§ Mr. Russellasked the Postmaster-General the average time needed for letters to be sent by air mail and by surface mail between London and each of the capital cities of Europe in 1939 and in 1951.
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§ Mr. Ness EdwardsThe information is as follows:
Air Mail ("All up" unless otherwise stated) —— 1939 1951 Frequency of despatch Approximate transmission time* Frequency of despatch Approximate transmission time* Amsterdam … 4 daily 5–10 hours 4 daily 4–5 hours (Mails for the Hague are forwarded from Amsterdam) Ankara … 2 daily 2–2½ days 5 weekly 1½ days Athens … 1 daily 1 day 11 weekly 14–15 hours Belgrade … 2 daily 1 day 5 weekly 14–15 hours† Berlin … 2 daily 8–10 hours 3 daily 8–1 hours Berne … 3 daily 8–12 hours 3 daily 12 hours Brussels … 4 daily 5–10 hours 3 daily 4½–5 hours Budapest … 2 daily 1 day 1 daily 12–20 hours† Bucharest … 2 daily 1½–2 days 1 daily 1½–2 days† Copenhagen … 2 daily 12 hours 2 daily 7–9 hours Gibraltar … 3 weekly 1½–2 days‡ 1 daily 12 hours Helsinki … 2 daily 14–18 hours 2 daily 14–17 hours† Lisbon … 1 daily 1day‡ 5 weekly 7½–9 hours Madrid … 1 daily 1 day‡ 1 daily 10 hours Malta … 1 daily 1½ days‡ 1 daily 14 hours Moscow … 1 daily 1–2 days 1 daily 1–1½ days† Oslo … 2 daily 8–12 hours 13 weekly 8–15 hours Paris … 3 daily 4–6 hours 5 daily 4–5 hours Prague … 1 daily 16–18 hours 1 daily 8 hours Reykjavik … No service by air 4 weekly 10–40 hours†‡ Rome … 3 daily 12–36 hours 12 weekly 9–12 hours Sofia … 1 daily 1–2 days 1 daily 1½–2½ days† Tirana … 1 daily 2½ days 1 daily 2½ days† Vienna … 3 daily 10–18 hours 2 daily 9 hours Warsaw … 2 daily ½–1 day 1 daily ½–1½days†‡ * Between latest time of posting advertised at London Chief Office to connect with relative service and the approximate time of arrival of the mail at the distant transport terminal. † Mails to these cities are forwarded on some or all occasions via other countries. ‡ Surcharged air mail services.
SURFACE MAIL —— 1939 1951 Frequency of despatch Approximate transmission time Frequency of despatch Approximate transmission time Gibraltar … 1 daily 3–4 days* Letters forwarded by air without surcharge Lisbon … 2 daily 2–3days* Letters forwarded by air without surcharge Madrid … 2 daily 2–3 days* Letters forwarded by air without surcharge Malta … 2 daily 3–4 days* Letters forwarded by air without surcharge Reykjavik … Irregular 5–7 days Irregular 3–7 days* Warsaw … Letters forwarded by air without surcharge Daily 4 days* * Surcharged air mail service also available.