BRITISH TREASURY WARRANT, fixing the Rates of Postage on Letters transmitted to or from Egypt, and between Egypt and British Colonies and Foreign Countries. May 30, 1863.

WHEREAS, by an Act passed in the 4th year of the reign of Her present Majesty, intituled "An Act for the regulation of the duties of postage, power is given to the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, from time to time, by Warrant under their hands, to alter and fix any of the rates of British or Inland postage payable by law on the transmission by the post of Foreign or Colonial letters, and to subject the same to rates of postage according to the weight thereof, and a scale of weight to be contained in such Warrant.

And whereas further powers are given to the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury by another Act passed in the 11th year of the reign of Her present Majesty, intituled " An Act for giving further facilities for the transmission of letters by post and for the regulating the duties of postage thereon, and for other purposes relating to the Post-Office."†

And whereas it is expedient that regulations should be made for the transmission by the post of the letters hereinafter mentioned. Now we, the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, in exercise of the power or authority in us for such purpose, vested in and by the said Acts or either of them, and of all other powers enabling us in this behalf, do by this Warrant (under the hands of 2 of us, the said Commissioners, by the authority of the statute in that case made and provided) order and direct as follows:

1. On every letter not exceeding of an ounce in weight, posted in the United Kingdom, addressed to Egypt, or posted in Egypt addressed to the United Kingdom, and transmitted by the post between any place in the United Kingdom and Egypt (the conveyance between the United Kingdom and Egypt being via Marseilles, by British packet-boat, between that port and Alexandria), there shall be charged, taken, and paid a uniform rate of postage (British and Foreign combined) of 6 pence; if such respective letters be prepaid, and if such respective letters be not prepaid, a uniform rate of postage (British and Foreign combined) of 9 pence.

2. On every letter not exceeding of an ounce in weight, posted in or addressed to Egypt, and transmitted by the post between Egypt and any of Her Majesty's Colonies, or any Foreign country through the United Kingdom (the conveyance between the United Kingdom and Egypt being viâ Marseilles, by British packet-boat, between that port and Alexandria), there shall be charged taken, and paid the rates of postage following, that is to say:

* See Vol. 5, Page 248.

† See Vol. 8, Page 247.

For the conveyance of every such letter between Egypt and any part of the United Kingdom, a uniform rate of postage (British and Foreign combined) of 6 pence, if such respective letters be prepaid, and if such respective letters be not be prepaid, a uniform rate of postage (British and Foreign combined) of 9 pence; and for the conveyance of every such letter between the port in the United Kingdom of the departure or arrival of the packet or ship conveying the same, and the Colony or Foreign country to or from which the same shall be forwarded such a further or additional rate of postage as shall from time to time be charged and payable for postage on letters posted or delivered at the port in the United Kingdom of the departure or arrival of the packet or ship conveying the same, and transmitted direct between such port and any such Colony or Foreign country; provided that in all cases where such additional rate includes both inland and sea services, there shall be deducted therefrom the sum of 1 penny in respect of the inland conveyance under this clause of every such letter sent through the United Kingdom.

3. On every letter transmitted as is mentioned in this Warrant exceeding of an ounce in weight, there shall be charged, taken, and paid, progressive and additional rates of postage as follows, that is to say:

On every such letter exceeding of an ounce in weight, and not exceeding of an ounce in weight 2 rates of postage.

On every such letter exceeding of an ounce, and not exceeding of an ounce in weight 3 rates of postage.

On every such letter exceeding of an ounce, and not exceeding 1 ounce in weight, 4 rates of postage.

And for every additional of an ounce in weight above the weight of 1 ounce there shall be charged, taken, and paid 1 additional rate of postage, and every fractional part of an additional of an ounce above the weight of 1 ounce shall be charged as 1 additional of an ounce; and each progressive and additional rate chargeable under this clause shall be estimated and charged at the sum which any such letter would be charged with under this Warrant if not exceeding of an ounce in weight.

4. The postage of every such letter addressed to any part of Egypt (Alexandria, Cairo, and Suez excepted) shall be paid at the time of the same being posted.

5. The rates of postage chargeable on letters transmitted by the post, under the provisions of this Warrant, shall be in lieu of any rates of postage now chargeable by law thereon.

6. The several letters transmitted by the post under the provisions of this Warrant shall be subject to the several orders, directions, and regulations contained in a certain Warrant of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, bearing date the 19th day of February, 1855,* relating to redirected rates of postage upon

* See Vol. 10, Page 289.

letters and packets which shall be redirected and again forwarded by the post, so far as the same shall be applicable to such letters.

7. Nothing in this Warrant contained shall in anywise annul, prejudice, or affect any of the exemptions or privileges granted by or under the said herein before recited Acts, or either of them, or by or under any other Acts of Parliament relating to the PostOffice, or any of the privileges which officers, seamen, and soldiers employed in Her Majesty's service are by law entitled to, of sending and receiving by the post letters subject to the regulations and restrictions in respect of the same.

8. The several terms and expressions used in this Warrant shall be construed to have the like meaning, in all respects, as they would have had if inserted in the said recited Act, passed in the 4th year of the reign of Her Majesty.

9. The regulations made and established by virtue of a certain Warrant, under the hands of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, bearing date the 8th [3rd] day of February, 1860, so far as they relate to the letters authorized to be transmitted by the post, under or by virtue of the provisions of this Warrant, are hereby repealed, revoked, and annulled.

10. The Commissioners for the time being of Her Majesty's Treasury may, by Warrant, under their hands, duly made at any time hereafter alter, repeal, or revoke any of the rates of postage hereby fixed or altered, or any of the orders, regulations, conditions, and restrictions hereby made, and may make and establish any new or other rates, orders, regulations, conditions, or restrictions in lieu thereof, and from time to time may appoint at what time the rates which may be payable are to be paid.

11. This Warrant shall come into operation on the 1st day of July next.

Whitehall, Treasury Chambers, the 30th day of May, 1863. WM. DUNBAR. LUKE WHITE.

ACT of the British Parliament, "to carry into effect an Additional Article to the Treaty of the 7th day of April, 1862† between Her Majesty and the United States of America, for the Suppression of the African Slave Trade.

[26 & 27 Vict., cap. 34.]

[June 29, 1863.] WHEREAS on the 7th day of April in the year of our Lord † See Treaty, Page 621; Additional Article, Page 903.

* See Page 554.

1862, a Treaty was concluded and signed at Washington, between Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America, for the suppression of the African Slave Trade: And whereas by the 1st Article of such Treaty it was stipulated and agreed that those ships of the respective navies of the 2 High Contracting Parties which shall be provided with special instructions for that purpose as thereinafter mentioned may visit such merchant vessels of the 2 nations as may upon reasonable grounds be suspected of being engaged in the African Slave Trade, or of having been fitted out for that purpose, of having, or during the voyage on which they are met by the said cruizers, been engaged in the African Slave Trade, contrary to the provisions of the said Treaty, and that such cruizers may detain and send or carry away such vessels in order that they may be brought to trial in the manner thereinafter agreed upon: And whereas it was by the said Article further stipulated and agreed that the reciprocal right of search and detention should be exercised only within the distance of 200 miles from the coast of Africa, and to the southward of the 32nd parallel of north latitude, and within 30 leagues from the coast of the Island of Cuba: And whereas the 2 High Contracting Parties have agreed that the reciprocal right of visit and detention as defined in the Article aforesaid may be exercised also within 30 leagues of the Island of Madagascar, within 30 leagues of the Island of Puerto Rico, and within 30 leagues of the Island of San Domingo: And whereas the High Contracting Parties have further agreed that the present additional Article shall have the same force and validity as if it had been inserted word for word in the Treaty concluded between the 2 High Contracting Parties of the 7th of April, 1862, and shall have the same duration as that Treaty, and that it shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at London in 6 months from this date, or sooner if possible. In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have thereunto affixed the seal of their arms. Done at Washington, the 17th day of February, in the year of our Lord, 1863.

(L.S.) LYONS.

(L.S.) WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

And whereas the ratifications were exchanged at London on the 1st day of April, 1863: And whereas it is expedient that provision should be made for giving effect to the present additional Article: Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

I. The reciprocal right of search and detention as defined in the 1st Article of the said Treaty may be exercised also within 30 leagues of the Island of Madagascar, within 30 leagues of the

Island of Puerto Rico, and within 30 leagues of the Island of San Domingo.

II. The present additional Article shall have the same force and validity as if it had been inserted in the Treaty concluded between the 2 High Contracting Parties on the 7th day of April, 1862, and shall have the same duration as that Treaty.

III. This Act, and the African Slave Trade Treaty Acts, Nos. 1 and 2, 1862, shall be read and construed as 1 Act.

IV. This Act may for all purposes be cited as the " African Slave Trade Treaty Act, 1863.