d a limit of 30 grammes; but in many countries the existing limit
of weight for the initial letter rate in the inland service was 20
grammes, and the introduction of a higher initial weight in the
international service might lead to difficulties in the case of those
administrations which desired to retain the lower limit in the inland
service. On these grounds they inclined to the maintenance of the
_status quo_. The delegates of the United States, Italy, and Turkey
supported the British view. The Italian delegates pointed out that the
result would in effect be to compel those countries in which the limit
was 15 grammes to introduce modifications into their internal service--a
position which it was obviously undesirable for the Congress to take up.
Japan advocated the maintenance of the existing limit, because the
effect of raising it would be to render further reduction of transit
rates still more difficult. In the end the proposal was adopted by
thirteen votes against twelve.[594] Countries using the avoirdupois
system were to regard 1 ounce as the initial weight limit.

Gratuitous transit was still unacceptable to the majority,[595] but both
land and sea charges were reduced. The land transit rates were reduced
to 1 fr. 50 per kilogramme for letters and postcards and 20 centimes per
kilogramme for other articles, for distances not exceeding 3,000
kilometres; to 3 fr. per kilogramme for letters and postcards and 40
centimes per kilogramme for other articles, for distances between 3,000
and 6,000 kilometres; to 4 fr. 50 per kilogramme for letters and
postcards and 60 centimes per kilogramme for other articles, for
distances between 6,000 kilometres and 9,000 kilometres; and to 6 fr.
per kilogramme for letters and postcards and 80 centimes per kilogramme
for other articles, for distances exceeding 9,000 kilometres.

The sea transit rates were reduced to 1 fr. 50 per kilogramme for
letters and postcards and to 20 centimes for other articles, for
distances not exceeding 300 nautical miles; to 4 fr. per kilogramme for
letters and postcards and to 50 centimes for other articles, for
distances exceeding 300 nautical miles, between countries of Europe,
between parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia on the Mediterranean and Black
Seas, and between Europe and North America; to 8 fr. per kilogramme for
letters and postcards and to 1 fr. for other articles, for all routes
not falling under the above headings.

At this Congress the q