pushed under the front door, and afterwards to have been torn in pieces
by some puppies inside the house. The fragments were in the end
discovered in the straw of the dog-kennel. Now, had the sender only
spent 2d. in registering this letter, a receipt would have been taken on
its delivery, and all chance of its falling into the paws of the
puppies would have been prevented.

But it is wonderful what people, penny-wise and pound foolish, will
sometimes do to save 2d. A few years back the sealing-wax on a letter
was found to contain £1 10s. in gold coins. There could hardly be a more
stupid way of sending money.

If coin, or watches, or jewellery are posted in letters or packets
without registration, and the fact is discovered, the Post Office people
bring into force a system of registration by compulsion, and on delivery
charge a fee of 8d. in addition to the ordinary postage.

When coins are sent in a letter they should on no account be put in
loose, but should be packed so as to move about as little as possible.
The best way is to take a card, and, cutting quite through to the other
side, make a cross on it for each coin; then slip the coin into the
cross, so that it is held in its place by the tongues of cardboard, two
on each side.

Who owns letters whilst they are in the post? In Great Britain the
ownership of a letter whilst it is in the post lies in the Queen, as
represented by her Postmaster-General and her Secretary of State.
"Neither the sender nor the person to whom it is sent can claim to
interfere with a letter whilst it is in the Post Office. Only the
warrant of a Secretary of State can stay its delivery." Once a letter is