US Mail service

A copy of the new Deegam Machin Handbook was posted from here in England
to an address in California USA on Saturday 5 July by surface mail. It
arrived on Saturday 12 July! Not bad at all. It certainly did not go
across the Atlantic by airmail but, assuming that it took five days to do
so by boat, how did it cross the USA itself? Would it have landed on the
eastern seaboard and then have been sent on its way by US Mail by air?
What is the usual way of handling surface mail once it arrives in the
country?

Douglas

In the US, First Class mail generally travels "long" distances by air.
It need not have arrived by airmail in order to continue onward by air.

--

Kaleb S. KEITHLEY

Douglas MYALL wrote:

A copy of the new Deegam Machin Handbook was posted from here in England
to an address in California USA on Saturday 5 July by surface mail. It
arrived on Saturday 12 July! Not bad at all. It certainly did not go
across the Atlantic by airmail but, assuming that it took five days to do
so by boat, how did it cross the USA itself? Would it have landed on the
eastern seaboard and then have been sent on its way by US Mail by air?
What is the usual way of handling surface mail once it arrives in the
country?

Douglas

There doesn't seem to ever be any room on flights from South Africa to
the U.S. All my "stuff" from there always takes months to arrive.

But even if the Deegam Handbook did cross by ship (five days? Must have
hit the docks at exactly the right time) two days from coast to coast
isn't unusual. I send small packages to my parents on the other coast
and they typically arrive in two days.

--

Kaleb S. KEITHLEY

wrote:

Douglas MYALL wrote:


... It certainly did not go
across the Atlantic by airmail ...


Sure? I was told once (not by a postal employee but by somebody who
had sent a large number of letters overseas) that even mail marked
as "surface" or "economy" would be carried by air (no matter if
domestic or international) if there is still room for it.

Jan-Martin

"Kaleb KEITHLEY" wrote in message
...

In the US, First Class mail generally travels "long" distances by
air.
It need not have arrived by airmail in order to continue onward by
air.

Well, all I can say is well done US Mail. Makes it harder to justify
Royal Mail's high charges for airmail parcels.

Douglas

My last mailed pay check took three days to get across town -- Santa Monica
to Santa Monica. And it was a Monday to Thursday, not a weekend. Coast to
coast is 3 - 5 days.

Bill

"Kaleb KEITHLEY" wrote in message
...

There doesn't seem to ever be any room on flights from South Africa to
the U.S. All my "stuff" from there always takes months to arrive.

But even if the Deegam Handbook did cross by ship (five days? Must have
hit the docks at exactly the right time) two days from coast to coast
isn't unusual. I send small packages to my parents on the other coast
and they typically arrive in two days.

--

Kaleb S. KEITHLEY

wrote:

Douglas MYALL wrote:


... It certainly did not go
across the Atlantic by airmail ...


Sure? I was told once (not by a postal employee but by somebody who
had sent a large number of letters overseas) that even mail marked
as "surface" or "economy" would be carried by air (no matter if
domestic or international) if there is still room for it.

Jan-Martin

No way - it was a mistake, the UK post office sent it by air. There are no
fast transatlantic passenger ships that carry mail these days.

Tony

"Douglas MYALL" wrote in message
news:01c34b69$c4d2bb60$LocalHost@mdvclwsm...
A copy of the new Deegam Machin Handbook was posted from here in England
to an address in California USA on Saturday 5 July by surface mail. It
arrived on Saturday 12 July! Not bad at all. It certainly did not go
across the Atlantic by airmail but, assuming that it took five days to do
so by boat, how did it cross the USA itself? Would it have landed on the
eastern seaboard and then have been sent on its way by US Mail by air?
What is the usual way of handling surface mail once it arrives in the
country?

Douglas