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Postage Act 1812
(52 Geo 3 c.88, 9th July 1812)

An Act for granting to His Majesty certain additional Rates of Postage in Great Britain.
[ 9th July 1812 ]

Most Gracious Sovereign,

WE, Your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled, being desirous of raising the necessary Supplies to defray Your Majesty's Public Expences, and of making a permanent Addition to the Public Revenue, have freely and voluntarily resolved to give and grant unto Your Majesty the additional Rates and Duties hereinafter mentioned, and do therefore most humbly beseech Your Majesty that it may be enacted; and be it 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 authorized, for the Use of His Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, to demand, have, receive and take for the Port and Conveyance of all Letters and Packets which he shall carry, convey or send Post, in manner hereinafter mentioned, the additional Rates and Duties hereinafter specified, the same being rated by the Letter or by the Ounce; that is to say,

For the Port and Conveyance of Letters by the Post within Great Britain, above the Distance of Twenty Miles from the Office where such Letters may be put in, to the Office where the same may be directed,
For every Single Letter, One Penny:
For every Double Letter, Two pence:
For every Treble Letter or other Letter under an Ounce in Weight, Three pence:

And for every Ounce in Weight, and for every Packet not exceeding an Ounce in Weight, Four pence, and so in Proportion for ever other Letter or Packet of greater Weight than an Ounce:

For the Port and Conveyance of Letters by the Post to and from Ireland,
For every Single Letter, One Penny:
For every Double Letter, Two pence:
For every Treble Letter or other Letter under an Ounce in Weight, Three pence:

And for every Ounce in Weight, and for every Packet not exceeding an Ounce in Weight, Four pence, and so in Proportion for every other Letter or Packet of greater Weight than an Ounce:

For the Port and Conveyance of Letters by the Post to and from His Majesty's Dominions and Plantations in America,

For every Single Letter an additional Rate of Two pence:
For every Double Letter, Four pence:
For every Treble Letter or other Letter under an Ounce in Weight, Six pence:
And for every Packet not exceeding an Ounce in Weight, Eight pence, and so in Proportion for every other Letter or Packet of greater Weight than an Ounce:

And for the Port and Conveyance of Letters by the Post to and from Parts beyond the Seas, whether within His Majesty's Dominions or not within His Majesty's Dominions,

For every Single Letter, an additional Rate of Two pence:
For every Double Letter, Four pence:
For every Treble Letter or other Letter under an Ounce in Weight, Six pence:
And for every Packet not exceeding an Ounce in Weight, Eight pence, and so in Proportion for every other Letter of greater Weight than an Ounce.

II. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That nothing herein contained shall extend or be construed to extend the said additional Rates of Postage to Letters to be sent by the Post to and from the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man, (except the Rates payable for Conveyance within Great Britain) any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding: And for the Port and Conveyance by the Post of every Letter, Packet or Cover containing Patterns of Cloth, Silk, Stuff or Samples of other Goods or other Sort of Thing, not exceeding One Ounce in Weight, if the same Letter or Packet or Cover shall be closed or not open at the Sides, an additional Rate of Two pence for every such Letter, Packet or Cover: And for the Port and Conveyance by the Post of every Letter or Cover containing One or more Paper or Papers with Patterns, or containing one or more Pattern or Patterns of Cloth, Silk or Stuff, or One or more Sample or Samples of any other Sort of Goods, or One or more Piece or Pieces of any other Sort of Thing inclosed therein or affixed thereto though not on Paper, if the same do weigh One Ounce, an additional Rate of One Penny for every such Letter, so as every such Letter, Packet or Cover shall be sent open at the Sides and without any Letter or Writing in, upon, or with such Packet or Cover other than the Name or Names of the Person or Persons sending the same, and the Place or Places of his, her their Abode, and the Prices of the Articles contained therein or affixed thereto.

III. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That nothing herein contained shall increase or alter, or be construed to increase or alter the Amount or manner of charging the Rates of Postage upon Single Letters to be sent by the Post by or to Seamen or Privates employed in His Majesty's Navy, Army, Militia, Fencible Regiments, Artillery or Marines upon their own private Concerns only with such Seamen and Privates shall be employed in the Public Service, made payable by an Act passed in the Thirty fifth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled An Act for further regulating the sending and receiving Letters free from the Duty of Postage; for allowing Non Commissioned Officers, Seamen and private Men in the Navy and Army whilst on Service to send and receive Letters at a low Rate of Postage; and for permitting Patterns and Samples of Goods to be transmitted by the Post at an easier Rate than is now allowed by Law; any thing hereinbefore contained to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

IV. 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 pasting 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 fame had been particularly repeated and reenacted in the Body of this Act.

V. And be it further enacted, That the several Rates and Duties hereinbefore granted shall be paid from time to time into the Hands of the Receiver General for the time being of the Revenue of the Post Office, who shall pay the same (the necessary Charges for collecting, paying and accounting for the same being first deducted) into the Receipt of His Majesty's Exchequer, on such Days and Times, and in such manner as the present Rates and Duties are directed by Law to be paid, and the said Duties so to be paid into the said Receipt as aforesaid shall be carried to and made Part of the Consolidated Fund of Great Britain.

VI. Provided always, and be it further enacted, That all the Monies arising and to arise by the said Rates and Duties, or any ot them, shall be deemed an Addition made to the Revenue for the Purpose of defraying the increased Charges occasioned by any Loan made or to be made, or Stock created or to be created by virtue of any Act or Acts passed or to be passed in this Session of Parliament.

VII. Provided always, and be it enacted, That the Commissioners Of His Majesty's Treasury now or for the time being, or any Three or more of them, or the Lord High Treasurer for the time being, shall for the Period of Ten Years from the Commencement of this Act cause a separate and distinct Account of the additional Duties granted by this Act to be prepared and annually laid before Parliament, pursuant to an Act passed In the Forty second Year of the Reign of His present Majesty. intituled An Act for directing certain Public Accounts to be laid annually before Parliament, and for discontinuing certain other Forms of Account now in use; and the Monies arising from the said additional Duties shall be deemed a permanent Increase to the Public Revenue of Great Britain, for the Purpose of defraying any increased. Charge occasioned by any Loan made or created, by Authority of any Act of Parliament passed or to be passed in the present Session of Parliament.

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

IX. And be it further enacted, That this Act maybe altered, or repealed by any Act or Acts to be made in this present Session of Parliament.