§ Mr. CLARRYasked the Postmaster-General the respective rates paid by his 825W Department for the conveyance of mails from this country to France, Italy, Germany, the United States of America, and Japan, and the comparative rates paid by these countries for the conveyance of mails to Great Britain; and what, if any, reciprocal cost arrangements are involved?
§ Sir K. WOODThe conveyance of mails to the countries in question is covered partly by direct payments to the steamship companies concerned, and partly by payments to other postal administrations at the rates laid down in the Postal Union Convention, to which all the postal administrations of the world are signatories. Postal union rates are based on weight and distance, and are uniform for all countries. The arrangements made by other countries are generally similar to our own.