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Postage Act 1825
(6 Geo 4 c.28, 10th June 1825)

An Act for granting Rates of Postage for the Conveyance of Letters and Packets between Great Britain and Ireland, by way of Liverpool.
[10th June 1825.]

'WHEREAS it hath been found necessary, for the Convenience and Improvement of Trade and Commerce, and for the more speedy Conveyance of Letters and Packets between Great Britain and Ireland, to establish Packet Boats between the Port of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, and the Port of Dublin in Ireland;' Be it therefore enacted by the King'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, That from and after the passing of this Act, it shall and may be lawful to and for His Majesty's Postmaster General, and his Deputy and Deputies, by him thereunto sufficiently authorized, to and for the Use of His Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, to demand, have, receive and take, for the Port and Conveyance of all and every the Letters and Packets that shall be carried or conveyed by Packet Boats to or from the Port of Liverpool aforesaid, from or to the Port of Dublin aforesaid, or from or to any other convenient Port or Ports in Ireland, over and above all other Rates payable for the Postage and Conveyance of such Letters and Packets, a Packet Postage, according to the Rates and Sums in Sterling Money hereinafter mentioned (the same being rated either by the Letter or by the Ounce); that is to say, for every Single Letter Eight Pence; for every Double Letter, One Shilling and Four Pence; for every Treble Letter, Two Shillings; and for every Ounce, Two Shillings and Eight Pence; and so in proportion for every Letter or Packet of greater Weight than an Ounce.

II. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That no Letter or Packet sent by the Post from or to any Place or Places in Great Britain, to or from Dublin, or any other Port or Ports in Ireland, by way of Liverpool, shall be charged or chargeable with an higher Rate of Postage than such Letters and Packets would be rated and liable to pay if they were sent by way of Holyhead; any Thing hereinbefore contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding.

III. And be it further enacted, That all the Powers, Provisions, Privileges, Advantages, Disabilities, Penalties, Forfeitures and Distribution thereof, and all Clauses and other Matters and Things contained in any Act or Acts of Parliament in force at the Time of the passing this Act, relating to the Post Office, or any Rates or Duties payable on the Port or Conveyance of Letters or Packets, and not repealed or altered by this Act, shall, so far as the same are applicable, continue in force and be applied and extended, and shall be construed to apply and extend to this present Act, and to the Rates and Duties hereby granted, as fully and effectually, to all Intents and Purposes, as if the same had been particularly repeated and reenacted in the Body of this Act.

IV. And be it further enacted, That the Monies to arise by the Rates and Duties aforesaid, except the Monies which shall be necessary to defray such Expences as shall be incurred in the Management and Collection of the same, shall be paid into the Receipt of the Exchequer at Westminster, and be carried to and made Part of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

V. And be it further enacted, That if any Person or Persons shall be at any Time or Times sued, molested or prosecuted, for any Thing by him, her or them done or executed in pursuance of this Act, or of any Clause, Matter or Thing herein contained, such Person and Persons shall and may plead the General Issue, and give the Special Matter in evidence for his, her or their Defence; and if upon the Trial a Verdict shall pass for the Defendant or Defendants, or the Plaintiff or Plaintiffs shall become nonsuited, then such Defendant or Defendants shall have Treble Costs awarded to him, her or them, against such Plaintiff or Plaintiffs.