Gallery

 

Also Sprach Professor Whiteside - Dzg.1O1
If we had the power to award honorary prolessorships. if there is such a thing. our choice would he to consider John Whiteside as the Ilrst candidate. lie has, for years. olicred his services to pull the editor’s feet out of the the by properly defining some obscure question that may be found in the ficticious course, Dzg. 101. Much obliged. John. from us old folks.

We refer, of course, to the latest Report, No. 102, which Is In need of deep revision. We’ll tiy to UsC the additions and corrections under each category and give the Prof. an opportunity to speak:

The Letter to Konigsbcrg, Fig.2
It is with great trepidation that I question the explanation. hut I am afraid that it is totally incorrect and results from a misinterpretation of the postage rate For up to 20 grams. the rate was 4Opf.. hUt the amounts shown in the tables are NOT additive. There was only one other rate at this lime, for 2 I to 250 grams. which was 60pf.A maximum of 250 grams was the permitted weight for a letter and the limit was not raised to 501) grams until the 15th of January. 1923.

The reason that the rute.s are shown in Michel and elsewhere as 6Opi. for 21-100g.. and also 6Opf. for 101-250g.. is because, froni the next rate change, different rates were introduced 11)1 these two weight stps a.s gan be sun at a glance at i& Lahks Now, to thi ovr his in&d rn.ukul ‘fres’ at th . 4 I lower kit whit.h simpk means paid” It isa pnvaL letter and is addressed Sackheimer Sir 62, Rj’srauranr . Burgerhebn. The postage due charge of 4Opf. in the large blue crayon is double a deficiency oi20pi. It undoubtedly is an error of charge, and I think it has occured because the 40p1, stamps have been misiakenly taken to be lOpE ainps. which were almost A:.. IN. saint. t.olor It was thought that 40p1 had been paid. so double deficiency was thought to he 4Opf.

It may he useful to amplify the notes by kex Ferguson on page 5 101 I)R 1021. Most postage due arises from undcrfranking. In Germany. for internal mail, this was charged twice the deficiency until some lime in 1923. between January and September, when it was reduced to 1½ times deficiency. It remained at this level until 1945. Mail between 1)aniig and Germany was always considered to he internal mail.

In Danzig. however, the reduction in postage due charge was never made, so internal mail was always charged double deliciency, as was mail from Germany.

(John has provided some additional examples from his own collection, which we will show after his letter.

Letter from Zoppot to Danzig, Fig. 3
This cover ha been paid 25pi. For up to 20g., the rate from Zoppot to I)anig was l5pf., hut for 21-250g.. it was 3Opf. This item was over 20g., so I Opf., double the deficiency of 5pf. was charged. I am puziied by the reference to a better address for the tax of lice, as it is clearly addressed HorsiI loAm ann Wall 9.

I am fairly certaiii that the item was refused, because of the tax, and the lOpf. due postmarked in I)aniig should have been cancelled (Fntlastct). it was returned to Zoppot. where it was decided thai the item should be charged 30p1., hence, the blue 30 (not 40) and the 3Opf. due stamp. I am unsure of the logic behind this charge, hut it may simply be that what should have been the correct rate originally

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 103 - April - May - June - 1999, Page 23.