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Page:British and Foreign State Papers, vol. 61 (1877).djvu/115

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GERMANY.
69

tions, as well as the sole care of the relations with other postal and telegraphic offices, belongs to the Emperor.

All the officials of the postal and telegraph administration are bound to obey the Imperial directions. This duty is to be recorded in the oath of service.

The appointment of the requisite principal officials for the administrative authorities of the post and telegraphic service in the various districts (such as directors, counsellors, chief inspectors), likewise the appointment of the officials acting as the organs of the before-mentioned functionaries, in the service of supervision, &c., in the separate districts (such as inspectors, controllers), proceeds, for the whole territory of the German Empire, from the Emperor, to whom these officials render the oath of service. Timely notice of the appointments in question, for the governmental approbation and publication, will be given to the Governments of the several States, so far as their territory is thereby concerned.

The other officials necessary for the post and telegraphic service, as well as all those required for the local or technical business, therefore the officials, &c., acting at the actual places of business, will be appointed by the respective State Governments.

Where there is no independent State post, or telegraph administration, the provisions of the special Treaties form the rule.

LI. In making over the balance of the postal administration for general Imperial purposes (Article XLIX), in consideration of the previous difference in the net incomes obtained by the State postal administrations of the separate territories, the following proceeding is to be observed for the purpose of a corresponding arrangement during the undermentioned period of transition.

From the postal balances which have accrued in the separate postal districts during the 5 years, 1861 to 1865, an average yearly balance will be calculated, and the share which each separate postal district has had in the postal balance thus shown for the whole territory of the Empire, will be fixed according to per centages.

According to the proportion ascertained in this manner, the separate States will be credited for the next 8 years after their entrance into the postal administration of the Empire, with such quotas as accrue to them from the postal balances produced in the Empire, in account with their other contributions for Imperial purposes.

At the expiration of the 8 years all distinctions cease, and the postal balances will flow in undivided account into the Imperial Treasury, according to the principle set forth in Article XLIX.

From the quotas of the postal surplus thus ascertained during the before-mentioned 8 years for the Hanseatic towns, one half will be placed beforehand every year at the disposal of the Emperor, for