Chapter XII: Railway Mail Service

1. This is a very important branch of the Postal Service, and will require your constant supervision.

2. A Distribution Book should be supplied the Mail Clerks on each road, which book should be corrected, at least, once in each month, or oftener, should circumstances render it necessary.

3. Each Mail Clerk in your Division should be examined frequently with the object of ascertaining if he has a proper knowledge of the distribution and of the changes which have taken place in the distribution on the railway on which he is employed.

4. On every railway route there should be a Time Bill which should pass from one end of the line to the other, and in which should be entered the particulars of all bags received and delivered by the Mail Clerks.

5. You are not authorized to issue passes for travelling in a Postal Car except to a Railway Mail Clerk actually going on duty.

6. No person, excepting Railway Mail Clerks on duty, the conductor of the train (in the ordinary course of his duty), and the Post Office Inspectors should be allowed access to the Postal Cars whilst _en route_ with the mails.

7. You should make yourself acquainted with the conduct of the Railway Mail Clerks, when off, as well as when on duty, and report to the Postmaster General any Railway Mail Clerk who, to your knowledge, is at any time under the influence of liquor or otherwise misconducting himself.

8. Compensation is made to Railway Companies for Mail Service performed in a Postal Car, at the rate of 6 cents per mile actually travelled by mixed trains and 8 cents per mile for quick passenger trains. Compensation is also made for the conveyance of bags in charge of the company's servants at the rate of from 2 to 4 cents per mile actually travelled by the trains performing such service.

9. When service by postal cars is necessary, the companies are bound to furnish Travelling Post Offices suitably fitted up, and to see that they are properly heated, lighted and cleaned, and supplied with water.

10. All plans for the fitting up of these Travelling Post Offices should, previous to being carried out, be submitted for the approval of the Postmaster General.

11. No promise of remuneration for services performed in connection with the Postal Service should be made to any person in the employ of a railway company. For all such services, compensation is made to the company in the regular allowance paid to them.

12. Canvas bags, as a general rule, should be used for the Railway Mail Service. The necessary supplies will be furnished on application to the Postmaster General.