ough this proposal was favourably received, many of
the delegates had no power to enter into any arrangement of that nature.
The question was therefore referred to the International Bureau, with
instructions to call a special Conference for its consideration, if on
investigation that course should be found desirable.

At this time the circumstances in the different countries in regard to
the transmission of small parcels varied. In some a service was provided
by the Post Office; in others, the majority, the business was left to
the railways or other forms of commercial transport. In all cases the
services between different countries were regulated by conventions and
agreements on such terms as could be mutually arranged between the
contracting parties. In general the rates of postage were based on the
rates for inland transmission in each of the countries concerned. They
were often extremely complicated, and several administrations had
mutually agreed to a uniform rate for parcels not exceeding 5
kilogrammes in weight.

The suggestion for a special Conference was, in general, well received,
and the Conference met in Paris in 1880. All the countries of Europe
(except Greece), Canada, the United States, Egypt, British India and
Persia, were represented. The fact that in many of the countries the
Post Office had not at that time undertaken the transmission of parcels
was a serious obstacle to the adoption of any sort of general agreement;
and on the question of rates there was divergence of opinion whether the
principle of uniformity should be accepted, and a fairly high maximum
limit of weight conceded at a low uniform rate of postage, in order that
the service might be of real advantage to the public, or whether the
rates should be graduated according to scales of weight and distance.

The original suggestion had been for a limit of 3 kilogrammes, but at
the Conference a proposal for a limit of 5 kilogrammes was submitted.
Several delegates were unable to accept the higher maximum, and the
limit originally proposed was retained.[600] As regards the rates of
postage to be charged there was also diversity of opinion. Some
delegates held that the rate should be so fixed as to avoid the
possibility of the service involving an administration in loss, while
others, in view of the public benefits to be derived from the
establishment of the service, were prepared to agree to rates which
might prove insufficient to cover the ex