The List of Ottoman postal rates in Palestine surveys the postal rates in effect between 1840 and 1918 during the Ottoman rule in Palestine. Rates not applicable in Palestine are not included.
The Imperial edict of 12 Ramasan 1256 (14 October 1840)[1] and later ordinances made the distinction between three types of mail items: ordinary letters, registered letters (markings te'ahudd olunmoshdur), and official letters (markings tahirat-i mühümme).[2] Prior to the Imperial Edict, the Ottoman postal service was intermittent for the inland cities in Palestine.[3] Fees were calculated by the type of mail, the weight, and the distance (measured in hours): in 1840, an ordinary letter, weighing less than 10g, had a cost per hour of 1 para.[4] [5] Special fees applied to samples, insured mail, special delivery, and printed matters, etc. The postal rates changed frequently, and new services were added over the years. Upon joining the Universal Postal Union on 1 July 1875, Ottoman overseas rates conformed to UPU rules.
| Date | Rate details and subsequent changes (relevant to Palestine) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| October 14, 1840[6] | Regular mail | 1 para per 3 dirhem (ca. 9.6g) and 1 hour; half a para increase per additional dirhem and hour | |
| Official mail | twice base rate | ||
| Printed matter & newspapers | one quarter para per 5 dirhem and 1 hour | ||
| Samples | 10 para per hour and okka (1282g) | ||
| Special delivery | 25 kuruş base fee plus 3.5 kuruş per hour[7] | ||
| Insurance | 2 para per hour per 1000 kuruş of value; special rate for silver coins: 12 para per hour per 1000 kuruş of value | ||
| January 22, 1843 | Newspapers | for a small format newspaper and up to 60 hours: 10 para; for any newspaper over 60 hours: 20 para | |
| February 1, 1858 | Newspapers | for a local newspaper and up to 50 hours: 20 para; 51 up to 100 hours: 40 para, over 101 hours: 60 para | |
| January 17, 1861[8] | Newspapers | for a daily newspaper and up to 50 hours: 2 para; 51 up to 100 hours: 4 para, over 101 hours: 6 para | |
| September 17, 1863 | Regular mail | 1 kuruş per 3 dirhem (9.6g) and up to 50 hours; 51 up to 100 hours: 3 kuruş. For every 100 hours over the first 100 hours: 2 kuruş additional (maximum: 11 kuruş). Weight over 3 dirhem: 50% increase per dirhem. | |
| Registration | twice base rate | ||
| Official mail | same as civil rate | ||
| Newspapers | up to 50 hours: 10 para; 51 up to 100 hours: 20 para, over 101 hours: 30 para. Seamail: 20 para | ||
| October 3, 1868 | Regular mail | 1.5 kuruş per 3 dirhem (9.6g) and up to 100 hours; 101 up to 200 hours: 3 kuruş. More than 200 hours: 6 kuruş. Seamail: 1 kuruş | |
| Newspapers | 5 para per 5 dirhem (16g): 10 para for 5 up to 10 dirhem, over 10 dirhem: 20 para | ||
| October 31, 1871 | Weight measure decimalized: 10g instead of 3 dirhem (9.6g) | ||
| Official mail | free | ||
| 1876 | Foreign letters (UPU) | 1 kuruş and 10 para per 10g; postcards (UPU): 20 para | |
| October 15, 1882[9] | Regular mail | 2 kuruş per 10g; seamail: 20 para per 10g, postcards: 20 para | |
| Foreign letters (UPU) | 1 kuruş per 10g; postcards (UPU): 20 para | ||
| Postage due | twice the actual rate | ||
| Printed matter & newspapers | 5 para up to 15g; up to 30g: 10 para, more than 30g: 20 para. Large format: 20 para up to 85g. Seamail: 10 para per 75g | ||
| Samples | 10 para up to 50g; up to 100g: 1 kuruş, 101 up to 200g: 2 kuruş, 200 up to 250g: 2 kuruş 10 para, additionally 20 para per extra 50g (maximum: 2000g) | ||
| September 6, 1888[10] | Regular mail | 1 kuruş per 15g | |
| Registration | 1 kuruş | ||
| Advice of receipt | 1 kuruş | ||
| August 12, 1900 | Money orders | 20 paras up to 100 kuruş value; over 100 and up to 500 kuruş value: 20 paras per 100 kuruş value; over 500 and up to 2000 kuruş value: 20 paras per 200 kuruş value | |
| Insurance | 1 kuruş per 1000 kuruş of value | ||
| June 14, 1901 | Parcels (sea or rail) | 4 kuruş per 5 kg (using one sea or railway line); using two sea or railway lines: 8 kuruş per 5 kg; using three or more sea or railway lines: 10 kuruş per 5 kg | |
| Parcels (land) | 20 kuruş per 5 kg (within same province); to adjacent province: 35 kuruş per 5 kg; to province removed by one province: 50 kuruş per 5 kg; to province removed by two provinces: 65 kuruş per 5 kg; to province removed by more than two provinces: 80 kuruş per 5 kg | ||
| Int. parcels | 11 kuruş per 5 kg | ||
| October 13, 1903 | festive postcards[11] | up to 30g: 5 para per five words; up to 50g: 10 para | |
| July 26, 1913 | postal cheques | 20 para for up tp 10 kuruş value | |
| July 8, 1915 | war orphan tax | 10 para per letter; 20 para per registered letter; 5 kuruş per telegram, 1 kuruş per insured item | |
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