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at many places of interest, motels, hotels, drugstores,
and, of course, they are abundantly available at ports
that your ship will visit overseas. The paper or card
stock used for single and double postcards may be of
any light color that does not prevent legible addresses
and postmarks from being placed thereon. Cards with
brilliant colors must not be used. Single postcards and
each part of double postcards must conform to the
following specifications to qualify for mailing at the
card rate:
Postcards must not be smaller than 3 l/2 by 5
inches nor larger than the size fixed by the
Convention of the Universal Postal Union in
effect (currently 4 l/4 by 6 inches).
Postcards must be rectangular in shape.
A postcard must be made of an unfolded and
uncreased piece of paper or card stock of
approximately the quality and weight of a
stamped card. The thickness must be uniform
and not less than 0.007 of an inch thick.
Use of Double- and Single-Stamped
Cards and Postcards
The users of double- and single-stamped cards and
postcards must comply with the following rules:
Double cards must be folded before mailing.
The first half must be detached when the reply
half is mailed for return.
The reply half on a double card must be used for
reply purposes only.
It must not be used to
convey a message to the original addressee of the
double card nor to send statements of account.
Double cards must be prepared so that the
address on the reply half is on the inside when the
double card is mailed.
Plain stickers, or seals, or a single-wire stitch
may be used to fasten the edges of double cards
only if affixed so that the inner surfaces of the
cards can be readily examined.
Enclosures in double cards are prohibited.
Cards bearing attachments are not mailable at
the stamped card rate of postage. Labels affixed
by adhesive to show the address and the return
address are permitted.
The face of the card must be divided vertically
into a right side and a left side, with or without a
vertical rule. The left portion is to be used for the
return address, and the right portion for the
address, postage, and postal endorsements. (A
space of at least 2 l/8 inches wide measured from
the right edge of the card must be reserved.)
Stamped cards and postcards that have holes or
vertical tearing guides are mailable only if the
holes and tearing guides do not result in the
elimination of any letters or numbers in the
address.
Matter in the form of a single or double card, but
does not conform to the specifications for a single or
double postcard as stated above, should not be mailed
at the card rate. These cards are subject to postage at
the First-Class rate.
FIRST-CLASS ZONE RATED
(PRIORITY) MAIL
Zone rated mail consists of First-Class Mail
weighing more than l3 ounces and is referred to as
priority mail. Priority mail provides the fastest mail
service for heavy articles (with the exception of
Express Mail). Any class of mail can be mailed at the
priority rate of postage, if the customer is willing to pay
for this service.
WEIGHT AND SIZE LIMITS
At the time you accept an article for mailing, you
must determine whether or not it meets the weight and
size limitations. Articles mailed at the First-Class or
priority rate of postage must not exceed 70 pounds in
weight and 108 inches in length and girth combined.
Remember that First-Class rates are computed
differently for articles weighing l3 ounces or less and
for those zone rated articles weighing over l3 ounces.
POSTAL ZONES
First-Class zone rated (priority) rates are
computed on the basis of weight of the individual piece
and the distance it must travel. To administer these
rates, the earth is considered to be divided into units of
area 30 minutes square, identical with a quarter of the
area formed by intersecting parallels of latitude and
meridians of longitude. Each unit of area is designated
by a number. The USPS has divided the U.S. and its
territories into a local zone plus eight others. The
postal zones are defined as follows:
Local zone:
The local zone applies to mail
deposited at any post office for delivery to
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