Page 177 - Reading Mercury

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Sat 25 Jan
THE PENNY POSTAGE
The reduction of the rate of postage has converted the postmen into carriers.
Amongst the novel enclosures that have passed through the Post-office during this
week, there was a bag of cork to Sir Robert Peel from Liverpool; a pair of
gentleman’s shoes from Northampton, the charge for which was 1s. 3d., and several
pairs of stockings to a fair milliner from London. Some letters contained boxes of
pills; and the falling-off in the revenue of stage and mail coaches from the carriage of
small parcels has already been very considerable.

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Sat 21 March
PENNY POSTAGE---ADHESIVE STAMPS
We have much pleasure in informing our readers that Mr. Wise of Rushmills, near
this town, has obtained the order for the supply of the penny adhesive stamps. We
have seen a sheet of the paper adopted by the Government. It is divided into three
compartments, each containing two hundred and forty small water-mark crowns,
under each of these will be a medallion of the Queen’s head, and the price of the
stamp. Although each sheet will contain seven hundred and twenty stamps, and when
printed be equal in value to £3, still sufficient room is left that each penny stamp may
be cut out. It is an ingenious yet simple invention.—Northampton Herald.

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Sat 25 April
POSTAGE STAMPS
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Postage stamps about to come into use on the 6 of May, will be purchasable at
every Post-office in London, and of all licensed vendors of stamps. Stamps of two
prices will be issued—penny and twopenny stamps. The penny stamps will be printed
in black, the twopenny in blue ink. At each side of the covers directions respecting the
rates of postage, the prices of stamps, &c.., are given. The information about stamps is
as follows:--
Prices of Stamps—
At a Post-office:--Labels 1d. and 2d. each
Covers, 1¼d. 2¼d. each
At a Stamp-distributor’s, as above, or as follows:--Half-ream, or 240 penny covers, £1
2s. 4d., penny envelopes, £1 1s. 9d.—Quarter-ream, 120 twopenny covers, £1 1s. 4d.,
twopenny envelopes, £1 1s. 1d.
At the Stamp-offices in London, Dublin, and Edinburgh, as above, or as follows:--2
reams, or 960 penny covers, £4 7s. penny envelopes, £4 5s.—1 ream, or 480
twopenny covers, £4 3s, 6d., twopenny envelopes £4 2s. 6d.—Covers may be had at
these prices, either in sheets or cut ready for use. Envelopes in sheets only, and
consequently made up. No one, unless duly licensed, is authorised to sell postage
stamps.—The penny stamp carries half an ounce (inland), the twopenny stamp one
ounce. For weights exceeding one ounce use the proper number of labels, either alone
or in combination with the stamps of the covers or envelopes.

THE MAILS
The mails will, on Thursday next, be transmitted by the Great Western Railway to
the Reading terminus. The down mail will arrive at a quarter past ten p.m., and call at
the mail office in West-street, and the up mail will arrive at the same place at three
am.

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