The final step required the embodiment of these principles in a formal international treaty and the creation of an organization to administer them. Russia also shared the postal communications at that time. By 2nd century, it was the Chinese that first used the paper as a writing material. For any returned item bearing a customs form: The Postal Service will, upon request, refund postage and fees on mail returned due to the suspension of service. The Internethas made the process of sending letter-like messages nearly instantaneous, and in many cases and situations correspondents use electronic mail where previously they would have used letters, although the volume of paper mail contin… Mails in the Roman Empire were carried by public course using light carts that drive through concrete roads. In France, Louis XI set up a Royal Postal Service in 1477 employing 230 mounted couriers. The Chinese and Egyptian services were confined to imperial court circles, but in Assyria the service was open to the mercantile class. The postal service to France provided a major international link for commerce and news. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Carrying private mail was not legalized in France until 1627 and in Britain until 1635. A carefully regulated postal service—unprecedented for its standards of speed, frequency, and security—was evolved during this period. Postal services began in the first half of the 17th century serving the first American colonies; today, the United States Postal Service is a large government organization providing a wide range of services across the United States and its territories abroad. There was still opportunity for private enterprise to succeed by introducing services that were not at that time provided by the state systems. The union grew rapidly, increasing its membership to 55 within 10 years. Steamships were used and made the transport of mails faster. Europe used the medium parchment but it ended in the 15th century when China introduced paper via Asia Minor and Byzantine Empire. It was only through the development of the airplane in the early decades of the 20th century that airmail truly came into its own. By the 13th century, connections were maintained between commercial centers of these Italian countries like Florence, Genoa, and Siena and several communities in northern France. Neither of these systems was comprehensive, nor were they intended to serve the public. Though organized as a self-sustaining quasi-governmental enterprise, … Which Persian king was the husband of Queen Esther? In the United States, too, postal services expanded at a remarkable rate: in 1789 only 75 post offices existed, but 40 years later there were more than 8,000. At that time, Chinese had highly sophisticated post relays. It was used mostly to convey official documents. The riders would stop at post houses to get a fresh horse or to pass on their packets and dispatches to another messenger for the remaining distance. Use of SAL varies from country to country. The basis of a real public service was not created until 1627, when fees and timetables were fixed and post offices established in the larger cities. ; the oldest postal system in the world. Successful maintenance and progressive improvement of international postal service require the effective cooperation of all member countries of the UPU. Modern mail is organized by national and privatized services, which are reciprocally interconnected by international regulations, organizations, and international agreements. The then current intricate charging scales based on distance were shown to be irrelevant: they inflated operating costs by requiring a host of clerks to apply them and to prepare complicated interoffice accounts. However, private carriers did not give up. On October 9 a “Treaty concerning the Establishment of a General Postal Union” was signed. The introduction of uniform cheap rates of postage for letters was accompanied by the establishment of even lower tariffs for newspapers (carried free in some countries) and for printed matter (e.g., the British “Book Post” of 1848). In the middle ages, there were postal services in Europe but none of them are in general use. In 1830 mail by rail began to replace horses and coaches. This title was changed in 1878 to the Universal Postal Union (UPU), and the basic treaty was renamed the Universal Postal Convention. The most extensive and dependable postal services were the great merchant and banking houses of Italian city states. Founding father Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first postmaster general. In the late 15th century, however, the trend toward improved postal services was reinforced by Gutenberg’s printing press (c. 1450) and the expansion of education. The letters were placed in a box escorted by guards. Paper letters and parcels can be sent to almost any country in the world relatively easily and cheaply. The mercantile corporations of Italy provided the most extensive and regular postal system of this period. He proved that carrying charges were insignificant factors in the total cost of handling mail. Diminished service aside, a slimmed-down postal service could have a dramatic effect on the wider economy. ... you all. Since the kings of the period were constantly struggling to assert their authority over their unruly feudal vassals, the strong central authority that sustained most postal systems was lacking. However, the last year the Postal Service recorded any profit was 2006, and its cumulative losses since then totaled $83.1 billion as of March 31. . The world's first postal code system was introduced on July 25, 1941 with a two-digit number system. In 1868, however, a plan for a general postal union was put forward by the director of posts of the North German Confederation. By this time, in China, a post house service had been started early during Chou Dynasty (ruled 1122-221 BC). Between 1775 and 1815, Britain was at constant war with United States and France. The advent of the steamship and the railway had provided the opportunity for speedier international postal services, and the expansion of commerce ensured a growing demand for such facilities. Under the patronage of the Habsburg emperors, they became the organizers of an extensive network of postal routes linking the imperial possessions. 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