notified by the Administrator.

14. The Administrator-in-Council may from time to time make in relation to the inland post hereby established such regulations as he may think fit—

For prescribing and regulating the places, times, and modes of posting and delivery.

For fixing the rates of postage to be payable on inland letters and postal packets.

For prescribing payment of postage and regulating the mode thereof.

For regulating the affixing of postage stamps.

For prescribing and regulating the payment again of postage in case of redirection.

For regulating the dimensions and maximum weight of packet.

For prohibiting or restricting the printing or writing of marks or communications or words.

For prohibiting enclosures.

For restricting the sending or conveyance of inland letters.

and such other regulations as the Administrator shall from time to time consider desirable for the more efficient working of such Inland Post.

And may affix a penalty not exceeding ten pounds, to be recovered summarily before the Chief Magistrate, or two Justices of the Peace, or, in default of payment, imprisonment not exceeding two weeks for a contravention of any such regulation.

15. Any revenue derived from the Inland Post herein established shall be paid into the Colonial Treasury at such times and in such a manner as the Administrator shall direct, and shall be applied to the general purposes of the Colony.

Insurance of and Compensation for loss and damage to Parcels.

11. Subject to the provisions of this Ordinance, if any article of pecuniary value enclosed in, or forming part of, a parcel be lost or damaged whilst in the course of transmission through the post, it shall be lawful for the Administrator to cause to be paid out of the public revenues of the Colony to any person or persons who may, in the opinion of the Postmaster, establish a reasonable claim to compensation (having regard to the nature of the article, the care with which it was packed, and other circumstances), the following rates of compensation—

(a) In respect of an uninsured parcel, such sum, not exceeding twenty shillings, as he may think just.

(b) In respect of an insured parcel the following scale shall apply—

We gather from the official handbook edited by Mr. Archer that a Government steamer maintains weekly communication between the Capital, Bathurst, and M'Carthy's Island both for passengers and mails. There is no house-to-house delivery of mails at either place.

Gambia joined the Universal Postal Union on January 1st, 1879; the Imperial Penny Postage rate was adopted from December 25th, 1898; and the unit of weight for colonial and foreign letter postage was raised from half an ounce to one ounce on October 1st, 1907. The Cash on Delivery system was introduced on October 15th, 1908.

The following table gives an outline of the postal business, the large fluctuations in the revenue being chiefly due to the fluctuations in the demand for postage stamps from dealers and collectors:—

Chapter II.

"Cameo" Issue of 1869.

he Philatelist for March 1, 1869, contained the first intimation of the preparation of stamps for the Colony of

"Gambia.

"We are proud to announce the preparation of stamps for this African settlement. In a central circle is Queen Victoria's coroneted head in white relief; in straight bands above is GAMBIA; below, the value, which, as well as the spandril ornamentation, is embossed in white. The stamp is nearly square, and the specimens possessed by our correspondent are imperforate. Values: