Persons transmitting letters, which they desire should pass through the post as "registered letters," must observe that no record is taken of any letter unless specially handed in for registration at the time of posting. Upon all such letters, with the exception of those addressed to the United States, one penny must be prepaid as a registration charge. If addressed to the United States, the ordinary postage rate on the letters to that country _must be prepaid_, and in addition a registration charge of 3d. per letter. The registry thus effected in Canada will be carried on by the United States Post office until the letter arrives at its destination.
In like manner, letters addressed to Canada may be registered at the place of posting in the United States, and the registry made there will accompany the letter to the place of delivery in Canada.
A certificate of registration will be given by the postmaster if required.
The registration system can be applied to the letter portion of the mail only....
_[The Postal Department is not liable for the loss of any registered letters._]
The next year's Report gives the number of registered letters posted annually as computed at 500,000. The Report of 30th September, 1858 also says: "About 500,000 letters were registered last year", and goes on to state:--"It is also considered that it would be an improvement on the system if the charge for registration were made pre-payable by a stamp, instead of by money as at present." From this it is evident that the postage stamps were not then used for indicating the payment of the registration fee. Just when they were permitted to be so employed does not appear, but it was doubtless within a comparatively short time thereafter, as we have seen a cover with stamp so used which was dated in 1862; in fact it seems probable that arrangements for using stamps to indicate the payment for registration may have accompanied the introduction of the decimal stamps in 1859.
Further remarks upon the registration system are found in the Report for 1860, as follows:--
A rate of charge for Registration so low as, in no probable degree, to operate as a motive, with persons posting letters of value, to deny themselves the advantage of securing from the Post Office an acknowledgement of the receipt of the specific letter, has always been considered to be a cardinal point in the Canadian Registration System.