§ MR. LYON PLAYFAIRasked the Postmaster General, Whether it is the case that for five years circulars printed by the papyrograph, the electric pen, and other mechanical devices for taking numerous impressions, have passed through the Post as printed matter, at Book Post rates, under the Treasury Warrant of 26th September 1870; whether a Post Office Circular of 11th February 1879, has intimated that this privilege is to be withdrawn; and, whether he would state to the House what compensating advantages to the public revenue are expected from this restriction which is calculated to have a repressive influence on scientific invention?
§ LORD JOHN MANNERSSir, for somewhat less than four years past circulars corned by papyrograph, and for 7 somewhat less than three years past circulars copied by the fac-simile process, have been permitted to pass through the Post as printed circulars. The same privilege, however, having from time to time been claimed for other copying processes, more or less like these on the one hand, and on the other more or less like ordinary writing, it was found unsafe to persevere in this course; and the Law Officers of the Crown, having been consulted upon, the subject, advised that the Treasury Warrant of the 26th of September, 1870, did not admit of any of these processes being regarded as printing, engraving, or lithographing. A notice was accordingly issued to the public on the 25th of February, 1879, to the effect that only such circulars as may be printed with ordinary type—as in a book, or engraved, or lithographed—will hereafter be regarded as printed circulars. If circulars copied by the new processes were allowed to pass at the book-rate, it would not be possible for the officers of the Department to distinguish these from written circulars, nor, consequently, from ordinary written letters; so that, eventually, all letters placed in open wrappers would pass unchallenged at the book-rate, to the serious detriment of the Revenue.
§ MR. LYON PLAYFAIRgave Notice that on a future day he would ask if the Government were aware that the United States had passed a Bill to enable all such matter to pass through the Post at book-post rates?