Special Delivery Instruction

The Postmaster-Goneral has issued a cir culur of Information and instruction to postmastern conderning and preparatory to puttiog into operution on Üctober l,tho act of August 4, ís 0, auihorizing tho ei' tensión of the spe.-ial delivery syatem to ' all post . aud to nll maiiablo matter. The circular provides that every postollice in the United States aud Territorios and the UKtriet of Columbia now establislied, and whicli shall be established while tha forogoing act reinuins, is hereby designated as a special de.ivery office. Thee reeulations take ellect October 1, lsstí, after which date every postmaster will he held responsihla for the immediate delivery of every article of mailable matter which may be received aildrcssed to his office, properly stamped with a special delivery j stamp. Such immediate delivery must bo made when the article is directed to au I addi-ess residing oí having a place of business withln onemile of the postofflec. The obligation to so deliver does not extend to i au address bevond that distance, but the postmaster will be at ! liberty to make such delivery 1 beyond such limits, and to receive the compensation therefór as in any other case. It is eominended to him as a proper and considérate thing to be doue, in aocomniodatión of the Bender, whenever it is reasonably onvenieut. Tho houra witliin wluch immediate delivery shall bo made shaU lie at least f rom T a. m. to 7 p. in., and further until the arrival of tlio last mail, provided that sucli arrival bo not later than V m. Postmasters are not required to make deliyerv of special matter on Sunday, but will be at liberty, howoVer, to deliver specitil delivery letters and pareéis arriving on Sundays. Such Immediate delivery may, at third and fourth-rlass oilices, be made by the postmaster himsvlf, by any assistant or cierk, of by any other competent person ho may einploy as messenger. The service coatemplated by law roquires that all special delivery matter shall reach tho addresses with the greatest possible expedition after it arrivés at the postoflice. Postmasters should, theret'ore, oj)en all mails at once on their arrival and immediately separate the matter bearing special delivery stamps, and stamp or write on the envelope or wrapper the name of the postoffice and the date and hour when the matter arrivés. Next. the matter must b nuniberetl, after which it must be delivered without loss of time. For every special delivery article delivered the postmaster must tike a receipt. After a special delivery artiele has been taken out for delivpiy and has been returned with the information that the person addressed has removed to the delivery of another office, and the article is then forwarded, it is not to be regarded as entitled to Bpeclal delivery at the second oflice. Registered matter will be entitled to special delivery the same as ordinary matter when bearing a special delivery stamp in addition lo the full postnge and registry fee required by law and the regulations. No eft'ort will be spared by postmasters or any ether postal ollicers to expedite the mailing of matter bearing special delivery stamps. The words "secares immediate delivery at a special delivery oflice," will, however. be changed to read ''secures immediate delivery at any postoffice" on the special delivery stamp "now in general use. Tiie use of stamps with the former words will be continaed until the present supply is exhausted. Kuitable supplies of the sporial delivery stamps will be sent to any postoflice in the country which may make requisition for thein, and are to bo eold by post inasteis in any required amount, and to any per-ou who may apply tor them, but tiiey can be osed only for the purpose of securing the immediate delivery of matter. Under no ciroumstances are tney to be used in the payment of postages of any description or of the registry fee, nor can any other stamps be einployed to secure special delivery except the special delivery stamp. The special delivery stamp mut be in addition to the lawful postage, and any article of Ürst-class matter not pn-Ktid with at least oue full rate of postage, and any parcel of any other cbiss of matter, the postagt? on which has not been fully prepaid, ïu accordance with the law and regulations, must be treated as held-for-postage. even though bearing a special delivery stamp. Postmasters at fourth-class offices are not in any case eutilled to cominissions on tne special delivery stamps on letters and pari eis mailed by them. No t'ailurein any ïnstauce where delivery is possible can be considered excusable. Kvery coinplaint of a laiiure in such a delivery will ba pioinptly investigated, and the responsibility bxed with proper consequences. íío office, however siuall, is exempt trom thia obligation and tho system and duties under it are so simple that no excuse can be ' ace npted for any laiiure to meet the i ligatura. iShould tiiere be as many j special delivery stamps sold as one-tifteenth the uumber of ordinary stamps - and lanrer bales may be fairly" expected- the gross allowancos on this account will equal the total compensation now paid to all fourth-class potmasters together. Their interest coincides with duty. The folio wing speciul instructions are given to postmasters at f ree delivery offices: All postoffices which, on the first of October, bbtS, may be free delivery office, are hereby excepted from the operations of the above order, so far as the same prescribes the methods of immediate delivery and at all such free delivery offices the sptc ial delivery system will be maintained through the mployment of a regular forcé of messengers, as at present, and postmnsters at such offices will continue to be governed by regulatious in the circulars August 11, 1íS5, published in the postal guille for January, lbfcö, and by the instructions issued in pursuance thereof, except as the same are herein modified. Postmasters are not required to make delivery of special delivery matter on Sunday, but will be at liberty, however, to deliver special delivery letters and paroels arriving on Sundays. The law provides that the postmaster-general ''may contract for the immediate delivery of all articles from auy postoffice at any price less than eight cents per piece, as he shall deem it oxpedient." Postmasters at free delivery oilices will, therefore, forward any propositions from corporations or other reputable parties for performing the immediate delivery of mail matter at Eheir respective ornees, with a statement of all facts and such recommendations as they may see proper to make.