Postal Rates and Overland Mail Surcharges

Eastwards bounded rates from United Kingdom

Postage Rate UK - Iraq (Empire Rate, surface mail)

(Date Format dd.mm.yyyy)

Postage Rate UK - Iraq (Foreign Rate - surface mail)

Postal Card Rate UK - Iraq (Foreign Rate - surface mail)

Registration Fee

Surcharge for the use of Overland Mail

A similar notice has been published by Post Office Circular dated 21 November 1923, Page 490 (cropped) Mails for Iraq and Persian Gulf. A weekly mail service by motor transport has been established between Haifa (Palestine) and Baghdad. This service will connect with the Indian mail which leaves London every Thursday via Marseilles and Port Said, and is now available for the conveyance of al classes of postal packet, except parcels, for Iraq and the Persian Gulf. Mails leaving London on Thursday night will reach Port Said on Wednesday, Haifa on Thursday and Baghdad on Saturday night. The time of transit from London to Baghdad will thus be about nine days as compared with 24 days by the ordinary route via Bombay. This weekly service is in addition to the fortnightly Air Service. Packets intended for conveyance by the new route, must be superscribed by the senders "By overland mail Haifa-Baghdad" and prepaid with a special fee of 3d. per ounce in addition to the ordinary postage. There is no insurance system; but registration is admitted under the ordinary conditions. The first mail by the new route will be dispatched from London on the 22nd. instant. Ordinary Cover from the 1st acceptance of mail which was announced to the public on 19 November 1923. 22 November 1923, Kilburn/London to Baghdad. Route Instruction “Overland Via Haifa” and franked with 6d comprising of 3d postage and 3d Overland Mail surcharge. On reverse arrival postmark BAGHDAD H.O. 2 DEC 23, Transit time 14 days. Further notices issued by British Post pertaining the Overland Mail: Post Office Circular, 5 March 1924, Page 93 Mails for Iraq and Persian Gulf. With reference to the notice in the Post Office Circular of the 21st of November last, it would appear from complaints which have been received that the Desert Motor Service and the Air Mai Service to Iraq are being confused at some offices. Renewed attention is drawn to the previous notice on the subject, also to the relative entry at page 558 of the Post Office Guide (Remark: Who can provide a copy of that paragraph?), from which it will be seen that the weekly Motor Service is in addition to the fortnightly Air Mail Service. No label is required to be affixed to correspondence intended to be sent by the Haifa-Baghdad Motor Service; and the special Air Mail label should not in any circumstances be used on such correspondence. A warrant (No. 469) was issued on 31 March 1924 that authorised the desert motor route service. The general idea of these warrants was to avoid the old system of setting all rates and rules etc by Act of Parliament -- responsibility was delegated to the Post Office, who produced the text of the rules that would apply, which was signed off by Treasury officials to make it legal. The system was to have a comprehensive warrant with all the rules, which was changed when needed by an amending warrant like this one. The warrant may read rather strangely, that's because they were often made as general as possible when dealing with new things in order to allow flexibility. So here the fee was "not exceeding threepence" to allow it to be changed (reduced) if necessary without needing to go back to the Treasury. Click images to enlarge warants. Post Office Circular, 2 April 1924, Page 127 Air Mail and Desert Motor Services to Iraq - Special fee. As there still seems to be misapprehension on the point at some Post Offices, counter officers should note that the special fee payable on letters, postcards, printed papers etc. intended for transmission by either of the above-mentioned services is the same, viz. 3d. per oz. Ordinary postage is payable in addition, so that the total charge for a letters is: up to 1 oz. 5½d. ; 2oz 10d. ; 3oz. 1s. 2½2d., and so on. Postal Notice, informing about the warrant that Postal Packets may be sent by Overland Mail since 1st April 1924 (extract)

POST OFFICE.   FOREIGN AND COLONIAL POST (EXCEPT PARCELS). In pursuance of the Rules Publication Act, 1893, His Majesty's Postmaster-General hereby gives notice, that a Warrant dated the 31st day of March, 1924, and coming into operation on the 1st day of April, 1924, has been made, on his representation, by the Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury relating to the transmission of postal packets by motor overland service to Iraq. And the Postmaster-General further gives notice, that copies of the said Warrant may be purchased, either directly or through any bookseller, from His Majesty's Stationery Office at the following addresses: Imperial House, Kingsway, London, W.C. 2; 28, Abingdon Street, London, S.W. 1; York Street, Manchester; 1, St. Andrew's Crescent, Cardiff; 120, George Street, Edinburgh.  Dated this 22nd day of April, 1924. H. S. Pearce, Assistant Solicitor to H.M. Post Office. Solicitor's Department, General Post Office, E. C. 1.

Post Office Circular, 18 June 1924, Page 236

Postage on letters for Iraq and Palestine.

Many letters for Iraq and Palestine continue to be prepaid at the Imperial rate of 1 ½d., Instead of at the international rate of 2 ½d for the first ounce, which is the correct rate of postage.
In case of letters, etc., send to Iraq by the Air Mail or the Desert Motor Mail a special fee of 3d. per ounce is required in addition to the postage.
Every opportunity should be taken of bringing the proper rate of postage to the notice of posters.

Post Office Circular, 29 April 1925

Overland Mails for Iraq.

A slower service but at a cheaper rate has now been instituted by which all kinds of packets, except letters and postcards, can be sent by the overland route to Iraq and the Persian Gulf.
The special fee for this service will be 1d. per two oz. in addition to the ordinary postage.
The time taken from London to Baghdad will be about 12 days as against 9 days for letters and postcards.
The special marking will be the same as for letters, viz: "By Overland Mail, Haifa-Baghdad".
Letters and Postcards must still be with a special fee of 3d. per oz. in addition to the ordinary postage.
Working copies of the Post Office Guide should be amended as follows:  - Page 583. Iraq. Col. &.
Amend sentence beginning "For the Desert Route" to red: -

"For the Desert Route, correspondence must be marked "By Overland Mail, Haifa-Baghdad". For letters and postcards a special fee is required of 3d. per oz. in addition to ordinary postage. For other packets (printed and commercial papers and samples) sent by a slower service taking about 12 days to Baghdad as against 9 for letters, the special fee is 1d. per 2 oz. in addition to ordinary postage.

Post Office Circular, 27 October 1926, Page 429

Insured Letter Service with Iraq.

Iraq. The insurance system is limited to letters for Baghdad and Basra sent by the Bombay route. Insured letters may not be sent by the Desert Motor Service or by the Air Mail. Working copies of the Post Office Guide should be amended as follows:-

Page 588. Iraq. Col. 5. Opposite "By Desert Motor Route" and "By Air Mail" insert "No service". Col. 8. Last line. After "Baghdad and Basra" insert "sent via Bombay".

Post Office Circular, 10 November 1926, Page 450

Haifa-Baghdad Overland Motor Service.

A supply of labels (P.696) bearing the words "Overland Mail" in white letters on a red ground, has been printed, for use by the public on letters etc. intended for transmission by the Haifa-Baghdad Motor Service.

A general issue of the labels will not be made, but they can be obtained by Head Offices on requisition from the Post Office Stores Department.

Post Office Circular, 17 November 1926, Page 465

Correspondence for Iraq by Desert Motor Route.

Complaint has been made that counter officers in this country are not generally aware that there is a weekly Desert Motor Service to Iraq in addition to the fortnightly Air Mail. Both Services are shown in the entry under "Iraq" at pages 588 and 589 of the Post Office Guide, and the dates of despatch

Post Office Circular, 9 March 1927, Page 95

Overland Mail to Iraq.

There is reason to believe that incorrect information is frequently given to the public regarding the rates of postage to Iraq, particularly by the Overland route. The attention of all officers should therefore be drawn to the rates of postage shown on pages 592 and 593 of the Post Office Guide and it should be articulately noted that the full international rate (2½d. for the first oz.) is in force for letters and not the imperial rate (½d. for the first oz.) and that special fees are required in addition for Overland transmission. For a letter by the Overland mail the rate for the first oz. is 5½d., and 4½d. has to be added for each succeeding rate.

Post Office Circular, 11 May 1927, Page 177

 "Overland Mail" Labels for the Haifa-Baghdad Service.

The use of these labels - see the notice on the subject in the Post Office Circular of the 10th. of November, 1926 - is of great assistance in preventing missending. Only a small proportion, however, of the letters etc. for Iraq is at present provided with the special label and it is desirable that its use should be extended. Head Postmasters should accordingly satisfy themselves that a sufficient stock of these labels is being maintained in their districts and that every suitable opportunity is being taken of bringing them to the notice of the public.

Post Office Circular, 22 June 1927, Page 242

Heavy Parcels for Iraq by Desert Motor Service.

On and from the 24th instant, parcels between 11 lb. and 22 lb. in weight may by accepted for transmission to Iraq, by the Desert Motor Service at Offices authorised to accept heavy parcels. Working copies of the of the Post Office Guide should be amended on that date as follows: -
Pages 656 and 657. Iraq. Service 2. Col. 3. In the 22 lb. sub-column insert "21.0 (22 lb. see col. 6)".
Col. 6. Observations. The remark "Parcels exceeding 11 lb. . . . jewellery" should be made to apply to Service (2) as well as to Service (1).

Post Office Circular, 13 March 1929

List of Postage Rates from Places Abroad.

On and from the 1st. instant the special fee formerly charged in respect of correspondence from Iraq convoyed by the Overland Mail has been abolished. The list of postage rates from places abroad (Form P114) should be amended as follows:-
Iraq. Footnote ‡. Delete that part of the entry relating to the Overland Mail.

Post Office Circular, 24 April 1929

Parcel Post to Iraq and Persia by Desert Motor Service.

Revised postage rates on parcels for Iraq and Persia intended for transmission by te Desert Motor Service will come into force on the 26th instant.
The Motor Service now starts from Damascus instead of Haifa.
 Working copies of the Post Office Guide should be amended on the 26th instant as follows:-
Pages 670 and 671: Iraq. Col. 3. Service (2). For "5/6, 5/6, 8/6, 11/6, 21/6" substitute "4/6, 4/6, 7/-, 9/-, 17/-".
Col. 6. Observations. In line 7 for "Haifa" substitute "Damascus".
Pages 684 and 685. Persia. Col. 3. Service (2). For "5/6, 5/6, 8/6, 11/6, 21/6", substitute "4/9, 4/9, 7/3/, 9/3, 17/6".
Col. 6. Observations. In lines 2 and 4 for "Haifa" substitute "Damascus".

Post Office Circular, 28 August 1929, Page 551

Mai Service to Iraq and Persia

Abolition of special fee for the Desert Motor route.

After the despatch of mail leaving London on the 29th of August, the special fee charged on letters etc. for Iraq and Persia sent by the Desert Motor route will be discontinued; and the whole of the ordinary mail for Iraq and for Abadan, Bushire and Mohammerah in Persia will be in future by sent by the Desert Motor route.
For the present correspondence for other destinations to Persia intended for transmission by the Desert Motor route must be specially superscribed; but as indicated above, no special fee will be charged.
Working copies of the Post Office Guide should be amended as follows:-
Pages 608 and 609. Iraq. Col. 4. Delete the first and second entries and insert the following:
"via Marseilles and Desert Motor route."   "Every Thursday evening."
Col. 8. Delete the third paragraph beginning "For the Desert route."
Pages 620 and 321. Persia. Col. 4. Third entry. Delete "See Col. 8)."   Col. 8. Delete the third paragraph commencing "For the Desert route".
Amend the next paragraph to read "Correspondence for Abadan, Bushire and Mohammerah is sent by Desert Motor route via Baghdad; that for other places in the south-west and south of Persia ........" (remainder as at present).