POSTAL UNION CENTENARY

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33493, 26 March 1974, Page 12

POSTAL UNION CENTENARY

The Post Office will issue two stamps soon to mark the centenary of the Universal Postal Union, which co-ordinates the transmission of mail around the world.

The stamps depict the clock tower in Berne, the headquarters of the ' union, and the U.P.U. symbol. The union now has 150 member companies. The need for an international organisation developed from messenger services for Royal households, universities. and religious orders. An international service began in the sixteenth century with exchanges of mails between Germanv and Austria. the Netherlands. Italv France, and Spain bv special agreements The services were plagued bv anomalies and confusion There were varying postal rates, calculated in varv’na currencies, units of weight, and measurements. As transport improved th» need to streamline the service

became important. The Englishman. Rowland Hill, opened the way with the introduction of penny postage which laid the principle that letter rates should be based on weight rather than on the number of enclosures. Hill solved the question of payment for delivery. The cost was covered by the stamp when the letter was posted. The basis for the U.P.U. was laid at the Great Exhibition of Lpndon in 1851, when delegates from 15 European and American countries agreed on rules for international npstage. In 1874, a German. Dr von Stephan, organised the first international congress in Berne, now the headquarters of the union. The congress established a

uniform rate, and contracting; countries formed a single; postal territory. The main principles of the union now I are to keep postage rates at[ a level all people can afford,to give free transmission; ‘through member, countries.

,and to make postal facilities ■■freely available to every i country without discrimina■ition. The union has managed to ,: carry out its task uninterrupted by war or political . crisis.