ex ARTICLE V. There shall be an exchange of correspondence between the Japanese post offices of Yokobama, Hiogo and Nagasaki, and the United States postal agency at Shanghai, China, by means of United States or Japanese mail-packets plying regularly on the route between the ports of Japan and Shanghai, comprising letters, newspapers, printed matter of every kind, patterns and samples of merchandise, originating in Japan and addressed to Shanghai, or originating in Shanghai and addressed to Japan. The correspondence so forwarded in either direction between Japan and Shanghai shall give rise to no accounts between the two Post Departments, but each shall levy, collect, and retain to its own use the following postage-rates on the correspondence which it forwards to the other, the same to be in full of all charges to destination. On correspondence from Shanghai for Japan, there shall be levied changes at Shang- and collected at the United States Postal Agency at Shanghai, a postage of six cents per each single rate of half an ounce or under on letters, two cents each on newspapers and prices current, and two cents per each weight of two ounces or fraction of two ounces on other articles of printed matter, patterns or samples of merchandise. Rates on On correspondence from Japan for Shanghai, there shall be levied changes in Japan. and collected at the office of mailing in Japan, a postage of six sen per each single rate of fifteen grammes or under on letters, and the established rates of Japanese domestic postage on other articles of printed matter, patterns or samples of merchandise. Short-paid or unpaid exchanges. Correspondence not fully prepaid to destination at the rates fixed by this article will not be forwarded. ARTICLE VI. Each country grants to the other the privilege of transit of closed mails exchanged in either direction between the latter and any country to which the other may serve as an intermediary, by its usual means of mail transportation, whether on sea or land. Transit in closed mails. Rates for transit The rates of postage to be paid by the Japanese Post Department to the United States Post Department for the territorial, or territorial and through United sea transit, of all correspondence in closed mails, sent or received through States. the United States for or from countries or places beyond, shall be as follows: (1.) On closed mails, either for or from Mexico, British Columbia, Canada, and other British North American Provinces, when transmitted entirely by land-routes, six cents per thirty grammes for letter-mails, and thirty-two cents per kilogramme for all kinds of printed matter, patterns and samples of merchandise. (2.) On closed mails either for or from British Columbia, or other British North American Provinces, Mexico, Central and South America, or the West India Islands, when transported to or from the United States by sea, twenty-five cents per thirty grammes for letter-mails, and forty cents per kilogramme for printed matter of all kinds, patterns and samples. (3.) On closed mails either for or from Great Britain, Germany, and other countries of Europe, the same rates of territorial and sea postage as those established by the postal conventions between the United States and each of those countries respectively. Rates for transit The rates of postage to be paid by the United States Post-Office to the Japanese Post Office for the territorial, or territorial and sea transit through Japan. of correspondence in closed mails sent through Japan for transmission to or from countries and places beyond, shall be agreed upon between the two Post Departments when the exercise of the privilege is required. The country which sends or receives closed mails through the other shall render an account of the letters, newspapers, book-packets, and patterns contained in such closed mails. ARTICLE VII. Accounts. mails. The two Post Departments of the United States and Japan shall Open-mail exestablish, by agreement, and in conformity with the arrangements in changes of foreign force at the time, the conditions upon which the two offices may reciprocally exchange, in open mails, the correspondence originating in or destined for foreign countries to which they may respectively serve as intermediaries. It is always understood, however, that such correspondence shall only be charged with the rates applicable to direct international correspondence, augmented by the postage due to foreign countries, or by any other tax for exterior service. ARTICLE VIII. Account on open United States. The United States Post-Office shall account to the Japanese PostOffice for the sum of two cents upon every single paid letter from foreign foreign mails by countries sent through the United States in ordinary mails and prepaid to destination in Japan. ARTICLE IX. Letters mailed All passengers' letters sent back to the United States by passing mail steamers on the high seas, shall be paid in full, at ten cents per single rate, with United States postage-stamps; and all passengers' letters sent at sea. Sea-postage on Pacific Ocean. Letter-bills. Accounts. Expenses of additional sea-service between United back to Japan by passing mail-steamers on the high seas, shall be paid in full at ten sen per single rate, with Japanese postage-stamps. ARTICLE X. The sea-postage for the conveyance across the Pacific Ocean of correspondence in open or closed mails, exchanged under the provisions of this convention, shall be computed at six cents per ounce or six sen per thirty grammes (net weight) on letter-mails, and six cents per pound or six sen per four hundred and eighty grammes (net weight) on other correspondence. ARTICLE XI. Letter-bills shall accompany each mail from one country to the other, containing an account of the weight of each class of correspondence, both international and transit; and the accounts arising between the two offices on the different classes of transit correspondence shall be stated, adjusted, and settled quarterly, and the balance found due on such correspondence shall be promptly paid over by the debtor office to the creditor office in such manner as the creditor office may desire. ARTICLE XII. So long as the Government of the United States shall maintain, at its own expense, the existing line of semi-monthly mail-steamers between States and Japan. San Francisco and Yokohama, it is mutually agreed that the Government of Japan shall defray the entire expenses of the sea transportation of all correspondence which shall be transmitted in either direction by any other line of mail-steamers plying between the sea-ports of the two countries. Closed-mail ARTICLE XIII. When in any port of either country a closed mail is transferred from transfers without one vessel to another, without any expense to the office of the country charge. where the transfer is made, such transfer shall not be subject to any postal charge by one office against the other. Official postal correspondence. ARTICLE XIV. Official communications, addressed by the United States Post-Office to the Japanese Post-Office, or by the Japanese Post-Office to the United States Post-Office, shall not give rise to any account between the two offices. ARTICLE XV. Official diploThe official correspondence between each government and its legation matic correspond- near the other shall be conveyed to its destination free of postage, and with all the precaution which the two Governments may find necessary for its inviolability and security. ence. ARTICLE XVI. Registered arti cles. The two Post Departments may, by mutual agreement, provide for the transmission of registered articles in the mails exchanged between the two countries. The register-fee on each registered article shall be ten cents in the Register-fee. United States and fifteen sen in Japan, and the ordinary postage there on, as well as the register-fee, must always be fully prepaid. Each office is at liberty to regulate this fee for the registered articles it despatches. ARTICLE XVII. The two Post Departments shall settle by agreement between them all matters of detail and arrangement required to carry this Convention into execution, and may modify the same in like manner, from time to time, as the exigencies of the service may require. ARTICLE XVIII. Every fully prepaid letter despatched from one country to the other shall be plainly stamped with the words "paid all" in red ink, on the upper right-hand corner of the address, in addition to the date-stamp of the office at which it was posted; and on insufficiently paid letters the amount of the deficient postage shall be inscribed in black ink. ARTICLE XIX. Dead letters which cannot be delivered, from whatever cause, shall be mutually returned without charge, monthly, or as frequently as the regulations of the respective offices will permit. ARTICLE XX. Details. Marking-stamps. Dead letters. Conversion of In converting Japanese currency into United States currency, or ARTICLE XXI. The United States post-office agrees that, upon a notice of six months being given by the Japanese post-office, at any time after the ratifica tion of this Convention, the United States Postal Agency at Yokohama, and all other United States Postal Agencies that are now, or that may hereafter be established within the limits of Japan, shall be discontinued. ARTICLE XXII. This Convention shall go into effect upon the day on which the Postal Agencies of the United States in Japan shall be discontinued. ARTICLE XXIII. This Convention shall be terminable at any time, on a notice by either office of one year. It is to be ratified and the ratifications are to be exchanged as soon as possible. Done in duplicate original at the city of Washington, this 6th day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, or the sixth day of the eighth month of the sixth year of Meiji. [SEAL.] SAMRO TAKAKI, His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires, ad interim, [SEAL.] to the United States of America. JOHN A. J. CRESWELL, Postmaster-General of the United States. Discontinu ance of United States postal agencies in Japan. Commencement. Termination. Signatures. Approval of the President. I hereby approve the aforegoing convention, and in testimony thereof I have caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Approval of Japan. Ratifications exchanged. I hereby approve the aforegoing convention, and in testimony thereof I have caused the seal of the Empire to be affixed. [IMPERIAL SEAL.] By order of His Majesty: MUTSU HITO. TERASHIMA MUNENORI, His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Minister for Foreign Affairs. The 7th of 24 month, 7th year Meiji. We, John A. J. Creswell, Postmaster-General of the United States, and Mr. Giro Yano, chargé d'affaires, ad interim, of Japan to the United States, certify that on this date we have proceeded to perform the exchange of ratifications of the Postal Convention which was concluded between the United States of America and the Empire of Japan, at Washington, on the 6th day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, or the 6th day of the eighth month of the sixth year of Meiji. Done in duplicate and signed at Washington this 18th day of April, A. D. 1874, or the 18th day of the fourth month of the seventh year of Meiji. [SEAL.] [SEAL.] JNO. A. J. CRESWELL, Postmaster-General of the United States. GIRO YANO, Chargé d'Affaires, ad interim, of Japan. tions. Detailed regula- Detailed regulations for the Execution of the Postal Convention between the United States and the Empire of Japan, concluded on the 6th of August, 1873. Preliminary. Letter-bills be For the purpose of carrying into operation the Postal Convention concluded on the 6th of August, 1873, between the United States of America and the Empire of Japan, and in pursuance of Article XVII of said convention, the following detailed regulations have been agreed upon between the two Post-Office Departments: ARTICLE I. Each mail exchanged between the respective exchange offices shall tween exchange be accompanied by a letter-bill following the Form A hereto annexed, offices. and the receipt of each mail shall be acknowledged by the receiving office by the next dispatch, in accordance with the form of Acknowl edgments of receipt hereto annexed, marked B. |