ESPOND A I e;: r EDITION LLAN'S UvL M^ COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE AND POSTAL INFORMATION •Thg^>y^ THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NKW YORK • BOSTON • CHICAGO • DALLAS ATLANTA • SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN & CO., Limited LONDON • BOMBAY • CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd. TORONTO MACMILLAN'S COMMERCIAL SERIfi^Si '> COMMERCIAL COERESPONDENCE AND POSTAL INFORMATION BY CARL LEWIS ALTMAIEE DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND FINANCB DREXEL INSTITUTE, PHILADELPHIA NEW AND REVISED EDITION THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1913 AU rights reserved :iy ^t -P" Copyright, 1904, 191S, Bt the macmillan company. Set up and electrotyped. Published October, 1913. eogCATION DEP NorinooD ^ress J. 8. Cashing Co. — Berwick &, Smith Co. Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. PREFACE When asked to teach Commercial Correspondence some years ago, the writer found his task most difficult and unsatisfactory. There were no books that treated the subject beyond the mechanical arrangement of a letter, with rules on punctuation, capitalization, gram- mar, and penmanship. Though all books on rhetoric emphasize the importance of letter writing, they give no adequate treatment of the subject; and such exercises as they furnish are generally trivial, meager, inadequate, as, for example, " write a letter purporting to be from an aged doll"; "write a letter dropped from a balloon"; "write a letter applying for a position as first mate on a steamer, giving such particulars as would be likely to be required"; etc. There is no more useful accomplishment than the ability to write a good letter. It is generally regarded as a guar- antee of other abilities and frequently serves to secure for one a favorable introduction into the business world. The extension of higher commercial education and the increase in the amount of business that is transacted by correspond- ence, both require that serious study be given to this sub- ject. As teacher and student must have material with which to work, this book is submitted as presenting a course which is full, defini]^, and practical. Vi PREFACE The Chapter on Postal Information contains such facts as should be known by all. It has been prepared in consultation with various post-office officials. Records of the post office and the experience of every business house demonstrate the necessity for more general and accurate knowledge of our postal arrangements. The author desires to make grateful acknowledgments for courtesies extended to him by Dr. James MacAlister, President Emeritus of Drexel Institute; Mr. Thomas Smith, of Drexel Institute ; to Miss Alice Bancroft, for invaluable services rendered in the preparation of the manuscript ; and especially to the editor. Dr. Cheesman A. Her rick, whose suggestions and advice always proved helpful. The plain business writing shown in the letters, and the engraver's script shown in the formal notes, were done by Mr. Charlton V. Howe, of Philadelphia. The envelope forms were written by Mr. H. W. Flickinger, also of Philadelphia. C. L. A. Dbexel Institutk, September, 1913. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I, Introduction. Importance of the Subject ... 1 II. The Technique of a Business Letter .... 7 1. The Form . 8 (a) Heading 10 (6) Introduction 11 (c) Salutation 11 id) Body 11 (e) Complimentary Close 11 2. The Use of Titles 15 3. Signature 18 4. Abbreviations used in Correspondence . . .24 5. The Meaning and Use of Degrees . . . .26 6. Capitalization 29 7. Use of Figures 32 8. Punctuation 34 9. Paragraph 38 10. Correct Usage in addressing Government Officials . 44 11. Correct Forms in addressing Envelopes . . .48 12. Folding Letters 53 13. Letters containing Inclosures 54 14. Correspondence : How handled 60 (a) Incoming Letters 61 (6) Outgoing Letters 61 (c) Press Copying 62 (d) Carbon Copying . . . . - . .62 15. Miscellaneous Hints 63 vii viii CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE III. The Composition of a Business Letter .... 66 1. Elements 67 (a) Clearness 69 (6) Terseness 69 (c) Coherency 73 (d) Completeness 73 (e) Exactness 74 (/) Method 76 (g) Courtesy 78 2. Structure 79 IV. Letters of Inquiry and Information .... 82 V. Letters ordering Goods . . . . . . . 90 VI. Requests for Payment 98 Vll. Letters of Introduction 112 VIII. Letters of Recommendation 114 IX. Salesmanship and Circular Letters .... 123 X. Letters of Application 134 XI. Telegrams, Cablegrams 140 XII. The Making of Contracts by Mail and by Telegraph 148 XIII. Miscellaneous Exercises 160 XIV. Letters Other than Business 172 1. Formal Notes 174 2. Letters of Congratulation . . . . . . 180 3. Letters of Condolence 182 4. Letter acknowledging the Receipt of a Present . 183 XV. Letter Filing and Card Indexing . . • . . 186 XVI. Postal Information 197 1. The Growth of the Post Office 197 2. The Organization of the Post Office . . . .201 3. Money-order Division 202 (a) Domestic Money Order 202 (b) Indorsement of Money Order .... 206 (c) Loss of Money Order 206 (d) Payment of Invalid Domestic Orders . . 206 CONTENTS ix PAGE 4. International Money Orders 207 5. The Registry System 210 (a) How to register Letters and Parcels . .211 (&) Reclaiming of a Registered Letter or Parcel . 213 (c) Indemnity for Lost Articles .... 214 (d) Registry at Door 215 (e) Claims for Indemnity : How made . . 216 6. Dead-letter Office 216 (a) " Dead Matter " : How treated . . .217 (6) How to recover Lost Mail Matter . . . 221 (c) Dead-letter Office Sales 222 7. Special Delivery Service 223 8. Parcel Post Law 223 9. Rural Free Delivery Service 233 (a) Objects and Benefits 233 (6) How established 234 10. Miscellaneous Information 235 (a) Division of Mail Matter and Rates of Postage 235 (&) Unmailable Matter 238 (c) Stamps 239 (d) Stamped Envelopes 240 (e) Postal Cards 240 (/) How to recall Letters 242 (g) General Delivery 242 (h) The Universal Postal Union . . . .243 11. Postal Savings Bank 248 Index 261 ILLUSTRATIONS Model Forms of Letters 10, 13, 39, 91, 135 Model Forms of Envelope Addresses . . 44, 46, 50, 51, 52, 115 Formal Notes 174, 175 Specimen Letters of Famous Men 176, et seq. Filing Systems - 186, et seq. Twentieth Century Mail Train 198 Facsimiles of Dead-letter Envelopes 219, et seq. Map showing Parcel Post Zone System 226 Parcel Post Insurance Tag 230 Universal Postal Union Map between 242 and 243 EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION English may be studied to give knowledge of the evolution of the language, to furnish information of past ages, to develop the aesthetic sense, to stimulate the imagination ; and it has also come to be recognized that it should be studied to give facility in the use of the language as a "tool." The overteaching of literature, to the neglect of the more practical aspects of English study, has brought forth many criticisms upon the meth- ods of the schools, and it is to obviate these criticisms that composition instruction has so noticeably increased in recent years. The book which Mr. Altmaier has prepared is an out- growth of the composition idea. It furnishes unmis- takable directions for numerous short exercises. These, it is believed, are definite and practical, and they do not lose in value for composition purposes by being put in the form of letters. The exercises provide the kind of composition work that students will be required to do when they go out from school. A leading review properly raises the question of the moral responsibility of teachers who give young people composition subjects entirely beyond them, and who thus encourage students in the wholesale copying from ency- clopaedias and like books. Definite subject matter that will put the young writer on his own resources is not easily secured. The present book may fairly be said to supply a goodly amount of composition material of the right sort. Much of it is drawn from actual letters, and xii EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION the remainder is improvised from a study of business situations. Where the subject of a letter is likely to be foreign to the student's experience, information is furnished him, so that he may be sure of his ground. Actual situations which the book presents give consid- erable insight into the customs and laws of business. All of the exercises have been used in the classroom, and they have been modified to suit the needs of the learners. The book supplies material for outside study and practice, with one hour of recitation per week for one year, or two hours per week for one half year. In the secondary school the book will likely find its proper place in the second year. It is suggested that unless exercises are very well done in the first writing, students should revise and rewrite them after criticisms from the teacher. Each student's work as approved should be filed in regular order and kept as evidence of his accomplishment. For the filing, daily report boxes, or large envelopes, or a vertical letter file rnay be used. The keeping of a student's work is stimulation for him to do better work. So certain have become the demands for correct letter writing that schools cannot afford to ignore them, neither can they afford to leave instruction in correspondence to incidental and haphazard methods in connection with other subjects. To write a good letter becomes almost a first requisite for intellectual and social recognition, or for business success. Didactic instruction and practice in school may contribute much towards acquiring facility in letter writing. As long ago as 1717 Thomas Watts, in his essay on The Proper Method for Forming the Man of Busmess^ set forth that the business man should be master in the "propriety of expression." The same essay fixed the EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION xiii standard for business letters as " short and familiar, neat and significant"; "concise, perspicuous, and natural" are the qualities suggested by Watts. It is hoped that the instruction from the present work will at least enable students to come up. to the standard of this old worthy. The educational value of careful study of letter writing cannot fail to be great. A letter that meets a situation or covers a case represents the kind of writing that makes " an exact man." Readiness of speech, accuracy, and brevity are the qualities to be obtained by letter writing. Let students try the writing of letters in different ways, and practice the omission of all unnecessary words. It will take much practice to strike the mean of the proper length of letters, as well as to get exactly the right material into them. A more intelligent and general use of the mails by business men would save their time and facilitate their work. Often matters that take much longer in inter- views could be disposed of in a moment by letter. Sir Arthur Helps thought he saw in the interview a device of indolent people who wish to escape from the exhaus- tion of thinking closely and expressing their thoughts with precision. An interview is at times necessary, but wherever a situation can safely be met by correspondence, it is better so to meet it. Many of the details mentioned in this book may seem of slight consequence, but if they are disregarded they immediately become momentous. It is the accumula- tion of trifling things that makes perfection if they are regarded, or failure if they are neglected. People cannot be too careful in such particulars as the selec- tion and preparation of stationer}^ the filing of copies of outgoing letters and of incoming letters. There is need for instruction in these important matters. Knowledge xiv EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION of postal regulations is also necessary. United States consuls and other agents in foreign parts report continual annoyance brought upon foreign correspondents of our merchants because of insufficient postage. When it is remembered that in the Universal Postal Union double the shortage of postage is charged as a fine, it can be seen that foreigners may properly resent being punished because of ignorance or neglect of Americans. One con- sul writes that not only is he required to pay extra post- age on communications to him from those in the United States seeking information of the district in which he resides, but he has demands upon him to make good the losses entailed by foreigners because of postage shortage. More instruction on the subject with which this book deals will make less frequent the report, " Trade lost from inadequate postage.'* The large use of dictation makes desirable, if not im- perative, that those who serve as amanuenses shall be trained in the art of letter writing. Such training will enable a shorthand writer to take a hurried dictation, and present it with proper punctuation and sentence and paragraph structure. It is not too much to hope that more and better instruction in commercial correspondence will enable the stenographer to compose letters, so that brief memoranda, either indorsed on the letter to be an- swered or dictated, may be sufficient to guide in handling the correspondence. If so, considerable time of a man valuable in business would be saved, which time might be utilized in extending and perfecting the business. This book is offered in the belief that it supplies a present need for school instruction, and also that it will be useful as a guide to those already in business. C. A. H. 1913. COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE AND POSTAL INFORMATION CHAPTER I IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT Joseph Addison, the most graceful of English essayists, wrote : — " I cannot forbear mentioning a particular which is of use in every station of life, and which, methinks, every master should teach his scholars ; / mean the loriting of letters. To this end, instead of perplexing them with Latin epistles, themes, and verses, there might be a punctual correspondence established between two boys, who might act in any imaginary parts of business, or be allowed sometimes to give a range to their own fancies, and communicate to each other what- ever trifles they thought fit, provided neither of them ever failed at the appointed time to answer his cor- respondent's letter. I believe I may venture to affirm, that the generality of boys would find themselves more advantaged by this custom, when they come to be men, than by all the Greek and Latin their masters can teach them in seven or eight years. The want of it is very visible in many learned persons, who, while they are admiring the styles of Demosthenes or Cicero, want phrases to express themselves on the most common occasions." B 1 .2 , . COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE ..President Hadley of Yale University said in a .piiblrc -addre's's V-i— " One may be a graduate of a university and not be able to write a good business letter." Two centuries separate these expressions, yet what a similarity in thought ! One is written in the re- fined, leisurely, and ceremonious English of the age of post-chaises and sailing boats ; the other is in the concise, compact, vigorous English of the age of the telegraph, the telephone, and the steam engine. Ad- vanced education gives culture, with appreciation of higher arts and large affairs, but it often overlooks training in those minor practical usages so valuable to all men. If training in letter writing was needed in the eighteenth century when post offices were scarcely heard of, how much more is it needed in the twentieth century when the post reaches the uttermost parts of the earth, and when the larger share of the world's business is transacted by correspondence. Every one in these days must expect to have more or less letter writing to do. Though one may never be required to write a literary criticism, a biography, or any form of extended composition, he will surely have to write letters ; and not to be able to do this intelligently and effectively is not only discreditable intellectually and socially, but will prove a serious hindrance to the advancement of his material interests. IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT 3 Business correspondence is one form of business in- tercourse. It is important that business intercourse, whether by letter, telephone, or in person, should be conducted in good form and in a courteous manner. The manner in which a thing is done has more influ- ence than is commonly imagined. Mankind is gov- erned by opinion ; this opinion is as much influenced by appearances as by realities. The reputation, stand- ing, and good will of a business follow as much from tlie manner in which correspondence is conducted, and the style of a letter, as from work performed or the quality of goods handled. Generally speaking, the faults in correspondence are due not to difficulty so much as to carelessness and lack of training. To be able to write a good business letter requires some knowledge of technical English, the rules of capitalization, and of punctuation ; familiarity with business customs; ability to grasp a business proposi- tion in its entirety ; quickness in separating essentials from non-essentials ; and practice in writing on busi- ness subjects in an orderly, direct, clear, complete, and concise manner. A proper study of this text will, it is believed, give the information, practice, and training necessary for acquiring all these. That the people of the United States need technical instruction in letter writing and more knowledge of our post-office organization and practice is shown by the experience of the mail-order department of every 4 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE large business house, and by the record of the Dead- Letter Office. The business manager of a widely circulating magazine reports that he started recently a new department where he employs fifteen tj^pists ; of these, three are rendered necessary by the mistakes, shortcomings, and carelessness of correspondents. Still more grave are the reports from the government. Over thirty thousand pieces of mail matter are sent daily to the Dead-Letter Office. This leads to incon- venience and misunderstanding of correspondents and a yearly loss of thousands of dollars in money and valuables — all because of carelessness or ignorance of letter writers. A scene like the following is reenacted scores of times every day in this country : the head of a great firm glances through a pile of letters. He quickly throws away all but a half-dozen. "Slovenliness," he says. Then he carefully reads the six and makes his final selection. "A very excellent letter" is his com- ment; "well written, aptly phrased, correctly punctu- ated, and altogether attractive." And the writer of that letter receives an appointment that means oppor- tunity and liberal compensation. In brief, the ability to write a good business letter cannot be overestimated. Already a large part of the business of the world is done by correspondence, and this method of transacting business is increasing year by year ; first, because of its convenience, celerity, and IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT 5 certainty ; secondly, because the typewriter, the dupli- cating apparatus, the card catalogue, and the filing system now enable a business man to keep in touch with thousands, with greater ease than was possible, under old methods, with hundreds ; and, thirdly, be- cause of constant improvements in the postal service to meet the advancing needs of the public. The most recent developments in the postal service are in the rural free delivery, the postal savings system, and the parcel post, which benefit all the people of the United States: the farmer, by increasing the value of his farm products through closer touch with the markets; the merchant, by enabling him to reach more readily so profitable a customer as the farmer; and all, in enlarged business, social, and educational benefits. The establishment of the postal savings system and of the parcel post in this country are causing the people of the United States to study more intimately and to appreciate more fully their postal system. They are beginning to realize that the post office is a wonderful business organization, and that upon its successful operation much of their domestic happiness, social intercourse, and business success depends. They are awakening to the fact that they are stock- holders in this vast enterprise, and that the dividends are not payable annually or semi-annually, but daily. Since, therefore, the post office is the means of carrying on correspondence, extending social and edu- 6 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE cational intercourse, and stimulating all departments of trade, knowledge of the manner in which it is conducted should be general. Such knowledge is not as common as it should be, for statistics show that people display an amazing ignorance and carelessness in the use of post-office facilities. They confide to the ordinary mail, jewelry and valuable papers with perfect confidence in the integrity and care of the postal officials, and with profound faith in the cer- tainty of receipt by the addressee. To illustrate : recently an ordinary letter containing $1400 in cur- rency reached the Detroit office, and it is one of the traditions of the same office that an envelope contain- ing $36,000 in unregistered United States bonds was safely delivered, although it was both unsealed and unregistered. The need of clear letter writing, and of a more intelligent use of the postal facilities, is evident. The present work has been prepared in the hope of contributing to the means for better instruction in letter writing, and also to a wider knowledge of the postal system. CHAPTER II THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER In writing a letter the most natural course is to consider first, the business proposition and diction ; and then the technique, or the details of mechanical form or arrangement ; but in presenting the subject here it is more logical to consider first, the technique, or the details of form or aiTangement ; and, then, the business proposition and diction. The manner of arranging the various parts of a letter may seem unimportant when the document is considered merely as a medium of communication ; yet certain forms of arrangement are recognized as convenient and customary ; and since these forms have become established, and since the observance of them facilitates correspondence and secures better method in letter writing, it is important that the writer should be familiar with them and should understand their purpose. The first essentials of a good letter are clear writing, neat arrangement, and correct spelling. One who writes a distinct, legible hand, observes good forms, and spells correctly may indeed make serious rhetorical blunders, and express his ideas in a con- 7 8 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE fused way ; but he has at least made sure of three important and easily acquired habits. A letter defi- cient in these essentials always makes a bad impres- sion. Too frequently letter writers are indifferent to, or ignorant of, the value of these essentials. Excel- lence, therefore, should be exacted in these three things. The student should be impressed with the thought in letter writing that what is worth doing at all is worth doing with care, and care includes at least a plain hand, correct spelling, with adequate punctuation and neatness of general appearance. The widespread use of the typewriter has given an importance to the technique of letter writing that it did not formerly possess. Errors in form, punctua- tion, spelling, etc., which in the hand-written letter are often unnoticed, in the printed letter become glar- ing and irritating. For convenience in considering the form or arrange- ment of the letter it may be divided into six parts, namely : — 1. The heading. 2. The introduction. 3. The salutation. 4. The body of the letter. 5. The complimentary close. 6. The signature. Model forms of arranging and punctuating these various parts are shown in the following illustrations in outline and in full : — THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER BUSINESS FORM HEADING NAME 1 INTRODUCTION STREET ADDRESS CITY AND STATE SALUTATION BODY OF LETTER (The complimentary close should COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE always begin in the center of the page regardless of the end- ing of the last Une of the letter.^ SIGNATURE 10 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE WRITTEN LETTER ^0) (2) 3^/2n^.Jtli^4- (3) i£U/>ttu/y>z^^ru: (6J The heading (1) is the name of the place from which the letter is sent, with the date. It may occupy one, two, or three lines, depending upon the fullness of the address and the judgment of the writer. In writing the date it is preferable to write the name of the month instead of indicating it THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 11 by a numeral as is sometimes done. Thus it is better practice to write March 22, 19 — , than to write 3/22, 19 — . No one likes to be put to the trouble of recon- structing the date in his mind. The date should never be omitted, as it frequently becomes important and often is the sole means of correctly interpreting a letter. The introduction (2) is the name of the person to whom the letter is written, with the address. If possible, the introduction should be kept on three lines. The name of the addressee should occupy the first line ; the street address, the second line ; and the city and state, the third line. If a separate line be given to the state, the name of the state should preferably be written in full. The salutation (3) is the formal address; as. Dear Sir : Gentlemen : My dear Sir : etc. The rule for capitalizing the salutation is to capitalize the first and last word. A colon is placed after a formal salutation, and a comma after an informal salutation ; as, Dear Sir ; Dear Friend,. The hody of the letter (4) is the text or subject matter of the letter. The complimentary close (5) is the formal ending of the letter, e.g., Yours truly. Yours respectfully. Very truly yours, etc. Capitalize the first word only of the complimentary close. The nature of the salutation and the complimen- tary close depends upon the cordiality of the relations 12 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE existing between the writer and the person written to. Thus " Dear Sir " and " Yours very truly " is a com- mon form of each used in business letters. " Dear Friend " and " Yours sincerely " is a common form of each used in writing to a friend. These will be varied, of course, according to the judgment of the writer. Another form of arranging these various parts is shown in the accompanying illustrations in outline and in full : — MILITARY OR OFFICIAL AND SOCIAL FORM HEADING SALUTATION BODY OF LETTER COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE SIGNATURE NAME ADDRESS THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 13 DEPARTMENT OF Office of the Secretary Washington Personal. May I, 19- My dear Sir : I am in receipt of your letter of April 30, concerning forms in commercial correspond- ence, and have taken pleasure in replying to your several inquiries on the Inclosed cards. Very truly yours, Mr. Charles T. Henry, Care of the League Club, Chicago, III. Inclosures. Here it will be observed that the introduction, that is, the name and address of the person to whom the letter is written, is placed in the lower left-hand cor- ner of the letter sheet. This is called the military form and it is used in the official correspondence be- tween officers of the government and by Cabinet offi- 14 COMMEKCIAL CORRESPONDENCE cials. It is considered the best form for personal and social correspondence. The foregoing details relate to matters of form. Sometimes the recipient of a letter may be expected to disregard errors of form and overlook any mistakes in grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. But when one is requesting a favor, or soliciting business, — and a large part of letter w^riting is con- ducted for that purpose, — the attitude of the recipient is altogether different ; he then becomes critical and even captious, and no art or attention to detail which will make a favorable impression on him is too insignificant to employ. Exercise 1 Draw in outline a form for a business letter, indicating the parts by name. Exercise 2 Draw in outline a form for an official or social letter, indicating the parts by name. Exercise 3 Arrange, punctuate, and capitalize the following headings : — 1. council bluffs iowa december 119 — 2. at hens ga december 2 19 — 3. augusta me december 3 19 — 4. 32 spring lane bradford pa feb 25 19 — 5. 20 chestnut st Philadelphia pa feb 26 19 — 6. 30 michigan boulevard Chicago ill nov 30 19 — 7. 192 market st san francisco cal december 4 19 — 8. 119 state st boston mass January 119 — 9. boston building denver colo January 2 19 — THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 15 10. grand rapids mich January 3 19 — 11. Worcester mass January 31 19 — 12. 190 broadway new york n y January 31 19 — 13. st paul minnesota february 1 19 — 14. 21? main st Syracuse n y december 3 19 — THE USE OF TITLES Mr. The title of Mr. is given to all men who have no other distinctive title ; as, Mr. Thomas Seabury. Use as salutation, "Dear Sir:" Esq. In the United States the title of Esquire is given especially to lawyers and justices of the peace, and very often to any man as a mark of respect ; as, John Brandt, Esq. Use as salutation, " Dear Sir : " Never write Mr. John Smith, Esq. Messrs. The title of Messrs. is given to firms. Thus, Messrs. Smith & Jones ; Messrs. Jones & Co. Use as salutation, " Gentle- men : " or " Dear Sirs : " 'Rev. Clergymen have the prefix Rev., Rev. Charles H. Parkhurst. Use as salutation, "Dear Sir:" Hon. Judges, members of the Cabinet, members of Congress, mayors, and all other high officers of the government have the prefix Honorable. Hon. John Hay. Use as saluta- tion, "Sir:" 16 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Dr. The title of Doctor is given to Doctors of Medicine, Doctors of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and others who have received any other academic doctor's degree ; as, Dr. Franklin James. Use as salutation, " Dear Sir : " Never write titles twice ; as. Dr. Hugh Hamilton, M.D. — or Dr. James Houghton, Ph.D. Prof. The title of Professor is given to one who holds a professorship in a university, college, seminary, or other institution of learning. When using the title do not add any title of courtesy to name. One may add, however, an academic title, as Prof. George Valentine Nash, Ph.D. Officers of the Government. There are no titles known under the laws of the United States as attaching to any of the Federal officers. Custom, however, has established certain rules which it is well to follow. The Presi- dent should be addressed, «' The President." All correspondence relating to the different departments should be addressed to the heads thereof; as, for instance, "Secretary of War, Washington, D.C. Sir:" The Vice President is addressed simply as "The Vice President"; but when in his capacity as President of the Senate, the form should THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 17 be, " To the President of the Senate." The Speaker of the House of Representatives should be addressed simply as " Speaker of the House of Representatives." It is not essential to use names, it being customary to address the office rather than the indi- vidual holding it. In addressing the purely military or naval bureaus of the War and Navy departments, the heads of bureaus should be addressed by their names, using specific titles ; as. Brig. Gen. Henry C. Corbin, Adjutant-General, U.S.A., Washing- ton, D.C. Sir : Superintendent, Agent, Cashier, Treasurer, Secretary. The titles Superintendent, Agent, etc., are written after the name ; as, — Mr. Luther Bent, Superintendent, Blair Nail Works, Steelton, Pa. Mr. Samuel Myers, Agent, Ohio Implement Co., Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Franklin Marshall, Cashier, Tradesman's Bank, Los Angeles, Cal. William C. Strawbridge, Esq., 903 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 18 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Henry Whelen, Jr., Esq., Treasurer, Academy of Fine Arts, St. Louis, Mo. Signature. In law, any name, mark, symbol, etc., may be a signature. It may be written with ink, pencil, rubber stamp, typewriter, charcoal, in fact, with any kind of material, so long as it is written hy the individual with the ititention of its heing his signature. One may use any symbol as a signature. Thus, if one should indorse a promissory note, not with his own name, but with numbers, as "1 2 8," he would be liable, if the numbers ' are in his handwriting, and he meant that they should bind him. The position of the signature is immate- rial. The custom of placing it at the end of the letter after a complimentary close, should, however, be followed. Of course, all unconventional methods of signing should be avoided. Two good rules are : Adopt a signature and stick to it, and write your signature clearly. Business is carried on by Corporations Partnerships Individuals Agents THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 19 Corporation Signature. A corporation gets its name from its charter. A corporation is an arti- ficial entity, apart from the persons who compose it. " It cannot act in its own person, for it has no person." It acts by means of agents, such as a president, one or more vice presidents, a secretary, a treasurer, a board of directors, or such other officers and agents as tlie corporation may appoint. Each agent, therefore, has authority to sign the corporate name to such correspond- ence as relates to matters within his ex- press or implied authority ; e.g.^ The Pie3^M Manufaoiuring Co President The SacondNational Bank --Cashier V ^ The Howard Company hy Vnivex^aX^-y^^^xs^iyfter Company 20 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Partnership Signatures. For convenience a firm usually adopts a name by which it shall be known. The business of a firm may be carried on under any name which the partners think fit to adopt, except that by statute, in some states, where the designation " and company " or " & Co." is used, it shall represent an actual partner or partners, and the violation of the provision is made a penal, offense. The right to select any appellation as a firm name has this important limitation : it must not be exercised in such a way as to work a fraud upon the public or upon others trading under substantially the same name. No person or body of persons can obtain an exclusive right to a name at com- mon law. Accordingly, persons trading as " Rogers & Bro." cannot lawfully complain because others trade in the name of " C. Rogers & Bros.," if this is done in an honest and ordinary business manner. " Where the only confusion created is that which results from the similarity of the names, the courts will not interfere. A person cannot make a trade mark of his own name, and thus obtain a monopoly of it which will debar all other persons of the THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 21 same name from using their own names in their own business." In many states, one who transacts busi- ness, using the designation '' & Company," when he has no partner, is guilty of a misdemeanor. Each partner is authorized to sign the partnership name. The firm signature, signed by any member of the firm, binds the firm in all correspondence or contracts relating to the purchase of personal prop- erty, the borrowing of money for firm purposes, the collecting, adjusting, and pay- ing of debts, the employing of agents and servants, and the making of negotiable in- struments. The following represent some partnership signatures, viz. : — 22 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Individual Signature. One may choose his own name, although he usually bears his father's sur- name and the Christian name given him at his birth. One may change his name by court proceeding, or acquire a new name by usage. The law disregards all middle names ; it is legally sufficient to use the first Christian name and the surname. So the word "jun- ior " or " senior " is merely descriptive and no part of the name. One cannot prevent another from using his name unless the other uses it for fraudulent purposes. One may even be enjoined from using his own name in trade if it works a fraud, as where after A. B. has sold a certain kind of gun as "A. B.'s gun," another person of the same name puts a gun on the market stamped " A. B.'s gun." A signature should always be uniform. The Christian name and surname should be written in full ; for example, William F. Read. A correspondent's name should be written as he writes it himself. Letters should always be signed in full. For in- stance, William Smith should not sign his name " W. Smith," for the correspondent in writing to Mr. Smith would naturally address the envelope to " W. Smith " and it may be delivered to Walter Smith. THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 23 Agent's Signature. An agent should sign the name of his principal with his own name or initials following, preceded with the word hy ov per. Woman's Signature. In business correspondence an unmarried woman should always prefix the title " Miss " in parenthesis before her signa- ture. Ex. (Miss) Mary F. Shipley. A married woman whose husband is living may sign her own name with her husband's name in parenthesis, e.g.^ Beatrice F. Mitchell (Mrs. Philip H. Mitchell), and letters to her in reply should be addressed to Mrs. Philip H. Mitchell. As a widow she will sign (Mrs.) Beatrice F. Mitchell. In writing to a woman the salutation should be " Madam " or " Dear Madam." e.g. et al. etc. . f.o.b 24 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE In writing to a firm of women the saluta- tion should be " Mesdames " or " Ladies." The following abbreviations are frequently used in correspondence, namely : — Agt Agent. a. m meaning an/e mmt but for purposes of emphasis and display. This is especially true in salesmanship letters or in letters that are of an advertising character. The object of a paragraph is to separate each sub- ject or the different points of a letter. In order to avoid confusing different matters, it is sometimes well to write a separate letter on each subject. Such a practice greatly facilitates the handling of corre- spondence, especially in the case of large corporations, whose business organization is divided into many dif- ferent departments, such as, shipping department, credit, employment, sales, purchasing, etc., and whose officers, for example, the president, vice president, sec- retary, treasurer, superintendent, etc., each has his particular branch of the service. Exercise 5 Transcribe and punctuate the following sentences : — An auction sale of silks it was learned on good authority will be held in the near future Allan Bacon the well-known broker was buying grapes yesterday for two of his clients Magee Bros Easton Pa and Tay Hutchinson & Co Altoona Pa In the iron trade for instance indifference is shown Steel manufacturers however now assert that they can compete The threat of war like the threat of a strike may disappear over night ' THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 41 James E Ingalls the president resigned to-day James W Wilson the vice president succeeded him The officers of the association are President John C Cobb Boston Mass vice president D A Tompkins Charlotte N C treasurer Henry R Towne New Britain Conn secretary Henry T Wills Minneapolis Minn Irving T Williams president of the Williams Terminal Company was asked by a representative of The Journal if he would reply to the report published in yesterdays issue adopted by the Board of Trade and Transportation of New York which attacked the Williams lease I note however their objections I am therefore clearly of the opinion that this statute so far as the fire insurance companies are concerned repeals the anti-trust law The payment of wages produced among the workmen in the town industry wealth and as a consequence personal freedom Improved shipbuilding followed and as a consequence a more equi- table distribution of the gifts and blessings of nature The commerce of the ancients in itself had no destructive tendency nor could wealth the fruit of commerce be charged with their ruin Decline on the contrary followed the loss of wealth The regret generally felt will however be none the less keen He of course has been a capable representative of his nation It is a magnificent thing to be in touch with the world its energies its activities its currents and the countercurrents and to feel that though but a single unit in an aggregate of hundreds of millions one is still by right of divine appointment an integral part in the wonder- ful mechanism of creation A lack of honesty fair dealing fidelity in the laborer and a lack of justice righteousness brotherhood in the employer these are the real roots of industrial conflicts To a large extent too the letter is a traveling salesman Too often business letters are crude abrupt jerky ill-constructed and indefinite or lacking as to important details Mr. Chamberlain president of the Grand Trunk who was in this city since last Monday returned to Montreal yesterday More corn peas velvet beans cowpeas alfalfa and other clovers and grasses have been grown than ever before 42 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE This party therefore should welcome the investigation It is conceded also that he was right and that moreover his in- tentions were good This company it seems is unwilling to agree to this The following were elected members of the association James Considine of the Marine Drug Company Eniile M. Cossa with Miller & Houghton John G Edgett with J F Whitney & Co Benjamin L Fairchild Louis Laverge Samuel D McComb of the Vessel Agency John Russell of the Newtown Creek Towing Company and Ludwick Ruprecht with the Standard Oil Company We seek no special privileges We ask only for even handed jus- tice for ourselves as well as for others for the grower of heavy shrink- ing wools for the grower of .light shrinking wool and mohuir for the worsted spinner for the carded woolen manufacturer for the manu- facturing clothier and for the consumer of wool goods If we are watchful of our speech making our words continually more minutely true free and resourceful if we look upon our occasions of writing as opportunities for the deliberate work of unified con- struction if in all our utterances we think of him who hears as well as of him who speaks and above all if we fix the attention of our- selves and our hearers on the matter we talk about and so let our- selves be supported by our subject we shall make a daily advance not only in English study but in personal power in general serviceable- ness and in consequent delight The city of Montreal with its heavy congestion of values narrow streets indifferent construction and severe climatic conditions has long been a problem to the Canadian underwriter Haines Morehouse & Woodford 58 and 60 Worth Street agents for Southern cotton mills and consisting of Henry A Haines Alfred Morehouse Jr and Clinton M Woodford announces that the limited copartnership of Haines & Bishop has been dissolved by limitation the special partner Alfred G Bishop retiring from the firm A New York house sells a bill of goods to a man in Chicago 2 % 10 days which of course means ten days from the date of the invoice Is the man in Chicago supposed to have settlement in New York ten days from the date of the invoice THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 43 My grandfather Mr Brand however did not go with his regiment to the West This country with its vast agricultural resources and great natural advantages able to produce all kinds of commodities obtainable in temperate and subtropical climates with unsurpassable facilities in means of transportation with technical knowledge and skill highly developed with educational advantages within easy reach of all with the lessons of the experience of other nations to profit from without inherited prejudices to fight against or past errors to remedy enjoys in all lines of husbandry but especially in the production of the staples of life a preeminence in which she is not equaled by any other The memorandum submitted by Mr. Mellen of which you have a copy represents correctly my understanding Dear Sir It is with the deepest regret I acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 18th instant. In the pressure of official business I can only request you to transfer to Professor Smith the arms munitions and funds in your hands whenever you conclude to withdraw from the position you have filled with so much distinction You cannot regret more than I do the necessity which deprives us of your services and you will bear with you the respect confidence and admiration of all who have been associated with you Yours very truly Debenture bonds such as those of the B & A R R Co which has no mortgage on its property are of course as long as the bonded debt is considerably less than the fixed assets of the company just as good in tliemselves as mortgage bonds but it should be remembered that mortgages may be placed on such property unless a promise has been given in the debentures that they shall not be so placed The young man of today to whom the fair goddess Fortune has not yet beckoned may be disposed to conclude that it is impossible to start business in this age. This no doubt is true but real ability the capacity for doing things never was so eagerly searched for as now and never commanded such rewards 44 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE CORRECT USAGE IN ADDRESSING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS President Introduction To the President Salutation Sir : Superscription The President, White House, Washington, D. C. Vice President Introduction To the Vice President of the United States Salutation Sir: Superscription The Vice President of the United States, Washington, D. C THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 45 Vice President as President of the United States Senate Introduction To the President of the United States Senate Salutation Sir : Superscription The President of the United States Senate, Washington, D. C. Speaker of the House of Representatives Introduction To the Speaker of the House of Repre- sentatives Salutation Sir: Superscription The Speaker of the House of Repre- sentatives, Washington, D. C. Chief Justice of the United States Introduction The Chief Justice of the United States Salutation Sir: Superscription The Chief Justice of the United States, Washington, D. C. Justices of the Supreme Court Introduction Hon. Charles E. Hughes, Justice Supreme Court of the United States. Salutation Sir: Superscription Hon. Charles E. Hughes, Justice Supreme Court of the United States, Washington, D. C. , 46 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Cabinet Officers Introduction The Secretary of the Treasury Salutation Sir : Superscription The Honorable The Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D. C. (The same forms are to be used in writing to the other Cabinet officers, the necessary changes being made; i.e., The Honorable The Secretary of State; The Honorable The Attorney-General; The Honorable The Secretary of the Treasury; The Honorable The Secretary of the Navy ; The Honorable The Postmaster-General, etc.) THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 47 Officers of the Army Introduction Major-General Leonard Wood Salutation Sir : Superscription Major-General Leonard Wood, Washington, D. C. Officers of the Ni/u>J?i/<>., /7< y/lidJ^ .jw. «u, ^Xta -t*****- tey^**, Av« AflA^^i«vUi. ii xjjj^xA Wc. lAA /maoA^ ^) iuruA/yi OjeAtcLuu cUJ-C/vKlcuAtftj unXltuo umicW to Ccvieiajd/L tufeb*;^ w>wJuu«iui VM Xumu wXioxl- ^X!l^ «^ t*>u«, oAoMlkJ^ tut. aounA' r ClotluAC JWiXrrtLay unit •4» ^ul,4Ati.l- il 'tegftc^aro^ /uLAtOyrm^ 'WL;u:ufl \jjxm^^s)^ '^iAtJe^Al ,>^ "^ Make a clean copy^ supplying a date and writing out all abbreviated words except D. C. and U. S. THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 57 Exercise 8 ;f^ef report of^the "business, of this office ^i^t- ^ the f Isqfife, yea^X June 30, f Aj^ roopootfully -o ub -- ^&Krii^^^^ift:;5sr<< /5 o^^i^^^.A.'itJikLLvc^U^^ ^ >^ureau Is li ^oxoollOnt coftditlon, and fully up to *^ Vt 7 the requl^ ^ents of the /ept. In fact,^V Is aoi*« ^ ^Tadvanced rafat thl8>4«»lthan -it-'Tias uouolly ^heen/^z;^ ls\«ii'8ult has "beeiv jacc6n5)ll8hed/Cy^'ittost/un emitt ing e fforts T»3ca11- the officers and e -5y - T O as o n -ef -^he ^growth of the Pos' tal SerYlc e)3he work of this/office \% ^^tz^ % ^ ^ the Increase, while a corespo/adlng Increase of I 4» not. made. "Tlhe -need of -aei=e olerJEe- has force been k ee nly ^ef^lt In several 7)lylslons, hut most severly In that branch of the p^fflce -^rtilcli assortj^. and numher/^^he money orders and post/l notes. '^ -4^ Resp*t Submit ed. Auditor* Sec of the Treaa Make a correct copy, supplying a date and writing in full all abbreviated words. 58 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Iizercise 9 The struggle against Pgreat britaln was began "by the engllsh speaklng^collonleaj^any such intention however, warmly favored in New england wnt^^net a pp ro v e a Jt>y^ o ther oollonies and was formerly dissavowed by Cong on July 6, 1775. Penna Md and Ne% J.^had enjoined upon thier dila- gates^the rej)((otion of any proposition ^^^r^a seperation and jNy^was jfc«- much opposed to it that her dilegates took no prominent -^»4ir in promoting it Jeffersons object all along was to Impress upon the do c/the ^onsi s^t ant) character of a renunsiation of the k^g adams supported the /declaration with zeel and ability fjlghting fairlessly for every word of it. ^ The death of the two were allmost simultanious oocul*- Ing on the same day Z-oXy 4 1862 the fiftieth anlversary of their joint success in producing the declaration of inde- L pendence. j ^ Make a copy, correcting all mistakes and punctuating properly. Do not change phraseology. THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 59 ^.c^p-^ -^l-*^/^«^ .-^x-tt^or ,^ ii7'''tfirn"nolTill^ *^^ and -eba^-hearths Jiar ^enilueiiL -< will yet^agaliv hara o nlo p In th e i r a nc i e n t auoio whon broathod upon "by - the guardian angelj of 4h6-^^ Beiorite, embodying corrections. Note. The above is the closing paragraph of President Lincoln's First Inaugural. As originally written by Lincoln it closed with the words, " Shall it be peace or a sword ? " Secretary Seward submitted what follows, which was adopted by Lincoln and transformed by the magic of his genius, as shown by the amendments. CORRESPONDENCE: HOW HANDLED (See page 186, Letter Filing and Card Indexing) Some explanation of how the correspondence of a business office is conducted should accompany instruc- tion in letter writing, for one who has knowledge of THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 61 the methods of a business office will undoubtedly write a better business letter than one who has no such knowledge. Every office has its individual sys- tem of treating its correspondence. All systems, however, have two principal objects : first, exactness ; and second, dispatch in the handling of letters. In their essentials all systems are very much alike. Incoming Letters. In most offices all incoming let- ters, after they are answered, are systematically filed in cabinets alphabetically divided. It is important that all letters should be kept for a time, for often they are of value, and frequently they are the only reliable evidence of disputed business transactions. The length of time they should be kept must be determined by the judgment of the owner and the character of the correspondence. For instance, a well-known law firm which has been in business for thirty years has complete records of all correspond- ence during that time. On the other hand, a business house having a mail of from three to ten thousand letters a day destroys the bulk of its correspondence when it is six months old. Outgoing Letters. A copy is generally kept of every letter, invoice, or other document sent out of the office. There are tw^o methods of making these copies, viz. : — 1. Press Copy. By means of the copying press a facsimile may be made of any document written 62 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE with copying ink. The copies are generally made in a press copying book, which is a book of tissue leaves. Note to Teacher. The press copy process should be explained here in detail and every student be required, some time during the course, to press copy a pen written letter, and a typewritten letter. The difference between copying and record ribbons should be ex- plained, the attention of the student being called to the fact that copying ribbons are used when copies of typewritten letters are made by means of the press copying process, and record ribbons when they are made by means of the carbon process. 2. Carbon Copy. By means of carbon paper an exact duplicate may be made of any document. Carbon copies are sometimes made of all replies to letters. They are then attached to and filed with the original letters, thus taking the place of the copying book. The carbon method of preserving copies of letters is used extensively, and is preferred by many business houses. A carbon " copy " is a " duplicate original," that is, one struck off at the same time as the original by the carbon process ; and it may be introduced in evidence in law as the original. In the words of a judicial decision, "A carbon copy of a paper made by the same impression of type as the original, and at the same time (but not a letter press copy), may be regarded as a duplicate original." A letter press is not an original, but is truly a copy, which cannot be presented in evidence unless THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINESS LETTER 63 the absence of the original is duly accounted for and evidence is forthcoming to show why such original cannot be produced. From this brief description it is evident that a good business letter is one w^hich is complete in itself, so composed as to be quickly and clearly understood, and in such form as to permit of answering and filing, with exactness and dispatch. MISCELLANEOUS HINTS 1. Letters to a stranger concerning one's own affairs or interests and requiring an answer should always inclose a stamp. 2. Be prompt in replying to all letters that you receive ; it will show attention to your correspondent's interests and secure his favor- able opinion. 3. Do not write with a lead pencil. 4. Never write a letter when excited or angry. 5. Business letters should be answered the same day they are received, unless the answer is delayed for a definite reason. 6. Always have your full address in the letter and sign your name in full. 7. In ordering goods complete shipping directions should always be given. 8. In acknowledging the receipt of a letter always mention its date. 9. Be particular to spell your correspondent's name correctly. 10. Do not use such forms as rec'd, y'rs, gents, resp'ly, etc. IL In closing a letter to a stranger you may say / am, but not / remain. The latter form should be used if you have had previous correspondence with him, so that there is at least a slight acquaint- 64 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE 12. Do not forget to date your letters. The date on what seemed at the time of writing a very insignificant note may make the com- munication valuable at some future time. 13. In addressing a letter to a married woman do not use her husband's title. Such forms of address as Rev. Mrs. Bigelow, Mrs. Dr. Edwards, and Mrs. President Wilson are not in good taste. 14. Do not use the sign # or No. before the number of a house or of a post-office box. It adds nothing to the plainness of the address. 15. Do not use titles indiscriminately or inconsistently. 16. Do not use postal cards for anything but brief business notifi- cations. 17. If a letter consists of more than one sheet, the sheets should be carefully arranged in order and paged. It is well also to put the initials of the person to whom the letter is sent before the page number, as (G. W. H. 2). 18. If a letter contains an inclosure or inclosures, indicate the fact by placing the word (inclosure) or (3 inclosures) in paren- theses in the lower left-hand corner of the letter. This is exceedingly important, as it informs the clerk, who may be preparing a number of letters for mailing, which letters require inclosures and which do not. 19. As far as practicable, letters should be placed in their respec- tive envelopes and addressed as soon as they are written. Leaving the making up of letters until post time is a frequent cause of mistakes, such as omission of inclosures, putting wrong letter in envelope, etc. 20. It is better to refuse a request by letter. In a letter one need say only what one chooses to say ; in an interview one may have to say more than it is wise to say. 21. Letters should be answered promptly, courteously, and deci- sively. 22. Do not let your letters run over a page except when absolutely necessary. THE TECHNIQUE OF A BUSINP:SS LETTER 65 SUGGESTIONS TO TEACHER AND STUDENT Every letter should be read over carefully by the student and the teacher, each applying to it the fol- lowing tests, namely : — 1. Is it a complete record of the business transaction concerning which it is written ; that is, does it interpret itself, or is it necessary to consult the memory or files for further information? 2. Is its composition good ? 3. Does it show a clear grasp of the business proposition ? 4. Is it in good form ? 5. Is the penmanship the student's best ? Note. It is suggested that the teacher have a rubber stamp made consisting of the words arrangement composition penmanship typewriting Every letter examined by the teacher should be stamped at the top with this stamp and a grade given for each of these things.' CHAPTER III THE COMPOSITION OF A BUSINESS LETTER The advantages of transacting business by letters are being more generally recognized. In many re- spects this method of carrying on trade is more expeditious, economical, accurate, and satisfactory than the old method of personal solicitation. By the old method business was limited to trading with immediate neighbors, or extended at most over a cir- cumscribed territory. Now, however, with writing machines, and postal and transportation facilities which circle the globe, there is scarcely any region so remote that business may not penetrate. A medium of communication so common and far-reaching, so vast in its possibilities, so important in its results, deserves serious and intelligent study. That the art of writing business letters should be more fully developed, and that training in the subject is an important part of the equipment of every one ambitious to reap the rewards of business, is com- monly acknowledged. The object of a business let- ter is either the soliciting of business, the bringing about of a sale, or the securing of some other com- mercial advantage, and whatever facilitates these re- THE COMPOSITION OF A BUSINESS LETTER 67 suits is eagerly adopted by the wide-awake business house. That the general make-up, style, and com- position of a letter exercise considerable influence in securing the attention and interest of prospective customers is unquestioned. Business men are real- izing this more and more every year, as is evi- denced by the taste and expense which they bestow upon the printing and engraving of their letter heads, the quality of the paper they use, and the care in the composition of their letters. With the advancement of business methods has come a nicer regard for exactness and propriety in the details of letter writing. The Elements of a Business Letter. Unless one has a clear idea of the elements that constitute a good business letter, he cannot reasonably hope to write such a letter. Therefore it is necessary that, before the student writes the exercises which follow, he should have some definite outline upon which to build. In the previous chapter it has been stated, and it should be repeated here, that from the point of view of technique, the good business letter is, first, conventional in form ; second, easily interpreted from its contents without the aid of extrinsic evidence, or the memory of some office assistant ; and third, so constructed and arranged as to permit of the disposing of its contents with exactness 68 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE and dispatch. From the point of view of the composition, a good business letter is clear, terse, coherent, complete, exact, methodical, and courteous. Ordinarily the novice begins the writing of busi- ness letters with the preconceived notion that the ne jplus ultra of such letters is hrevity, and his idea of brevity is likely to be manifested in such expressions as " Yours received," " Gents," " Yours at hand," " Yours, etc.," " Received yours and would say," " Yours respect.," and many other such crude forms. He mistakes abbreviated words, and curt and uncouth phrases, for brevity. In his desire to be brief, too, his sentences are likely to be colorless, vague, and mean- ingless. Brevity of this kind is likely to produce obscurity and to add to the labors of the recipient of the letter. It is not sufficient to state what is meant in a bare, disconnected fashion ; the writer must be sure that the reader will understand him fully, and for that purpose he must add, by way of explanation, illustration, or expansion, whatever details are neces- sary to make his whole meaning clear. Instead of brevity, therefore, as a quality of a busi- ness letter, we prefer terseness, because, though it implies less condensation, it implies the additional idea of grace. The quality of brevity should be restricted to the writing of telegrams. More impor- tant than brevity, however, in letters or telegrams, is the quality of clearness. THE COxMPOSITION OF A BUSINESS LETTER 69 Clearness is secured by the writer's having a clear idea of what he wants to say, and then expressing it in the simplest and most direct manner. While, on the one hand, there should not be the conciseness that lacks precision, yet on the other hand there should not be the expansion that produces confu- sion ; for as there is obscurity in a labyrinth of many words, so there may be another kind of obscurity from their paucity ; profuseness, how- ever, in the work of the student, is to be pre- ferred to paucity, for the teacher by suggestion and advice may correct the superfluity ; practice and ex- perience will in time overcome the fault of writing too much. Terseness^ as above stated, while it implies concise- ness, has the additional quality of grace or finish. This grace or finish may be secured by the use of apt, precise, definite words and expressions which convey the exact meaning intended. This precision may be acquired by the cultivation of the dictionary habit and the careful and critical revising of letters after they are written. Indefiniteness and looseness of expression, although rather prevalent in much of the present day correspondence, is, however, to be con- sidered inexcusable. To illustrate : When " skilled " is meant, do not say " competent," for that is a very different thing. Other words and expressions which are often indifferently used are : — 70 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE advise for inform you will for will you contract for agreement can for may would for should will for shall extra for addition We beg leave to acknowledge for We are pleased to acknowledge We beg leave to inclose for We herewith inclose Your letter of recent date for Your letter of May 1 We acknowledge your order of for We thank you for your order a few days ago and thank of June 2 you for same Every letter should begin and end naturally and courteously and not abruptly and unceremoniously. Some introductory forms of expression to be used when writing a letter in reply to another : — Replying In reply In response In answer to your letter of the 10th instant informing us (then give brief resume of contents of letter answered), we desire to say We are in receipt of your letter of the 10th instant, stating that (then give brief resume of contents of letter answered), and in reply thereto we wish to inform you that Agreeably to your request as contained in your letter of the 29th ultimo, etc. In pursuance of your order under date of the 3d instant Referring to your letter of the 9th instant, requesting I am in receipt of your letter of the 29th instant In reply to your communication of the 25th instant, etc. In compliance with your request contained in your letter Confirming our telegram of this morning, etc. THE COMPOSITION OF A BUSINESS LETTER 71 Some closing forms which may be used in letters : — Thanking you for the order, we remain Regretting my inability to serve you in the present instance, I am With many thanks for your trouble in this affair, we are Awaiting the pleasure of your further orders, w^e remain Trusting that this delay will not interrupt our former pleasant relations, we remain Assuring you of our desire to serve you to your satisfaction, we are Thanking you for any information you may give us, and assuring you of our confidence in your opinion, we are Hoping that this request may meet with your kindest considera- tion, we are * The following letters illustrate the difference be- tween a brief letter and a terse letter : — A BRIEF OR CURT LETTER Mr. Robert G. Hunt, Grand Rapids, Mich. Washington, D. C, January 16, 19 Dear Sir: Yours received. The matter will be attended to. Yours truly, FRANK W. TAYLOR, Chief Clerk. * The above forms are merely suggestive, and they, and others, are to be used only when they are in entire harmony with the main part of the letter. 72 ' COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE A TERSE LETTER Washington, D. C, January 16, 19 . Mr. Robert G. Hunt, Grand Rapids, Mich. Dear Sir: Your letter of the 2d instant, addressed to the Post- master General, with accompanying check for fifty cents with which to purchase a copy of the Postal Laws and Regulations, has been received and referred to the Public Printer, as he has jurisdiction over the sale of the Laws. The check has been indorsed to his order. Very respectfully, FRANK W. TAYLOR, Chief Clerk. These letters illustrate what is meant by a terse business letter, and a letter that is colorless, meaning- less, and practically worthless because of its brevity. The first letter conveys nothing definite whatever, and no one could tell to what it referred without remembering other facts. Even to the writer it would in all probability convey no meaning one month after its date. On the other hand, the second letter is a complete record, and if read years after by any one the transaction to which it related would be thoroughly understood. In answering a letter, enough should be stated in the answer to enable the receiver of it to recall what he had written without his having to consult previous correspondence. THE COMPOSITION OF A BUSINESS LETTER 73 Coherency is another quality that a business letter should possess. Coherency may be best secured by confining the message to only one subject. No irrele- vant matter should be introduced, and whatever does not contribute to the elucidation of the subject should be omitted. If several matters are treated, they should be discussed in separate paragraphs, each complete in itself ; the treatment of a particular sub- ject or part of subject should be in one paragraph or group of paragraphs. Should an original letter con- tain several propositions, the reply should discuss them, so far as possible, in the order and form in which they were originally presented. Completeness is a fourth qualit}^ of a business letter. A letter and its answer should be a complete record of the matter or transaction of which it treats. Every large business office has some system of pre- serving all letters received and copies of all letters sent out. The object of such record is to enable the proprietor to determine, at any time, the full details of the business transacted by correspondence. If the letters do not show the transaction completely, they are seriously insufficient ; they would probably be of no avail in a lawsuit, and the time and efforts spent in keeping the records are wasted. In the making of contracts by letter, it is most important that the terms should be completely and exactly stated. Below is an illustration of an incomplete letter : — 74 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE INCOMPLETE LETTER Salem, Orkg., January 12, 19 , The Fox Grocery Company, Pasadena, Cal. Gentlemen : What is the matter with our order? Unless the goods are received before Jan. 20, we countermand it. Yours truly, It happened that the original letter had not been inclosed in the right envelope by the mailing clerk, and consequently had not been received by The Fox Grocery Company. The second letter, therefore, instead of helping the situation, proved an exas- peration. Had it been w^ritten properly, it would have been better understood, and w^ould have enabled The Fox Grocery Company to fill the order to the satisfaction of both parties. Below is shown the letter as it should have been written : — COMPLETE LETTER The Fox Grocery Company, Pasadena, Cal. Salem, Oreg., January 12, 19 Gentlemen : What is the matter with our order of Jan. 1, for ff teen boxes of muscatel grapes f Unless they are received before Jan. 20, we countermand the order. Yours truly, THE COMPOSITION OF A BUSINESS LETTER 75 Exactness is another important quality of a business letter. This quality is probably more frequently lack- ing than any other. It demands attention to details. It requires that all letters should be dated ; that the name of the addressee should be correctly spelled and written as he himself writes it ; that the proper title of courtesy, dignity, or distinction should be given ; that the full address and name of the writer appear in every letter ; that if money, a check, draft, money order, etc., be inclosed in a letter to be applied to a particular purpose, that purpose be specifically stated. This is very important in some cases, for if one owes several debts to another, and sends a remittance with- out stating to which debt it is to be applied, the creditor may apply it as he thinks best, or if he does not, the law will equitably apply it. If an appoint- ment be made, the time and place should be fully and clearly mentioned. In saying " tomorrow " or " yes- terday " or " this evening " the day meant should be added ; the correspondent may note the date of the letter, but he may easily overlook the fact that the letter has taken a day to reach him, and thus give to " tomorrow " a meaning not intended. By adding the day (Wednes^lay, etc.), all possibility of mistake is avoided. All facts and figures should be accu- rately stated. 76 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE AN INEXACT LETTER 130 S. Second St., Indianapolis, Ind., January 1, 19 . The Union Publishing Co., 290 State Street, Chicago, HI. Gentlemen : I inclose one dollar, for which please send me your paper. Yours truly, FRANKLIN ROBERTS. AN EXACT LETTER 130 S. Second St., Indianapolis, Ind., January 1, 19 . The Union Publishing Co., 290 State Street, Chicago, 111. Gentlemen : Inclosed find one dollar for subscription for one year to The Sportsman. Kindly send it to me at the above address, beginning with the February number. Yours truly, FRANKLIN ROBERTS. A comparison of these two letters shows two important points in the second letter which were omitted from the first, viz.: the one dollar is to pay one year's subscription to The Sportsman; and the subscription is to begin with the February number.. THE COMPOSITION OF A BUSINESS LETTER 77 As publishing houses frequently publish more than one periodical, a mere request to send " your paper " is hardly sufficient ; and inasmuch as the writer desires the subscription to begin at a future time, that time should be stated specifically. Method as a quality of a business letter means that the thoughts should be presented in a systematic manner and the whole arranged according to the best forms. The quotation below, taken from a business letter, shows bad construction : — "Having succeeded to the late firm of Armstrong Bros. & Company, retailers in electric supplies, and find- ing that trade is rapidly increasing, I will in consequence need a large supply of material, and desire to buy from you on 60 days' credit." The above sentence presents three ideas: first, the statement that the writer has succeeded to the firm of Armstrong Bros. & Company ; second, that his trade is rapidly increasing ; and third, that he desires to buy stock at 60 days' credit. By a few changes these statements can be presented in a more methodical manner, as follows : — " I desire to notify you that I have succeeded to the late firm of Armstrong Bros. & Company, retailers in electric supplies. My trade is rapidly increasing, and I shall, in consequence, need a large supply of materials. I wish, if possible, to buy from you on 60 days' credit." Custom has established certain forms of arranging of a letter; these facilitate the transaction of 78 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE business, and all letter writers should be familiar with them and adopt tliem for the sake of method. Whenever a letter contains a series of items, they should be arranged in tabular form instead of being written in the body of the letter as a part of the text. Such an arrangement secures both clearness and method, and produces an agreeable impression. The following letter is a good example of a methodical treatment and arrangement of the ideas presented : — Dear Sir : The recent newspaper statements that I have been interested in movements either to tighten money or create a scarcity of gold and thus interfere with natural and early resumption are without the slightest founda- tion. On the contrary, I feel deep interest in your efforts to carry the country to a successful resumption. The real causes of the recent disturbances in the money market are the following : — First. Government bonds have come back from Europe faster than investment orders would absorb them — the surplus is carried on call loans and these have absorbed several millions of dollars. Second. The financial troubles in England are retarding the rapid movement of Western produce. The elevators at Chicago and Milwaukee are full of grain ; at Chicago alone are about 7,000,000 bushels. The cur- rency sent west to pay for this grain will not be released until the grain is marketed. Third. A large amount of foreign capital usually lent on call in Wall Street has been transferred to Lon- don and Liverpool, as money commands better rates there than in New York. I remain Yours truly, THE COMPOSITION OF A BUSINESS LETTER 79 Courtesy is the quality which gives finish to the business letter and commands respect. Business cour- tesy, although somewhat less ceremonious than draw- ing-room courtesy, is no less necessary for the smooth intermingling of many individualities and interests. Courtesy should be manly, dignified, and natural, for w^hen effusive and artificial it is weak. The Structure of a Letter. Business correspond- ence consists of a series of letters written to and fro until the business transaction to which they relate is completed. For the purpose of illustrating the method of framing them, it will be sufficient to consider the opening or original letter, and the letter of reply. An original letter may have three divisions : first, an introduction ; second, a detailed statement of the business proposition ; and third, some appropriate close. A letter of reply may likewise be divided into three parts : the first part consisting of a sentence or paragraph acknowledging the receipt, together with a brief reference to the gist of the letter to which it is a reply ; the second part, of a sentence or para- graph giving a detailed and full response ; and the third part bringing the letter to an easy and graceful close. The following illustration will make this clearer. We wish to write letters upon the data contained in the following exercises : — 80 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Howard Fielding is opening a general store in Akron, Ohio, and will carry a line of groceries, hardware, dry goods, etc. His friend, Mr. Samuel Johnson, of the firm of Carter & Johnson, of Columbus, Ohio, who is acquainted with Messrs. A. & J. Webster, dry goods merchants, of 1020 Market Street, Buffalo, N. Y., recommends him to open correspondence with them. Write a letter to the Websters asking to open an account with them. Add further references. Next write a reply. ORIGINAL LETTER Akron, Ohio, May 2, 19 . Messrs. A. & J. Webster, 1020 Market Street, Buffalo, N.Y. Gentlemen : I am opening a general store here and shall carry a line of groceries, hardware, dry goods, etc. Mr. Samuel Johnson, of the firm of Carter & Johnson, of Columbus, Ohio, has recommended your firm to me. I should like to open an account with you for the purchase of dry goods. As further reference, I give you the names of Messrs. Wyse & Co., 1040 Market Street, and Messrs. Black & Graham, of 1426 Main Street, Buffalo, N.Y. Trusting that I may hear favorably from you, I am » Yours very truly, HOWARD FIELDING. REPLY 1020 Market St., Buffalo, N. Y., May 4, 19 Mr. Howard Fielding, Akron, Ohio. Dear Sir: We are in receipt of your letter of the 2d instant asking whether you may open an account with us for the THE COMPOSITION^ OF A BUSIN"ESS LETTER 81 purchase of dry goods. We shall be pleased to enter your name upon our books, and trust that our business relations may prove mutually satisfactory and profitable. Awaiting your orders, we are Yours very truly, A. & J. WEBSTER. In analyzing the first exercise, it will be seen that three things are to be stated, viz. : first, by way of introduction, that Howard Fielding has just begun business ; second, that upon the recommendation of Mr. Johnson he writes to the Websters to know whether he may open an account with them ; and third, the names and addresses of other references. To omit any of these divisions would produce an incomplete letter. Then, in analyzing the reply, we find that three points are to be mentioned, viz. : first, acknowledg- ment of the letter from Howard Fielding ; second, whether or not the Websters will open an account with him ; and third, some appropriate complimentary close. The above analyses should indicate sufficiently to the student how to proceed in writing a letter. He should hnow fully what he wants to write about / he should next decide upon the most effective manner of presenting his thoughts / and then write them in a clea/r, terse, complete, exact, and methodical manner. CHAPTER IV INQUIRIES AND INFORMATION Before entering into business relations with a comparative stranger, prudence dictates that infor- mation concerning his moral character, business principles, financial standing, etc., should be obtained. Such data are secured either from one of the numerous commercial agencies which make a business of sup- plying such information, or from the references which the applicant for credit may give. The value of information received from individuals depends upon their trustworthiness, integrity, and general reputa- tion for truthfulness. Letters on the reputation and character of another are written in confidence. This fact, however, should not lead the writer to make statements founded upon hearsay which he could not fully substantiate, and which, he would not have the courage to avow openly, or which might subject him to a suit for libel if disclosed. Letters of inquiry should always contain a stamped envelope for reply. The following show two forms of letters of inquiry issued by two leading business houses : — 82 INQUIRIES AND INFORMATION 83 Little Rock, Ark., January 18, 19 . Mr. Samuel Earnest, Little Rock, Ark. Dear Sir : Mr. Joseph T. Sands, of 19 Main Street, wishes to open an account with us ; we understand that he is known to you. Kindly give us, if possible, in strict con- fidence, any information you may have as to his financial standing, worthiness, and custom of paying bills. We shall be pleased to reciprocate at any time. Thanking you in advance for such information as you may give us, we are Yours very respectfully, GAMBRILL BROS. Mr. Raleigh, N. C, January 18, 19 Dear Sir : In confidence please inform us as to the business standing and reputation in your community of Occupation Business address Residence address This person desires to make a purchase from us, in- volving about $75, payable in small monthly payments. Any information you may give us concerning his busi- ness standing and reputation will be appreciated, and considered strictly confidential. Yours very truly, P. S. Kindly endorse your reply on the back of this sheet and return it to us in the inclosed envelope. 84 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE The following are brief models of a favorable and unfavorable reply to such letters : — Little Rock, Ark., January 20, 19 . Messrs. Gambrill Bros., Little Rock, Ark. Gentlemen : In reply to your letter of the 18th instant, it gives me pleasure to testify to the reliability and trustworthiness of Mr. Joseph T. Sands. I know him to be conserva- tive in his expenditures, and do not believe he would incur any indebtedness for which he would not be amply responsible, and which he could not promptly pay. Respectfully yours, SAMUEL EARNEST. Whenever it is necessary to vs^rite an unfavorable letter, the name of the person about whom it is writ- ten may be omitted. Little Rock, Ark., January 20, 19 Messrs. Gambrill Bros., Little Rock, Ark. Gentlemen : Your letter of the 18th instant is received. I regret that I cannot give you any satisfactory information relative to the person about whom you inquire. Yours truly, SAMUEL EARNEST. EXERCISES FOR PRACTICE Letters should be written by the student upon the data contained in the following exercises. They should then be carefully criticized INQUIRIES AND INFORMATION 85 with regard to the mechanical arrangement, penmanship, punctua- tion, capitalization, spelling, grammar, and the manner and style of composition. (See note, page 65.) Exercise 12 1. Frank Richards is located in Auburn, N. Y. He is opening an art store, and will carry a line of paintings. Oriental rugs, and bric-k-brac. In correspondence with Mr. A. J. Davis, of 112 State Street, Boston, Mass., concerning some water colors, Davis suggested that Richards write to Messrs. Gerome & Troyon, of 1507 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, concerning oil paintings, which he assured Richards they can furnish at reasonable cost. Write the above facts in the name of Richards to Messrs. Gerome & Troyon, adding that if satisfactory terms can be secured, Richards would like to open an account with them. Add two references. 2. Then write a letter from Messrs. Gerome & Troyon to one of the references, inquiring as to Richards's standing and reliability. Add that they will be glad to extend a similar courtesy at any time, and that any information given will be treated as confidential. 3. Then write a favorable reply from the reference to the effect that many years of personal acquaintance with Richards enables them to speak of his integrity, reliability, and energy in the highest terms. That although his business experience has not been extensive, yet they feel that his knowledge of art and the fact that he will have no competitor in the business in Auburn, should enable him to build up a very successful business ; also that he is a man of some financial responsibility and punctilious in meeting all obligations. 4. Then write an unfavorable reply from the reference to the effect that many years of business acquaintance with Richards has led them to the conclusion that he is of unstable character. That pre- vious to the opening of the art store he had unsuccessfully undertaken other enterprises to the dissatisfaction, as they know, of many cred- itors, among whom they are one. They therefore feel that they can- not recommend him ; but in view of the above statements they leave Messrs. Gerome & Troyon to their own discretion. 86 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE 5. Then write letter from Messrs. Gerome & Troyon to Richards, stating that they regret that they cannot open an account with him. They will be pleased, however, to sell goods to him, but can do so only when a full remittance accompanies order. Close with a wish that he may be able to accede to their terms, and with the promise that they can give satisfaction at all times, as the variety and reputation of their canvases are unexcelled. Exercise 13 You have received an order for five hundred dollars' worth of goods from Thomas Pierce, of 19 Queen Street, Lancaster, Pa. You are not acquainted with him. Write letter acknowledging receipt of order, and stating that inasmuch as this is his first order, it will be neces- sary for him either to furnish reference or to send a check for the amount of the order, which you will then be pleased to fill. Add a complimentary close. Exercise 14 1. Messrs. "Williams & Beasley, of 917 Walnut Street, Philadel- phia, Pa., have just received notice from the Union Freight Company, Broad and Market Sts., Philadelphia, of the arrival of a box of goods from Messrs. C. & G. Bromwell, 372 Broadway, New York, which they ordered fifteen days previous. They decline to receive the goods because of the delay and as they have lost sales in consequence. Write letter from Williams & Beasley to Messrs. C. & G. Bromwell, stating that they refuse to receive the goods, giving reasons. 2. Then write letter from C. & G. Bromwell to the Union Freight Company, requesting the return of the goods at Bromwell's expense. 3. Then write letter from C. & G. Bromwell to Williams & Beas- ley, acknowledging receipt of letter refusing to receive the goods sent. Apologize for the delay in sending, which arose from an oversight of the shipping clerk. Add that they were sent with a knowledge of the delay, but with the hope that they might still be in time. Close with the hope that this mistake will not interrupt their pleasant business relations, and with the assurance that every effort will be made to prevent a recurrence of a failure to fill orders in time. INQUIRIES AND INFORMATION 87 Exercise 15 1. Messrs. Robinson & Reynolds, of 29 Madison Ave., Chicago, desire to open business relations with Cooley, Morse & Co., of 99 Broadway, New York, for the purchase of large orders of hardware materials from time to time, on 90 days' credit. They give several names as references. Write letter to this effect. 2. You are traveling salesman for Cooley, Morse & Co. They write to you at Auditorium Hotel, Chicago, 111., that they have received the foregoing letter, which they inclose, and ask you to investigate the standing of Robinson & Reynolds. Write their letter. 3. Write a report to the effect that you called on Robinson & Rey- nolds, and after a long interview came away with very unfavorable impressions. That all your efforts were unsuccessful in drawing from them information regarding their affairs ; that very little business activity was manifested while you were present, and, from information you gained from other reliable sources, you believe they do not stand well in commercial circles. You advise cautious dealings with them. 4. Write letter from Cooley, Morse & Co. to Robinson & Reynolds, acknowledging receipt of Robinson & Reynolds' letter, and expressing regret that they cannot give to Robinson & Reynolds the credit they desire. Cooley, Morse & Co. further state that they are, of course, desirous of extending their business relations, and therefore will be pleased to furnish goods to Robinson & Reynolds at discounts for cash payments, which would more than counterbalance a credit of 90 days. They express the hope that Robinson & Reynolds may be able to comply with these terms, and await further correspondence from them. Ea:ercise 16 1. Edward Bond, William Slater, and A. P. Warren have been ap- pointed a committee on behalf of the Economic Society of the Denver High School to secure James M. Brill, Esq., of Central City, Colo., to deliver before the Society his lecture on " The Distress of Nations." The Society is prepared to pay a lecture fee of fifty dollars. It will suit their standing appointments to assign one of the following dates for the lecture : January 31, February 11, or February 27 ; if one of 8$ COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE these is not possible, the Society will endeavor to accept any date that the lecturer may choose between January 31 and the first of March. Write letter to James M. Brill, Esq. 2. Then write letter of acknowledgment from James M. Brill, Esq., to the above-named committee, thanking them for the invitation to address their Society. Express his regret at not being able to accept any of the dates they specify, owing to other engagements, but if February 2 or 24 will be agreeable to them, it will give him pleasure to accept. He requests an immediate reply, as he is holding other plans in abeyance until hearing from them. 3. Then write letter from the committee to James M. Brill, Esq., thanking him for his letter, and selecting February 24. Exercise 17 You are in receipt of the following letter : — 229 Commonwealth Bldg., My dear Mr. Omaha, Nebr., (Date.) I have just opened law offices at the above address, and as I am unfamiliar with business systems I write you for a little advice. My business necessitates my keeping full and accurate records of all my correspond- ence, and as I know that you are familiar with the filing systems in use, I beg to request that you give me some information regarding them, with your opinion as to the best. I should also like to have your advice as to the relative merits of the press copy and carbon copy method of duplicating correspondence. Which, in your opinion, is the better method, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each. Thanking you in anticipation, I remain Yours very truly, JAMES B. ANDERSON. Write a reply to the above. INQUIRIES AND INFORMATION 89 Exercise 18 You have just received the following letter from a friend : — Seattle, Wash., May 28, 19 . Dear Mr. : Knowing the experience you have had in business, and remembering your kind offer to help me with your advice whenever I should feel inclined to seek it, I write for some information in regard to the writing of busi- ness letters. Will you kindly give me your idea of what constitutes a good business letter, together with such suggestions as you think will be helpful in carry- ing on a large and increasing correspondence? Yours very truly, JOSEPH YOUNG. Write a letter of at least 150 words in reply to the above. CHAPTER V LETTERS ORDERING GOODS Much delay and confusion are caused by careless- ness in the writing of letters ordering goods. Such letters require the following to be accurately and clearly stated : — 1. The full name and address of the person ordering the goods. 2. If goods are to be charged, the charge name and address should be given. 3. If remittance is sent to pay for goods ordered, the nature and amount should be indicated. 4. The article ordered should be distinctly specified. 5. Shipping directions, such as express, registered mail, parcel post, or freight, sliould be given. If express address is different from mail address, that should be stated also. 6. Quantities, figures, sizes, and measurements should be precisely mentioned. 7. In ordering from a catalogue where the goods are represented by number, the number should always be given, the article specified, and the particular catalogue mentioned, together with the number of the page on which reference to the article may be found. The various items should not be scattered through- out the letter or written as a part of the text ; but 90 LETTERS ORDERING GOODS 9l they should be gathered together in one place, and arranged in tabular form as shown in the following letter : — ^^/^ ^^o^^^W^c^fc^'" yC<.^l/l/U^ "ay. / '^a/.- c/^n^ou/ /7/-c/i^ ^Oi^uA^u,^ Letter written by Mrs. Rebecca W. Bancroft, of Germantown, Pa., in her 85th year. 92 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE This arrangement gives clearness to the letter and shows forethought and consideration, inasmuch as it enables the person filling the order from it con- veniently to check off the various items as they are supplied. All orders should be promptly acknowledged, as the acknowledgment completes the contract ; more- over, it is pleasing to a purchaser to be assured of the receipt of his order, and of the attention it is receiving. The good will established by such a letter more than compensates for the time and expense consumed in writing it. Some business houses use printed forms for this purpose. The following is a printed form of postal used by a leading house : — THE STROBE ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO., 905 Arc Street. Cleveland, Ohio, We are in receipt of your order No of the Inst., for which we thank you. We will ship. Yours truly. The Strobe Electric Supply Co. Use Catalogue Number per_ when ordering. A letter renewing an order should be as complete and explicit as the original letter. For instance, to LETTERS ORDERING GOODS 93 say, " Kindly hurry our order of the 10th " may not expedite matters, as the order of the 10th may not have been received, either through the carelessness of some clerk or through a fault of the post office. If the order of the 10th were repeated, it might still be filled, notwithstanding the fact that the original order was lost. Again, to say, " Send us ten more reams of paper same as our last order" necessitates the looking up of the previous order, by which valuable time may be lost. There is also a possi- bility of delay through the carelessness of some clerk in filing the order referred to. Such a letter is objec- tionable, too, because of its unfairness in shifting responsibility, and has the semblance of shirking one's business duty. Goods should always be sent as directed. For instance, if goods are requested to be sent by a particular express company, they should be sent by that company, for the moment the goods are deliv- ered to the company, in the eyes of the law they are delivered to the person who ordered them, and if they should be lost or destroyed on the way, the loss would fall upon the purchaser. On the other hand, if the purchaser requests the goods to be sent by a particular express company, and the seller should send them by some other company, delivery is not effected until the goods are actually received, and if they should be lost or destroyed on the way, the loss 94 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE would fall upon the seller. If the purchaser leaves the method of shipment to the discretion of the seller, actual delivery must be made. What Goods to h(me sent hy Mail. It is generally advisable to have sent by mail goods which are light in weight, small in bulk, and of no great value. (See p. 223, Parcel post.) What Goods to hawe sent hy Express. It is advis- able to have sent by express goods of great value (such as watches, jewelry, etc.), goods easily broken, goods of moderate weight, and goods desired in haste. Whether to send by express or by freight is frequently a matter difficult of determination. What Goods to have sent hy Freight. It is best and cheapest to send by freight goods of great weight, large bulk, and of comparatively small value. Note. In letters ordering goods and in invoices it is cus- tomary to capitalize the article specified ; thus, 3 hbls. Flour; 2 doz. Brooms, etc. Numerals are generally employed in orders, instead of writing the number in words; as, 10 doz. ; 2 gross, etc. Exercise 19 1. Messrs. Jones & Johnson, 129 Palmetto Street, Charleston, S. C, order from Clark & Morrell, 31 Pearl Street, New Orleans, La., the following list of goods: 6 doz. pair No. 7 Dogskin Gloves at $9 per doz. ; 1 gross assorted string Ties at $ 6 per doz. ; 24 doz. Star Collars, No. 14 1, at $2.25 per doz.; 12 doz. No. 10 Stalwart Cuffs at $3 per doz. ; 3 doz. Ajax White Shirts, No. 14, at i$ 15 per doz. They request that the goods be sent by the Southern Express Company. Write letter. LETTERS ORDERING GOODS 95 2. Then write letter from Clark & Morrell, advising of shipment and inclosing invoice. Make out invoice. 3. Write reply from Jones & Johnson acknowledging the receipt of the goods. Clark & Morrell have sent 12 doz. Eureka Cuffs at 1 2 a doz. instead of the Stalwart Cuffs as ordered. Explain that the 12 doz. Eureka Cuffs are a mistake, that Stalwart Cuffs at $ 3 per doz. were ordered. State that the Eureka Cuffs are returned by express ; and the invoice inclosed in letter for correction. Request that the Stalwart Cuffs be forwarded immediately. Add that there have been other mistakes in past orders, due apparently to carelessness of in- competent clerks, and that the inconvenience and annoyance caused thereby is so great that they will be compelled to deal elsewhere unless their orders receive more care. 4. Write reply from Clark & Morrell to the foregoing, expressing regret at the annoyance caused. Explain that it has been due to the great difficulty they have had in getting competent clerks and the dis- organized conditictn of the shipping department, the head of which they have only lately found out had been intentionally manipulating orders seemingly for the purpose of injuring them. Add that he has been discharged, the department reorganized, and that they feel that future orders will be satisfactorily filled. Add further that they cheerfully make the exchange and return invoice corrected. Exercise 20 Write a letter ordering the following from Harwood & Rich- ardson, Auburn, N. Y. : 1 Parlor Set Mahogany, 7 pieces (numbered in their catalogue 261) ; 3 Brass Beds (numbered 348) ; 16 Antique Oak Chairs (numbered 516) ; 3 Oak Rockers (12 a) ; 1 Hat Rack (19 b) ; 1 doz. Feather Pillows (medium weight). State that the goods are to be shipped with the understanding that you are to pay for them according to the terms of their offer on page 10 of their catalogue, viz. : $ 10 upon the receipt of the goods, and $ 5 per month until they are paid for. Give two references and full shipping directions. 96 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Exercise 21 Order from Sterling Hardware Co., 121 State Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 2 gross Union Knobs (a 15) ; 3 gross 4x4 Butts (b 24) ; 2 doz. Bronze Hinges (c 421) ; ^ gross Coat and Hat Hooks (31) ; 10 kegs 10 d Wire Nails. Give shipping directions. Ask more liberal terms. Complain of delay in last shipment. Exercise 22 You are in the hardware business and handle putty in bulk (i.e,. barrels) at ^1.50 per 100 pounds; 100 pound tins at $1.65 per 100 pounds; 50 pound tins at $1.75 per 100 pounds; 25 pound tins at $1.85 per 100 pounds ; 12^ pound tins at $ 1.95 per 100 pounds. The goods are genuine, as they are made with pure linseed oil and whiting, and no inferior material of any kind is used. A jobber has written to you under date of for prices of putty. Write answer, giving prices, from which you make a special discount or rebate of 5 cents per 100 pounds. This discount is given only to jobbers. Exercise 23 1. Messrs. Ballard & Sons, of 29 S. Broad Street, Savannah, Ga., send an order to the Paterson Silk Mills, Paterson, N. J., asking the mills to manufacture for them one thousand yards of silk similar to the sample inclosed. They expect to pay no more than they did for the previous order ; namely, 69 cents a yard. They desire the goods delivered one month from date. Write letter. 2. The Paterson Silk Mills Co. acknowledge receipt of the above order, accepting the same. Write letter. Exercise 24 1. William F. Springer, of Washburn, Wis., sent an order to the Mail Supply Co., of Chicago, 111., for a Folding Pocket Kodak, No. 1 (K 232, Catalogue No. 72, page 493). He inclosed $10, the price stated. He has not received any response to his letter, and writes for information. Write letter. 2. Then write letter from the Mail Supply Co. to Mr. Springer, stating that they received the previous letter, but that as the writer LETTERS ORDERING GOODS 97 neglected to sign it, and as there was no identification card on the envelope, they had no means of determining from whom the order came. They were investigating the matter when they received the second letter, which solved the difficulty. They add, by way of infor- mation, that $25,000 was recently distributed by mail-order concerns to local charities, as a disposition of funds accumulated from letters which had become " dead " through the carelessness or inadvertence of letter writers. They suggest that letter writers should always have name and address in letters, and that money should not be sent loose in envelopes, but transmitted in the form of money order or by registered letter. They add that they have shipped the Kodak by _, Express. Exercise 25 1. Charles V. Kern, of 174 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, orders of the Electric Supply Co., Buffalo, N. Y., 10 Electric Newels, oxidized copper, No. 1929; 15 Electric Fixtures, polished brass. No. 509; 5 Electric Fixtures, 4 light, polished brass. No. 501; 3 Combination Wall Brackets, oxidized copper, No. 159 ; 2 Combination Fixtures, 4 gas, 4 electric, polished brass, No. 706 ; 10 Pendant Forms, 6 light series. No. 744. Goods to be sent by freight. Write letter. 2. The Electric Supply Co. acknowledge the receipt of Kern's order. Kern omitted to furnish references, and made no mention of how he proposed to pay for the goods ; he is therefore requested to furnish the names of two responsible firms with whom he does business, or to express a willingness to pay for goods ordered on receipt of invoice. Upon receiving a satisfactory reply the Electric Supply Co. will have pleasure in filling order. Write letter. Exercise 26 1. On Frank Holden of Lewiston, N. Y., sent an urgent letter, ordering in haste of Hubbard & Humphries, of Schenectady, N. Y., a list of articles, a copy of which he incloses. Up to date he has received no reply. He is greatly annoyed, and has been compelled to buy in the market, at advanced figures, such articles in the list as he needed, which he disposed of at cost rather than dis- 98 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE appoint customers. Write letter from Holdeii to Hubbard & Hum- phries, stating the above facts. Mention that this treatment from them is unusual, and ask for explanation. Add that if goods are not received before a specified date, they may consider the order canceled. 2. Hubbard & Humphries reply that Holden's letter is their first intimation of the order. The first letter was never receiA^ed, and doubtless miscarried. They express regret at Holden's annoyance and expense. They also mention that he knows from experience that they acknowledge and fill orders promptly. They state that they have dispatched the order by Express and that they inclose invoice. They close with the hope that the goods may reach Holden before and prove satisfactory. Write letter. CHAPTER VI REQUESTS FOR PAYMENT The letter inclosing an account and requesting its payment is so common in business, that many offices have printed forms which are used for this purpose. In many cases these forms are sufficient. In others, however, the writing of letters especially adapted to the particular case is more efficient and satisfactory. People are dilatory in paying debts either through oversight, misfortune, carelessness, indifference, or a desire to defraud. One should therefore endeavor to learn before writing which of these is the probable cause of the debtor's failure to pay. If the debtor has hitherto been in the habit of paying regularly, it would be proper to assume that he had only over- looked the payment in question, and to remind him of it, e.g.^ by sending him his account, suggesting that he has probably forgotten it, and asking him for more orders. If he has met with misfortune, such as finan- cial losses, then leniency or an extension of time may be better business policy than to " crave the law, the penalty, and forfeit of the bond." If delay is due to carelessness or indifference, a pointed letter reminding the debtor that prompt payments are necessary to the 99 100 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE economical conduct of business, and that one depends upon punctual remittances to meet his obligations, may often prove a successful plea. If it is known that the debtor is trying to defraud, no time should be wasted in writing letters, but all haste should be made by the creditor to take such legal steps as will protect his interests. A simple and effective method of compelling de- linquents to pay their debts is the Protective Asso- ciation. This is an organization of all those in a particular line of business. The members agree not to give credit to any one against whom a complaint may be lodged by any member of the organization for refusing to pay his accounts. It is a kind of credit boycott ; and since credit is a most important asset in business, few will repudiate their obligations, espe- cially when they know that to do so means a general refusal of all credit from others. The following series of letters will illustrate the methods of these associations : — Rochester, N.Y., 19 . Mr. — Dear Sir: Your account amounting to$ is now so long past due that we must insist upon a prompt settlement. Unless it is attended to within ten days from this date, we shall feel compelled to hand it REQUESTS FOR PAYMENT . , 101 to the Wholesale Grocers' Association for xit>tention. We hope that by a prompt remittance yoU,wi'A'r^n-i I* »^ • ; der this action unnecessary. Respectfully yours, Member of the National Grocers' Wholesale Association. Should the debtor ignore this letter, information concerning him is given to the Wholesale Grocers' Association, as shown by the following letter : — BOCHESTER, N. Y., 19 . Wholesale Grocers' Association, Gentlemen : The ten days having expired without any satis- factory result, since Circular No. 1 was mailed to the persons named below, you will please send them Circular No. 3. These accounts are not disputed; items as per statements attached. Member Wholesale Grocers' Association. Name Address Amount A letter is then sent from the secretary of the Association to the delinquent, stating that his ac- count has been handed to the Association for collec- tion, and asking him either to remit the amount or to give reasons for not paying it. If the debtor continues contumacious and still 102 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE refuses to repi}", his name and address is given to the members of the Association by a letter similar to the following : — January 31, 19 . PERSONAL. To THE Members of the Wholesale Grocers' Association : You will please take notice that at this date the below mentioned are indebted to a member of this Association to the amount specified. According to the By-laws of the Association, no sale should be made to these persons except for cash before deliv- ery, until they have settled with the member of the Association, notice of which will be promptly furnished. This information is given to you in strict confidence, and with the understanding that you are directly interested in receiving the same for your credit protection. This privileged communi- cation is for your exclusive use, and is not intended to impute dishonesty or financial irresponsibility to the following : — Name Address Amount From the foregoing it will be seen that this plan of protection is very simple, and experience has shown it to be exceedingly effective. Such organizations must be careful, however, not to use their power unfairly or maliciously, otherwise they may partake of conspiracies and render them- selves liable for damages. REQUESTS FOR PAYMENT 103 In this connection it should be stated that a demand for the settlement of an account should not be written upon a postal card, as it may render the writer liable for damages. It is an offense against the postal laws to write anything upon a postal card or upon an envelope which reflects injuriously upon the charac- ter or conduct of another. In one case, on three separate occasions, a postal card was sent to another which had the following notification written on it, viz. : — You owe us f 1.80. We have called several times for the same. If this is not paid at once, we shall place the same with our law agency for collection. This the court held was unlawful, and the writer was subjected to a fine. One would be within the law in writing upon a postal : — Please call and settle account, which is long past due and for which collector has called several times. It is held that this would not be unlawful, since the language cannot be said to be threatening or offensive. The point to remember is, Does the writ- ing threaten or reflect injuriously upon the character or conduct of another f If it does, it is unlawful ; if it does not, it is lawful. A postal card, with a state- ment of account written thereon, may be transmitted through the mails when it does not contain anything 104 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE that reflects or threatens, or any other matter for- bidden by law. The postal department does not hold the usual legal notices sent out by tax collectors that tax is due, or about to become due, written or printed on postal cards, to be unmailable. A person is guilty of the offense under the statute when he mails a letter inclosed in an envelope on which the words " Collecting Agency" are printed in very large, full-faced capital letters w^hich occupy more than half the envelope, and are so placed as to be entirely separate from the direction to return to the sender. Of course one may threaten another in a letter, but even in a letter there are some restrictions. These restrictions are usually prescribed by statutes of the various states, and are intended to prevent the writ- ing of blackmailing letters, — that is, letters written for the purpose of extorting gain by threats. In Pennsylvania the statute on this subject reads : — " If any person shall knowingly send or deliver or utter to any other person, any letter or writing, accusing or threatening to accuse either the person to whom such letter or writing shall be sent or de- livered, or any other person of any crime or mis- demeanor with a view or intent to extort or gain, by means of such threatening letter or writing, any property, moneys, security, or other valuable thing, from any person whatever ; every such offender shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on convic- tion, be sentenced to an imprisonment by separate REQUESTS FOR PAYMENT 105 or solitary confinement at labor, or by simple im- prisonment not exceeding three years, and to pay a fine, not exceeding $1000." Other states have similar provisions. From the above, one can readily see that the sending of threatening letters is a serious offense and meets with severe punishment. To threaten to sue a per- son for an unpaid account is always permissible in a letter, but never on a postal card. Communications of this kind should be by letter. Statute of Limitations. The Statute of Limitations requires an action at law to be brought within a specified time, otherwise all legal redress lapses. The statute begins to run from the time of the contraction of the account or from the time of the last payment. The following table shows within what time ojpen accounts should be collected in the various states : — Alabama . . . Years 3 Indiana . . Years . . 6 Yeans Montana ... 5 Arkansas . . . 3 Iowa . . . . . 5 Nebraska . . . 4 Arizona . . . . 3 Kansas . . . 3 Nevada . . . 4 California . . . Colorado . . . 2 6 Kentucky . Louisiana . . 51 . 3 New Hampshire New Jersey . , 6 6 Connecticut . . 6 Maine . . . . 62 New Mexico . . 4 Delaware . . . Dist. of Columbia 3 3 Maryland . Massachusetts . 3 . 6 New York . . North Carolina . 62 3 Florida . . . . Georgia .... 2 4 Michigan . Minnesota . . . 62 . 6 North Dakota . Ohio .... 6 6 Idaho . . . . Illinois . . . . 4 5 Mississippi . Missouri . . . 3 . 5 Oklahoma . . Oregon . . . 3 6 1 Accounts between merchants two years. 2 Six years from last item. 106 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Years Years Years Pennsylvania . 6 Tennessee . 6 Washington . . 3 Rhode Island . . 6 Texas . . . 2 West Virginia . 5 South Carolina . 6 Utah . . . . 4 Wisconsin . . . 6 South Dakota . 6 Vermont . . Virginia . . . 61 2^ Wyoming . . . 8 The following letters are offered as forms suitable to the circumstances stated : — First: Write a letter to George F. Cook, of Seattle, Wash., stat- ing that you inclose his account to date for $75.80, and asking for a remittance. Second : Mr. Cook has failed to send a remittance for his account in due course of time. Write him another letter, stating that inas- much as you have some heavy bills to meet, you would thank him to give the matter immediate attention. Ask him to send you, at least, something on account. Third: Mr. Cook has failed to respond to your second request. Write him another letter, stating that you have called his attention several times to his account without avail, and that unless you hear from him within a specified time you will be obliged to take legal steps to effect a settlement. (1) Seattle, Wash., March 1, 19 . Mr. George F. Cook, Seattle, Wash. Dear Sir: Herewith please find statement of account to date amounting to $75.80. We would appreciate a re- mittance. Yours truly, Inclosure. 1 Six years from last item. 2 Store accounts ; other accounts, three years ; accounts between mer- chants, five years. REQUESTS FOR PAYMENT 107 (2) Seattle, Wash., April 1, 19 . Mr. George F. Cook, Seattle, Wash. Dear Sir: On March 1 we sent you a statement of your account, amounting to $75.80. We have not, however, had the pleasure of hearing from you. As we have some heavy bills to meet in a few days, could you not conveniently send us the amount, or, at least, let us have something on account? Trusting that we may hear from you, we are Yours very truly, (3) Seattle, Wash., May 1, 19 * Mr. George F. Cook, Seattle, Wash. Dear Sir : We have written you several times concerning your account for $75.80, which has now been standing for some time, but up to the present writing we have not heard from you. We trust that you will give this mat- ter your immediate attention, for we feel obliged to say that unless this account is settled before ^• we shall be compelled to take legal steps for its collection. Yours very truly, A late eminent lawyer, in an authoritative book on Practice, suggests the following form of letter to be used b}^ an attorney when requesting the payment of an account : — 108 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Dear Sir: A claim against you has been placed in my hands for collection, by Mr. E F If you intend to settle it, I shall be happy to see you at my office to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock. Otherwise, please refer me to your counsel. Very respectfully yours, " If the claim involves items of account," he says, "avoid stating the amount in your letter. I have known a lav^yer's mistake in this behalf to embarrass a recovery. Remember here and everywhere that your letter may be read to a jury." ^ It is an interesting fact that it was a jury that prevented the executors of this attorney's estate from receiving a large fee for services. The facts were these : He was employed to conduct a very important and extensive litigation involving nearly 12,000,000, the fee for which, he had verbally informed his client, would be as much as 150,000. During the progress of the litigation he was paid i 9,000. About a month later the client, who lived in France, sent the attorney the sum of 120,000. In acknowledging the receipt of this $20,000 check the attorney wrote a letter in French to his client. This letter was susceptible of two interpretations ; namely, that the payment of the $20,000 was on account, or that it was in full to date. Upon the attorney's death his executors sued the client for a large fee. 1 Brewster, Practice, Vol. I, p. 1. REQUESTS FOR PAYMENT 109 The meaning of the above letter was the important point in the case. Some witnesses testified that it meant " on account," and others that it meant " in full to date." The court charged that the payment of $20,000 was a payment in full to the date of the pay- ment and that nothing could be recovered except for services rendered after that date. The testimony of a number of leading members of the bar was that the services rendered during the whole litigation were worth $100,000. The jury returned a verdict for $12,000, an amount which showed that it covered merely services rendered after the payment of the $20,000. It is quite probable, had the attorney not written the letter mentioned, that his executors would have recovered as much as $50,000. EXAMPLES FOR PRACTICE Exercise 27 Write a letter to Philip Barnes, 19 Main Street, Buffalo, N. Y., requesting the early payment of an account for ^150. This has been standing for several months, and you need the money, as you have to meet bills. Exercise 28 1. Baker & Jones, 246 William Street, New York, N. Y., owe you $ 125. Write therh a brief note, stating that you will draw on them for the amount on the 10th of the following month. 2. The draft drawn on Baker & Jones has been returned with the word " Refused " written on the back. Write them, expressing your surprise and asking for an explanation ; add that unless you receive a satisfactory response by a certain date, you will bring suit. 3. In explanation. Baker & Jones express their regret that they 110 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE were compelled to refuse payment of the draft. Th^y had expected to be able to meet it, but remittances that had been promised were not forthcoming. They inclose their check for $25, and state that they will send the balance within the next month. They express the hope that this will be satisfactory. Write letter. 4. Write letter acknowledging receipt of check for $25, which is placed to the credit of Baker & Jones. State that although the account has been owing much longer than it has been your practice to allow, you are willing to grant the extension asked. Exercise 29 Philip T. Bradley, of Carson City, Nev,, has received an impor- tunate letter dated the 1st of the month fi'om Messrs. Williams & Jennings, Virginia City, Nev., demanding settlement of his account, which has been standing for some time. Write a letter from Bradley to Williams & Jennings, expressing his regret in not having been able to settle before, and explaining that it has been due to unex- pected reverses. Say that he fully intends to settle the indebtedness, and close with the hope that they will give him a little more time. Zbcercise 30 Give an example of a " dun " which might legally be written upon a postal card and of one which might not. Exercise 31 You have just received a monthly statement of your account of $40 from Pittsfield & Sloan, Tacoma, Wash. Write them a letter inclosing check for ten dollars to apply on account, and requesting time on the balance. Make out check and inclose in envelope prop- erly addressed. Exercise 32 Write a letter to the International Electric Co., Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., inclosing statement of account for $225. Mention that you seem to be unable to secure any answer to your letters, and that you will place the matter in the hands of your attorney for suit un- less you hear from them by a specified time. Express the hope that they will not make necessary this extra expense and embarrassment, but that they will send a remittance by return mail. REQUESTS FOR PAYMENT 111 Exercise 33 Write a letter to Smith & Snyder, of Knoxville, Tenn., calling their attention to your account against them for $110, and remind them particularly that three months have passed since you delivered the goods. Inform them that you always make prompt deliveries and expect in return equally prompt payments. Ask them if they would be satisfied if you failed to fill orders with dispatch. Close with a request that they reciprocate your endeavor to please by mak- ing prompt remittance. Exercise 34 1. Prepare a letter to be sent to Thomas & Blair, of Cartersville, S. C, whose account for $22.5 is overdue, requesting them to pay before a certain date, and notifying them that unless they do so their name will be sent to the National Cotton Association for attention. 2. You have not heard from Thomas & Blair. Write a letter to the National Cotton Association, Atlanta, Ga., informing them of Thomas & Blair's delinquency, and requesting that they write to them. 3. Then write a letter from the secretary of the National Cotton Association, Mr. Benjamin T. Hayne, to Thomas & Blair, stating that they have been reported to the Association as being indebted to you to the amount of $225, and requesting a settlement or a statement of the facts of the case. 4. Thomas & Blair ignore the foregoing letter. Prepare a personal and confidential letter to be sent to the members of the National Cot- ton Association, informing them of Thomas & Blair's failure to pay the foregoing account. Exercise 35 1. Write a letter to a delinquent customer, inclosing statement of his account of $375, and asking for an early remittance. 2. The person to whom you have written has given your letter no attention. Write him a second letter more pointed than the first. 3. Write a suitable reply to the above letters, giving absence from city as an explanation of failure to answer former letters, inclosing check for $240, and asking time for the payment of the balance. 112 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE 4. Answer the foregoing, acknowledging the receipt of the check and granting the request, but stipulating a certain date for the bal- ance to be paid. Exercise 36 J. H. Gardner of your city owes you |245. The statutory period for collecting this amount will expire within fifteen days. Write a letter to Gardner, stating that the amount has been due years, and that unless it is paid within five days, it will be necessary for you to bring suit without further notice in order to protect youi* interests. Exercise 37 You are in business in Portland, Oreg. John W. Blair, of the same place, has been owing you $325 for two years. You have learned that he is about to move to Sacramento, Cal., next month. Write him a letter, inclosing a statement of his account, and give full reasons why you shall bring suit against him for the account unless settled within five days. The letter should not be blunt or peremp- tory, but should lay emphasis upon the forfeiture of your legal rights unless immediate action be taken. CHAPTER VII LETTERS OF INTRODUCTION A LETTER of introduction is a letter written by one person to another, introducing a third person, who usually presents the letter to the person to whom it is addressed. Thus, suppose A, living in Boston, is about to visit Chicago. B, also of Boston, who is a friend of A, has a friend, C, in Chicago, whom he is desirous A should meet while there. So B writes a letter ad- dressed to C, introducing A to C. This letter is not mailed, but is given to A, who carries it to Chicago and presents it personally to C upon his arrival there. A letter of introduction should not, of course, be given unless the writer is well acquainted both with the person to whom he is writing and the person to whom he is giving the letter, for otherwise it would be presumptuous and impertinent to do so ; neither should such a letter be written unless the writer feels that it will be agreeable to the persons introduced to meet each other, and that their relations will be mutually agreeable. Letters of introduction have in view either a busi- ness or a social object. While rather general in their I 113 114 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE character, they should always contain some reference which will place the persons en ra^yport with each other. The following is a form of a business letter of introduction : — Boston, Mass., May 10, 19 . Mr. Frank Morris, Masonic Temple, Chicago, 111. Dear Mr. Morris, This will introduce to you (or, I take pleasure in presenting to you) Mr. Joseph Young, a promising attorney of this city. He visits Chicago to interest some capitalists in a corporation he is about to organize. I know him as a trustworthy and able young man of excellent business qualifications, and as worthy of your confidence. Believing that you or some of your friends might be interested in his plans, I have taken the liberty of giving him this letter. Yours very truly, A letter of introduction should never be thrust upon the attention of the one to whom it is addressed at a time when he is busily engaged with other matters. Such a course would be uncivil, and it would defeat the object for which the letter of introduction is given. The following is a form for a social letter of introduction : — 100 BoYLSTON Street, Boston, Mass., May 14, 19 . My dear Mr. Young, The bearer of this, Mr. F. Norman Dixon, is a particular friend of mine, who now only passes LETTERS OF INTRODUCTION 115 through Chicago for San Francisco and the Great Northwest, but on his return may stay in your city for some time. He is a gentleman of excellent character and great merit, and I beg leave to recommend him to your civilities and advice, which will be of great service to him, as he is a stranger in Chicago. As a Yale alumnus, I am sure you will find him con- genial, and any kindness shown to him will be con- sidered as a personal favor. With the greatest esteem and respect, I remain Yours sincerely, WILLIAM LAVERTY. Mr. Joseph W. Young, 81 Prairie Avenue, Chicago, 111. After a letter of introduction has been presented, as a matter of courtesy an acknowledgment of it should be sent to the person who gave it. The fol- lowing is a form of acknowledgment which might be sent by Mr. Young to Mr. Laverty after Mr. Dixon has presented his letter of introduction, viz. : — 81 Prairie Ave., Chicago, May 18, 19 . Dear Mr. Laverty, I received your letter of May 14 by Mr. F. Nor- man Dixon, and thank you for giving me an oppor- tunity of knowing so agreeable a person. I shall be happy to render him any service. Yours sincerely, JOSEPH W. YOUNG. Mr. William Laverty, 100 Boylston Street, Boston, Mass. 116 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE It is customary to leave the letter unsealed, and to write in the lower left-hand corner of the envelope the word " Introducing " and the name of the person introduced, thus: — A business letter of introduction is generally pre- sented personally. A social letter of introduction may be presented personally, or it may be sent by messenger or mail to the addressee, together with the card of the bearer containing the name of the hotel or the address at which he is staying. Circumstances and judgment will determine which manner of pre- senting such a letter will be more convenient and agreeable. LETTEES OF INTRODUCTION 117 EXAMPLES FOR PRACTICE Exercise 38 Write a letter of introduction for Mr. Walter Haines, a friend of yours, who is about to visit Chicago, introducing him to your friend, Howard Fielding, of 335 Michigan Avenue, Chicago. Exercise 39 1. You once expressed yourself as desirous of serving your friend, Mr. Samuel Birch, of Altoona, Pa., in the way of an introduction. He now writes you, asking for a letter of introduction to some good builder in New York with the view of securing orders for building materials which he handles. Write the letter of Mr. Samuel Birch to you. 2. Then write a letter to Mr. Birch acknowledging his letter and request and inclosing a letter of introduction addressed to Mr. William Kilpatrick, Builder, 225 Broadway, New York. Inclose both in envelopes, properly addressed. Exercise 40 Your friend, Henry W. AVilson, 120 N. Third Street, Dubuque, Iowa, asked you some time ago whether you knew of a good book- keeper and correspondent who wished a position. Since then you have learned that J. Horace Morgan, a friend of yours, is looking for such a position. He has had five years' experience, and you have personal knowledge of his efficiency and integrity. Write a letter of introduction for Mr. Morgan to Mr. Wilson. Exercise 41 Your friend, Samuel Dickson, has just finished the manuscript of a textbook on arithmetic, which he is desirous of having published. You are very well acquainted with Frank Jordan of the publishing firm of Hibberd & Hibberd, 150 Fifth Avenue, New York. Write for Mr. Dickson a letter of introduction to Mr. Jordan. 118 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Rserciae 42 Your friend, Greorge H. Stewart, is interested in the sugar refin- ing business, and desires to go through the establishment of the At- lantic Refining Co. You know the superintendent, Mr. Henry Wise. Write a letter to him addressed to 250 S. Water Street, Philadelphia, Pa., recommending Mr. Stewart to his courteous attention. Ezercise 43 Your friend, Mr. Harry Jennings, of this city, is about to visit the Pacific Coast for the benefit of his health and to look after some business interests which he has in San Francisco. In that city you have a friend, Mr. John Hennig, whom you wish Mr. Jennings to meet. Write a suitable letter of introduction for Mr. Jennings. Exercise 44 You live in Canton, Ohio. Mr. Wm. C. O'Neill, of Canton, Presi- dent of the Phoenix Fire Insurance Co., is about to visit Fall River, Mass., for the purpose of forming connections there on behalf of his firm. Write a letter to Messrs. Lingle & Anderson, of Fall River, introducing Mr. O'Neill, and adding that you would be very much obliged to Lingle & Anderson if they would give him the benefit of their assistance and advice, and recommend reliable persons or firms. Thank them for any attention they may give to your request, and in closing state that you will be glad to reciprocate their courtesy when an opportunity offers. CHAPTER VIII LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION A LETTER of recommendation bears testimony to the character or ability of the person concerning whom it is written. Its main essential is truthful- ness. It should not conceal any facts nor overesti- mate the ability of the person recommended. It should not be given to persons of whose real character the writer knows nothing. " Frequently, if a man has no useful talents, is good for nothing, or is indis- creet, profligate, and extravagant," says Benjamin Franklin, " his friends are glad to get rid of him by sending him to some other place ; and for that pur- pose scruple not to recommend him to those they wish should recommend him to others." When not addressed to any one in particular, the correct form of salutation is, "To Whom It May Concern :" Below is an illustration of a letter of recommendation : — To Whom It May Concern: This is to certify that Mr. Henry Hooper has been in our employ for five years past as confidential clerk and bookkeeper. We have always found him faithful 119 120 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE in the discharge of his duties, courteous and obliging, and alive to the interest of his employers. Mr. Hooper is a superior accountant, and well qualified to discharge the duties of an accountant. It gives us pleasure to recommend him to any one who may require his serv- ices, knowing that he will be found reliable in what- ever capacity he may be engaged. GOLDSMITH & JOHNSON. Letters of this kind do not require the usual form of complimentary close, viz., Yours truly, Very truly yours, etc. EXAMPLES FOR PRACTICE Exercise 45 Write a letter recommending J. A. Longstreet as a bookkeeper; mention that he has been in your employ for two years; that his work has been entirely satisfactory ; that he is punctual, accurate, reliable, and thoroughly honest ; that he is an accurate and rapid bookkeeper, and has tact in familiarizing himself with his employer's business so that he is capable of managing as well. He is out of a position owing to the dissolution of your firm. Exercise 46 Frank J. Barrett, a salesman in your employ, is about to leave you. He has been with you during the past four years, during which time he has invariably discharged his duties with skill and ability. He was punctual in his work, courteous to your customers, and reliable in his accounts. Write a proper testimonial embodying the above data. Ezerciae 47 You are in the real estate business. You are about to move to Tacoma, Wash., as a field offering better opportunities. Your clerk, Leon Estilow, will therefore be out of a position. Write a proper testimonial for him. He proved faithful, interested himself in his LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION 121 work, and always performed his duties with accuracy, rapidity, and cheerfulness. Exercise 48 You are in the lumber business. Thomas T. Henderson has been in your employ for the past six years as general manager, but finds it necessary to resign, owing to ill health. His knowledge of the lum- ber business is thorough, and you have always found him courteous, patient with subordinates, aggressive and successful in pushing busi- ness, and splendid in executive ability. He wishes to engage in the same work in western North Carolina. Write a suitable testimonial. Exercise 49 The firm of Robertson & Hunt, of Leadville, Colo., has dissolved partnership. They write letters for the following employees : — 1. A general letter of recommendation for their manager, William Deering, who was with them for eight years. During that time he displayed rare executive ability, and discharged the duties of a responsible position with intelligence and fidelity, and to the satis- faction of all who had business dealings with him. 2. A personal letter for their stenographer. Miss Nina Minard, to Benjamin Thorpe, Esq., Pres. N. & S. Railroad, Leadville, Colo., recommending her as a competent and efficient stenographer, and a tactful and discreet employee. She is not only rapid, accurate, and thoroughly reliable in her work, but her knowledge of bookkeeping and modern business methods, and her executive ability, fit her to fill a responsible position with a railroad corporation. 3. A general letter for the office boy, John Jones, who was a faith- ful, alert, painstaking, and honest employee. He is polite and obedient and thoroughly familiar with office duties. Exercise 50 Mr. Robert S. Spencer has been principal of the public school of Harbor Springs, Mich., for eight years. During that time he successfully performed all the duties in connection with such prin- 122 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE cipalship. T. Sullivan Meade, president of the school board, gives a testimonial commending him to the favorable consideration of others. Spencer is qualified by his character, ability, attainments, and especially by his great energy and industry, to protect and pro- mote the best interests of children and youths intrusted to his care. Write the letter. CHAPTER IX SALESMANSHIP AND CIRCULAR LETTERS A LETTER written for the purpose of effecting sales is a salesmanship letter. Every business letter is, to a certain extent, a salesmanship letter, for each letter makes its impression, and the general reputation of any individual or firm is the composite of cumulated impressions. Every business letter, therefore, no matter how apparently unimportant, should be in good form, businesslike in tone, and show that thought and care have been bestowed upon it. We naturally conclude that one who is careful in one thing is careful in everything and is worthy of confidence. The mere announcement of a reduction in the price of goods by some business houses is more effective than the most flamboyant appeals of others. The style of the salesmanship letter will vary, therefore, with the character of the writer and wdth the class of people to whom it is written. If a business house is solid and conservative in its methods and its clientele is among the educated and refined, its appeals will combine straightforward statement with candor and dignity. 123 124 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE If, on the other hand, a business is conducted to appeal to those who have not been educated or trained to a nice discrimination of quality or lan- guage, strong adjectives, laudatory expressions, and extravagant statements may prove effective. There are several factors v^hich enter into every salesmanship letter : — 1. The letter. 2. The customer. 3. The thing to be sold. If the customer sends in a letter ordering the goods of his own accord, the correspondence incident to the transaction requires merely promptness, courtesy, care, and accuracy. If, however, letters are sent out to in- duce or influence people to buy goods, then the various appeals which influence people (such as an appeal to their tastes, prejudices, pride, power, convenience, comfort, etc.) may be employed. The Letter : The letter should make an instantane- ous appeal by its neatness, its general style and appearance, and its terse, original, and interesting composition. Tlie Customer : The characteristics of the customers or the persons to whom the letter is to be sent, of their tastes, prejudices, education, etc., should be understood and carefully considered by the writer of the letter, and his appeal should then be made to these SALESMANSHIP AND CIRCULAR LETTERS 125 characteristics, otherwise he is firing into the air, in- stead of at a definite object. The Thing to he Sold: This should be described in an interesting and original manner, its advantages presented, and the value of its possession set forth, so as to make it desired by the person addressed. The salesmanship letter, so far as its composition is concerned, may be divided into four parts : — First, an introductory paragraph v^hich will interest, or arouse curiosity concerning the article offered for sale. Second, a paragraph which will show the merits of the article. Third, a paragraph which will show why the per- son addressed should want or desire the article. Fourth, a paragraph which will direct the person to order the article. For example : You have a typewriter to sell. The proposition addressed to the prospective customer, therefore, is "You should have a typewriter." The opening sentence of the letter on this subject should say something striking, if possible, that will keep the mind focused upon the thought « You should have a typewriter." This should be followed by argu- ments and appeals to various human instincts which are calculated to convince and persuade, as, for in- stance, an appeal to 126 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Power : You will be able to do three times as much work as before. Taste : Your letters will be more attractive and their selling power increased. Convenience : Writing upon a typewriter is much less fatiguing than writing by hand. Pride : Business letters written by hand suggest antiquated methods. Property : You will earn more. Reputation : Those doing business with you will be impressed by your letters. In many instances an order blank, a reply postal card, or some other easy and simple means of induc- ing the prospective buyer to order at once, should accompany the sales letter, otherwise the mere phys- ical effort of hunting up pen and paper by which to send in an order may deter one from becoming a customer. In planning a 'selling campaign by means of sales- manship letters, a record of the results of the letters should be carefully kept for study and future guidance. (See p. 194.) Circular Letters : Circular letters are letters which are identical in terms although sent to different per- sons. They are generally written for the purpose of making announcements of general interest, such as SALESMANSHIP AND CIRCULAR LETTERS 127 notifications of changes in partnerships, removals, instructions to agents, announcements of new impor- tations, etc. Circular letters, although reproductions of typewriting, may be sent through the mails as third class matter (two ounces for one cent) when not less than twenty identical copies separately addressed are mailed at post office windows at one time. A circular letter does not lose its character when the date, heading, names of the addressee and of the sender are written therein, nor by the correc- tion of typographical errors. Writing or stamp- ing by hand a name, date, or anything else in the body of a circular letter to complete its sense or to convey information, makes it first class matter. IIlustration You are in business under the name of Sheldon & Price. Pre- pare a circular letter to be sent out to all customers whose accounts are overdue, requesting them to pay before March 1, and notifying them of a proposed change in the management of your business by the retirement of Mr. Frank Price and the admittance of your general manager, Mr. Henry Thurston, as a partner. After March 1 the firm will be known, as Sheldon & Thurston. It is proposed to write a circular letter embodying the data given in the above exercise. There are two thoughts to be presented; namely, (1) request for settlement of account, and (2) notice of change of firm. The following letters show two methods of presenting these thoughts : — 128 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Madison, Wis., February 1, 19 . Mr. J. G. Robinson, Milwaukee, Wis. Dear Sir: We herewith inclose statement of your account to date, and would request, as a special favor, that you send us a remittance before March 1. On that date a change will take place in the management of our business, and we are desirous of closing all outstanding accounts. Mr. Frank Price will retire from the firm, and will be succeeded by our general manager, Mr. Henry Thurston. After March 1 the firm will be known as Sheldon & Thurston. Trusting that we may receive balance due at an early date, and soliciting a continuance of your patronage, we remain Yours very truly, SHELDON & PRICE. Inclosure. Madison, Wis., February 1, 19 . Mr. J. G. Robinson, Milwaukee, Wis. Dear Sir: We hereby notify you that a change will take place in the organization of the firm of Sheldon & Price on March 1, by the retirement of Mr. Frank Price, and the admittance to full partnership of our general manager, Mr. Henry Thurston. After that date the firm will be known as Sheldon & Thurston. We are, therefore, desirous of closing all outstanding accounts before March 1, and would thank you for pay- ment of amount due from you, a statement of which we herewith inclose. SALESMANSHIP AND CIRCULAR LETTERS 129 Trusting that we may receive a remittance at an early- date, and soliciting a continuance of your patronage, we remain Yours very truly, SHELDON & PRICE. Inclosure. It will be seen that the order of presenting the thoughts is reversed. In the first letter, the settle- ment of the account is first requested, followed by the announcement of the change of the firm. In the second, the announcement of the change of firm is first made, followed by request for settlement of account. Both letters convey exactly the same infor- mation in almost the same words. The first letter, however, is recommended as the better circular letter, because the first sentence shows that it is a personal letter, and therefore it would undoubtedly be read entirely through ; whereas the first sentence in the second letter gives the impression of its being a circular letter, and often circular letters are thrown aside without being read. Exercise 51 Mr. John C. Graham, of the firm of John C. Graham & Co., of State and Washington Sts., Chicago, 111., who is in Europe, sends word to the firm that his continued illness makes attention to his business impossible. He therefore desires that letters be sent to his customers informing them that the firm is going out of business. Pre- pare a letter, stating that the entire stock of fine carpetings, Oriental rugs, domestic rugs, and inlaid linoleums will be sold at a great sacrifice ; that the closing-out sale begins on Monday ; that it is the K 130 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE wish of Mr. Graham that the many patrons who have favored the house in past years be invited to share in this money-saving oppor- tunity ; that the stock of the firm is well known to the critical buyers of Chicago, and comprises many exclusive designs. As a guide to prices and values, mention that royal Wilton carpets will be sold as low as $1.25 and body Brussels as low as 75 cents. State that nothing will be reserved. Exercise 52 J. Frank Graff is a young attorney. He studied law with Messrs. Webster & Clay, of Rochester, N. Y., and has had three years' practi- cal experience with them. He is about to establish offices at 1001 Ellicott Building, Buffalo, N. Y. Write a circular letter announcing this fact to be sent to a selected list of individuals; his endeavor will be to act with promptness and efficiency, as well as with a due regard to economy in all matters intrusted to his care. Exercise 53 Howard Fielding, of Denver, Colo., has been appointed agent to sell steam and power specialties. Write a circular letter in his name, apprising those interested of this fact. Give as reasons for soliciting trade that the specialties are standard articles, and that he is able to conduct any transactions and execute any orders committed to his charge in a speedy, economical, and satisfactory manner. Assurance might be given that no exertion would be spared to promote the interests of his patrons. Give references as to ability and integrity. Add some complimentary close. Exercise 54 Robert Nisbet lives in Spokane, Wash. He has taken the prem- ises, 239 Market Street, lately occupied by Mr. Samuel Fisher (deceased), and has succeeded to the stationery business carried on therein for nearly twenty years. He is anxious to retain all the old customers. Write a circular letter to be sent to all Mr. Fisher's customers stating these facts, and assuring them that he will endeavor to give the same satisfaction as his predecessor; that the mode of conducting the business will be changed only so far as is SALESMANSHIP AND CIRCULAR LETTERS 131 necessary to give increased efficiency and to meet the requirements of improved methods. Ask for the kind continuance of customers' support, and say that the new management will endeavor to deserve their confidence. Exercise 55 Baines, Slider & Co. are engaged in the wholesale dry goods business, at 300 Adams Street, Chicago, 111. Mr. Slider has retired from the concern, and two clerks, named Procter A. Wetherill and John W. Hallahan, have been admitted to succeed him ; the style of the new firm will be Baines, Wetherill & Hallahan. Prepare a cir- cular to be sent to customers and correspondents, notifying them of the change, and soliciting a continuance of patronage to the new firm. Exercise 56 The mercantile establishments of T. Rodgers & Co. and J. Powell & Co., of Baltimore, Md., have united under the firm name of Rodgers, Powell & Co. They will devote their attention principally to the commission business, in which the shipping of produce will form an important feature. Write a circular letter in the name of Rodgers, Powell & Co., making this announcement, and embodying a paragraph stating that owing to their experience in the business they venture to say that they will be able to execute any commission intrusted to them with satisfaction, and that neither zeal nor attention will be wanting to insure to their patrons every advantage that the markets afford. Their offices will be at 27-31 Liberty Street, Baltimore, Md. Exercise 57 Miller Bros. & Baker, of 129 De Kalb Street, St. Louis, Mo., are in the real estate and fire insurance business. The firm represents a number of the largest, strongest, and best companies in the country, and is prepared to write insurance on every kind of property. They claim to handle all business carefully and honestly, and in the interest of their patrons. Prepare a circular letter for them, stating that they would like to take up the question of writing fire insurance, and expressing their confidence that it will result in tlie correspondent's advantage to permit them to quote rates on his business. They ask 132 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE that a time be set when their representative may call, as they realize that it is not always convenient to grant a personal interview with- out notice, and that insurance is wanted only at certain times. Exercise 58 The copartnership existing between William Warren and Robert C. Bruce, of Oswego, N. Y., manufacturing chemists, trading as Warren & Bruce, has been dissolved by the death of Robert C. Bruce. All claims will be settled by the surviving partner, William Warren. The business will be continued under the same title and firm name, the interest formerly held by the late Mr. Bruce having been assumed by his widow, Anne M. Bruce. Write a circular letter in the name of Warren & Bruce embodying the above facts. Exercise 59 Mr. John Turvey has been in the employ of Sterling & Taylor, of Springfield, Mass., for the past ten years as collecting agent. They have lately found that he has been in collusion with the bookkeeper, Frank Jordon, in embezzling funds. Both have been discharged. AVrite a circular letter in the name of Sterling & Taylor to be sent to all their customers notifying them of these facts, and further state that neither has any authority to act for Sterling & Taylor in any capacity. They ask that this information be noted for mutual protection. Add names of their successors. Exercise 60 1. Hibbard & Young, of 215 Fifth Avenue, New York, are pub- lishers of an exclusive set of Shakespeare's works in five volumes, at ^5 a volume bound in morocco. The edition has been prepared under the direction of most eminent scholars, and is beautifully illustrated with steel engravings in character of the most famous actors and actresses from the time of Garrick to the present day. Each play is followed by the best criticism of it which has ever been written, selected by the editors, and by a collection of literary and oratorical allusions to the play made by famous men in their writings and speeches. This feature is not found in any other work, and is SALESMANSHIP AND CIRCULAR LETTERS 133 unusually interesting and valuable. The edition is limited. Write a sales letter embodying these facts, also the conditions of sale, which are $5 upon acceptance of the set, and $1 per month there- after until the full amount is paid. Limit the acceptance of this offer to a specific date. 2. The time limit of the preceding offer has elapsed. Hibbard & Young write a second sales letter to the same party, repeating the substance of the first letter. The larger part of the edition has been sold. As they are desirous that the books shall be in the hands only of those who are students of Shakespeare, and as they have the utmost confidence in the value of their exceptional offer, they extend the time fifteen days to give an opportunity of inspec- tion. For this purpose they will send the books by express, prepaid, for personal examination. Write a letter embodying these facts. 3. Ten of the fifteen days' extension have expired. Hibbard & Young write a third letter to the effect that they feel that their pre- vious letter must have been overlooked, as they cannot believe that any one interested in the works of Shakespeare should not at least care to inspect so unusual an edition, especially as it may be exam- ined without expense. As the books are selling very rapidly and will not be duplicated, they feel that this is the last opportunity for secur- ing a noteworthy edition, and they therefore urge consideration of their offer which expires on . Write this letter. Note. Sales letters making an offer should limit the time within which the offer may be accepted. This limitation has the effect of arousing a livelier interest in the offer, and makes the offer appear special and more personal. By limiting the time, the writer may, just before the expiration of the time, revive interest in his original offer by sending a second letter extending the time ; and then, just before the expiration of the extension granted, impel to action, by sending a third letter stating how many have accepted the offer and that it is the last opportunity. CHAPTER X LETTERS OF APPLICATION Probably the writing of no other form of letter causes the young person such anxiety as the letter of application. There could be no greater pleasure than the prescribing of a formula for such a letter which would always bring success. When, however, there are many applicants from whom only one is to be chosen, there must naturally be many disappointments. All other things being equal, the letter that is conven- tional in form, clear in penmanship, neat in appear- ance, correct in grammar, punctuation, and spelling, frank and terse in expression, will unquestionably receive the most careful consideration. Such letters are most frequently written in answer to an advertisement in a newspaper like the follow- ing : — SALESMAN — An old-established house can use an energetic, experienced salesman in the paint and varnish line ; one who prefers an outside position ; age not over thirty-five years ; to such a man as can fill the requirements a good opportunity is oflFered. Inclose testimonials. Address H 86, News Office. On page 135 is shown a form of letter written in reply to the above advertisement. It illustrates the characteristics of such a letter. 134 LETTERS OF APPLICATION 135 Answer ^.^-oo^ty^ ^'OO^. If testimonials are requested, copies should be made and inclosed. The originals should not be sent. Copies should be marked " copy " and the word 136 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE " Signed " in parentheses should be placed before the signature. Copy 1217 Market Street, Philadelphia, December 1, 19 . To Whom It May Concern: This is to certify that Mr. Charles F. Hobart was in our employ for five years as a traveling salesman. We found him trustworthy, capable, tactful, and entirely satisfactory in every way. He was successful in his line of work, and we have no hesitation in recommending him to any one who desires his services. (Signed) CLARK & THOMAS. A letter of application should have two or three parts, viz. : first, an introduction ; second, a state- ment of qualifications followed by the names and addresses of references if these are requested ; and, third, an appropriate close. A stamp should not be inclosed for a reply. If the letter is deficient in other respects, the mere fact that a stamp has been inclosed does not entitle it to a reply. Exercise 61 Answer the following advertisement : — BOOKKEEPER AND GENERAL MANAGER WANTED — An experienced bookkeeper, corre- spondent, and practical business man wanted to take charge of a lumber company at Williamsport, Pa. Liberal salary will be paid to the right man. Address, stating age and experience to Williamsport Lumber Co., Williamsport, Pa. (Embody the following qualifications: you are 35 years of age; were bookkeeper for ten years with an LETTERS OF APPLICATION" 137 iron and steel corporation and also attended to a large part of the correspondence. You have had experience on the road selling goods and in making large contracts; you have met many prominent and influential business men, and transacted business successfully with them. You have had no experience in the lumber business, but with your experience in business in general and your ability as a bookkeeper and correspondent in particular, you feel that you could fill the position in question acceptably.) Exercise 62 Address a letter to the Secretary of the Board of Education, San Francisco, Cal., making application for a position as principal of a grammar school. You are qualified for the position intel- lectually, as attested by a diploma from Amherst College, and a Doctor's Degree in Philosophy from Harvard University; morally, as attested by an upright life to which all who know you can testify ; practically, as attested by eight years' service in the schools of Bos- ton. Give three names for references as to your ability, proficiency, and success. Close with thanks for any consideration that your letter may receive. Exercise 63 1. Mr. John H. Holly has been informed by Mr. A. W. Apple- gate of (give an address) that the firm of Roberts & Liggett of (address) will shortly have a vacancy in their office for a clerk pro- ficient in bookkeeping, stenography, typewriting. Mr. Holly was graduated from a high school (give name), after which he took a two years' business course at (give name of a school), where he studied bookkeeping, stenography, typewriting, and correspondence. He has a working knowledge of these subjects and feels capable of satisfying the demands of an office clerkship. Write letters of appli- cation from Mr. Holly to Roberts & Liggett, giving the above facts ; add the names of two references, and close with the observation that if his application is entertained, he will do his utmost to justify the confidence that may be placed in him. 138 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE 2. Roberts & Liggett have before them Holly's letter and a reply from Mr. (one of the references), to whom they wrote upon receipt of Holly's application. The letter of reference gives a favorable account of Mr. Holly and satisfactory assurance as to his personal character. They take pleasure in informing Holly that they offer him the position of assistant bookkeeper and correspondent in their office at a salary af $500 per annum. He should report for duty on (give a date). Write letter from Roberts & Liggett to Holly to this effect. Exercise 64 1. Write newspaper advertisement " copy " for a bank clerk not over twenty years of age. Must be of neat appearance, good pen- man, rapid calculator, and have some knowledge of commercial law and negotiable paper. State that applicant should write letter of application in his own handwriting and inclose copies of credentials. 2. Then write letter of application from James G. Roberts (give an address), who has the following qualifications: he has been gradu- ated from a commercial high school, where he received training in penmanship, rapid calculation, commercial law, negotiable paper, and other commercial subjects. His style of penmanship is shown in the letter he writes; he received special commendation for rapid and accurate calculations from his teacher. Professor Samuel Huntington, a copy of whose testimonial he incloses ; he believes he has an intel- ligent understanding of the elementary principles of commercial law and negotiable contracts. He also incloses a testimonial from his pastor, Rev. Alexander Williams. Write letter. 3. Write general testimonial letter from Professor Samuel Hunt- ington. Speak of Mr. Roberts's high standing in his class, both as regards his ability and his manly and uniformly courteous bearing toward teachers and fellow-students, and the intelligence, enthusiasm, and determination shown in all his work. 4. Write the testimonial of Rev. Alexander Williams, who speaks of Mr. Roberts as a worthy son of a highly respected family; of his attractive personality ; and of the regard in which he is held by all who know him. LETTERS OF APPLICATION 139 Exercise 65 Answer the following advertisement : — WANTED — TO TAKE CHARGE OF CREDIT DEPARTMENT, AN EXPERIENCED BOOKKEEPER AND GOOD CORRESPONDENT; BEST REFERENCES REQUIRED AND MAN UNDER 30 PRE- FERRED. ADDRESS H. B. 396, HERALD. Embody the following qualifications: you are 28 years of age. You have had seven years' business experience as a double entry bookkeeper and correspondent. You are also familiar with all the best methods of investigating credit, and have the tact and executive ability which you feel would enable you successfully to take charge of a credit department. You are at present head bookkeeper for ^ to whom you are at liberty to refer. Your reason for seeking a change is that you desire a position where initiative and executive ability would have more opportunity. (After writing the preceding the teacher should prepare other exercises which will fit the needs and qualifications of the individual students.) CHAPTER XI TELEGRAMS AND CABLEGRAMS Telegrams. The essential qualities, in the writing of telegrams, are clearness and brevity. To the ex- tent that either is lacking the expense of this method of communication is increased. Expressions used in letters for the sake of politeness or ornament are omitted from telegrams ; the latter should contain only the bare gist of what one has to say, and this stated clearly and unmistakably, but as briefly as possible. It is quite customary after a telegram is sent to follow it up with a letter of confirmation and explanation. Such letters generally begin as follows : « We wired you this morning as follows " (then fol- lows copy of telegram) ; this is then generally fol- lowed by more detailed information. Or "Confirming telegram of this date," etc. The telegraph companies of the United States, in order to encourage the use of their service for busi- ness and social purposes, have classified their service as follows : — 1. Day Message. 2. Night Message. 3. Day Letter. 4. Night Letter. 140 TELEGRAMS AND CABLEGRAMS 141 Day Message. The day message takes precedence in transmittal over all other matter. The charge for a day message is generally upon the basis of ten words. Nothing is gained, therefore, by reducing such a message below ten words, as the charge is the same ; an additional charge is made for every word above ten. There is no charge for the name and address of the addressee nor for a signature. Com- pound words are counted as one word, e.g.^ to-day, to- morrow, etc. Figures, decimal points, punctuation marks, bars of division, and letters (except pronounce- able groups of letters, such as form codes) will be counted each separately as one word. In ordinal numbers, the affixes st^ nd, rd^ and th will each be counted as one word. Numbers, therefore, should be spelled out. A.M., P.M., F.O.B. (or fob), C.O.D. (or cod), C.I.F. or C.F.I, (or cif or cfi), O.K., per cent, cwt., are each counted as one word. Night Message. The telegraph companies will re- ceive at reduced rates messages to be sent during the night for delivery not earlier than the morning of the next ensuing business day. Such messages are called night messages. Day Letter. The telegraph companies will receive day letters, to be transmitted at rates lower than the standard day message rate, as follows : — One and one-half times the standard night letter rate shall be charged for the transmission of fifty 142 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE words or less, and one-fifth of the initial rate of such fifty words shall be charged for each additional ten words or less. Day letters may be forwarded by the telegraph companies as a deferred service, and the transmission and delivery of such day letters is, in all respects, subordinate to the priority of transmis- sion and delivery of regular day messages. Day letters shall be written in plain English. Code language is not permitted. Day letters may be delivered by the telegraph com- panies by telephoning the same to the addressee. The telegraph companies do not guarantee to de- liver a day letter on the day of its date. Night Letter. The telegraph companies will re- ceive not later than midnight night letters, to be transmitted only for delivery on the morning of the next ensuing business day, at rates still lower than its standard night message rates, as follows : — The standard day rate for ten words shall be charged for the transmission of fifty words or less, and one-fifth of such standard day rate for ten words shall be charged for each additional ten words or less. Night letters may be mailed at destination by the telegraph company to the addressees, and the com- pany shall be deemed to have made proper delivery. Night letters must be written in plain English. Code language is not permitted. TELEGRAMS AND CABLEGRAMS 143 Cablegrams. The cost of sending cablegrams is very great, a rate of nearly two dollars a word being charged in some instances. Every word, including name, address, and signature, is charged for, and a word of more than fifteen letters is counted as two words ; for example, the word " unconstitu- tional " in a cablegram would be regarded as two words. Various ingenious methods of lessening this expense have been devised ; the most familiar of these is the code or cipher system. By this system a word or a pronounceable group of letters is made to repre- sent a phrase or a sentence. For example, " Clanum largely laplander" may be made to mean " Do you au- thorize me to buy (clanum) Registered 3's of 1908-18 (largely) answer by telegraph (laplander)." Houses that have a foreign trade use a code and have a cable address, that is, a word which represents their name and address ; e.g.^ "Typist " for The Typewriter Manu- facturing Co., 300 Broadway, New York. These cable addresses are kept in a directory by the cable com- panies ; by reference to such directory the full name and address of the individual or firm represented by a particular word may be found. It is possible for any business house to devise a code that will satisfactorily meet its particular requirements. The code system may be used also for inland telegraphing. A cable code word must not contain more than ten letters. In writing cablegrams in code language it is 144 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE frequently necessary to use in addition plain language. In such cases the plain language as well as the code language is charged for at the rate of one word for every ten characters or fraction thereof. When, how- ever, extraordinary conditions arise, to which the code system cannot be readily adapted, as, for instance, the war between Russia and Japan, other abbreviated means of communication are devised. A correspond- ent sending information in such cases is expected to omit all unnecessary words, provided the sense is re- tained. By abbreviations and compoundings he may convey the sense of several words in one. The fol- lowing is a portion of a cablegram from Korea : — thirteenth division destroyers started Parthur snow- storm boats lost each other separated only Hayatori and Asagari reached Parthur Asagari sighted entrance three clock smorning received heavy fire batteries scouts entered discharged torpedo at warship smoking funnel Then emerged safe returning fire of enemy boats This appears to the reader as follows : — "The thirteenth division of torpedo-boat destroyers started for Port Arthur in a heavy snowstorm. The boats lost sight of each other and became separated. Only the Hayatori and the Asagari reached Port Arthur. The Asagari was sighted at the en- trance to the harbor at 3 o'clock on the morn- ing of the 14th, and was received by a heavy fire from the shore batteries and from scout- ing torpedo boats. She entered the harbor TELEGRAMS AND CABLEGRAMS 145 and discharged a torpedo at a warship from whose funnel smoke was ascending. Then she emerged safely, returning the fire of the enemy's torpedo boats." The part of the dispatch reproduced contains 43 words ; as printed there are 101. When a cable message costs close to two dollars a word, the saving by such condensation is obvious. COMMON CODE WORDS CoDB "Word Phrase or Sentence Achmetha. Advise you not to. Badekappe. Complied with your request. Baugnawn. Consider him good for amount named. Carbonases. Did not think it advisable to. Desautorar. Expense to be divided between. Fattorina. In accordance with terms of contract. Incubuses. Olive oil. Infacundos. Opportunity likely to occur at any time. Infanti. Option twenty -four hours. Immanibus. Note was not protested. Institisse. Particulars cannot be obtained. Kassenbuch. Profit in it. Keimgang. Prompted to. Kelitah. Proper authority to. Kentaur. Property advertised for sale. Lachsartig. Received instructions regarding. Larynx. Coupon 3.65's of District of Columbia. Lassitude. Buy for us and charge to our account. Lassans. Remainder to be completed. Lastigheid. Remember anything about it. Launch. Your financial standing being unknown, we will send goods C.O.D. unless other- wise instructed. Launched. Kindly send us references as to your finan- cial standing, or shall we ship via freight with draft attached to bill of lading. Laundry. Delivery to be made in Washington. League. Have you received our letter of . . . Leptitani. Reserve accommodations for Leptolena. Reserve good room for Lettuce. Can deliver part of your order at once. Shall we ship portion or hold till we can make one complete shipment ? 146 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE COMMON CODE WORDS — Continued Code Word Phrase or Sentence Malignify. Ship the following goods via Melainique. Should not take less than Obstnionat. Was it absolutely necessary to Opspringen. Will you join me? Sweetheart. Twelve thousand dollars. Trafagasen. Thirty-nine barrels. Tragopes. Thirty-nine gallons. Vacamos. Burlington, Cedar Rapids, and Northern Railroad. Vallifilix. Pennsylvania Railroad. Vellestria. Pacific Coast S.S. Co. Exercise 66 Telegraph Wilson, Bliss & Co., Ilion, N. Y., manufacturers of typewriters and of typewriting paper, for 20 reams legal Paragon paper and a No. 7 typewriter with elite type, to be sent immediately to you by Adams Express, C.O.D. Do not exceed ten words. Exercise 67 As private secretary to Theodore Williams you telegraphed at his request to George P. Upham, Esq., 27 Beekman Street, New York, as follows, " Mr. Williams desires interview your office next Wednesday morning eleven." Write a letter confirming this telegram, stating that Williams desires to consult Upham concerning some new evi- dence relating to his (Ws) suit with the Transcontinental Railroad Company, and expressing the hope that it will be convenient to Mr. Upham to see Mr. Williams. Exercise 68 Telegraph to Pullman Agent, 23d Street Station, New York, reserv- ing for the 25th instant a drawing room on train leaving at twelve o'clock for St. Louis from the 23d Street Station. Not over ten words. Exercise 69 A. J. Smith, Erie, Pa., sends a telegraphic message to The John- ston Paper Company, Harrisburg, Pa., for 90 reams of French, bond TELEGRAMS AND CABLEGRAMS l47 paper, light blue tint, 20 x 24, the heaviest weight they have. Paper to be shipped by P. R. R. freight at earliest date. Write the message. Must not exceed thirteen words. Exercise 70 You live in Washington, D. C, and desire to purchase on account ^50,000 worth of coupon 3.65's of District of Columbia, which you desire to have delivered in Washington. Send a code message to The National City Bank of New York, N.Y., with which you deal, plac- ing the above order. Exercise 71 You are in business in Hong Kong, China. Telegraph in code to Murray & Sieber, Ontario, Cal., whose cable address is "Mursie," for thirty-nine gallons of olive oil to be shipped by the Pacific Coast Steamship Company. Exercise 72 You visit Duluth, Minn., and find an opportunity to buy some very desirable real estate on the principal business street at a price that will insure large profit. The agent has agreed to hold it open for you for twenty-four hours. You want your partner's assent to a joint investment of $12,000 in this property. His address is J. F. Mills, 32 Adams Street, Chicago, 111. Write a code telegram that will give him all the information needed. CHAPTER XII THE MAKING OF CONTRACTS BY MAIL AND BY TELEGRAPH Promptness in writing letters is a cardinal virtue ; in some cases promptness is a legal necessity as well. It is a maxim of the law that " equity will not assist those who slumber on their rights." It may be added that the law will not aid those who are dilatory in writing letters. It is, therefore, necessary to act without delay in the following cases : — 1. In making contracts by mail. 2. In countermanding orders. 3. In accepting an offer to sell something fluctuating in value. 4. In stoppage in transitu. There are a few simple rules of law in regard to the making of contracts by mail and by telegraph which should be fully understood. If one offers to sell anything by letter he cannot, of course, know whether his offer has been accepted until he receives a definite response or until after the lapse of reasonable time. Under all circumstances when an offer has been made by letter there is a lapse of time. During this period events may occur which will affect the desirability of the contract in impor- 148 CONTRACTS BY MAIL AND BY TELEGRAPH 149 tant respects. Unless one bears in mind the law gov- erning the subject in writing his letters, and safeguards himself during this interval, he may suffer consider- able loss, as will be shown in the cases that follow. When an offer is made by correspondence, the question occurs, At what time, or by what act, is the contract completed ? The law as now settled in this country may be stated thus : if A sends an offer by letter to B, and B accepts the offer, the moment B mails his letter the contract is completed and A is bound, although he may not know that he is bound until he receives B's letter. A may, how- ever, withdraw the offer at any time before accept- ance ; but it is not withdrawn in law until a notice of withdrawal readies B. This is the important point. Thus A, in Boston, writes to B, in New Orleans, offering him a certain price for one hundred bales of cotton, and the next day A changes his mind, and writes to B, withdrawing his offer ; if the first letter reaches B hefore the second reaches him, B has a right to accept the offer and by his acceptance he binds A. But if B delays his acceptance until the letter of withdrawal reaches him, it is then too late to accept. The acceptance is good if B writes to A declaring his acceptance, and puts the letter into the post office or letter box. As soon as the letter is in the control of the postal authorities, the acceptance is complete. That is, on December 5, A, in Boston, writes to B, in New 150 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Orleans, offering to buy cotton from him at a cer- tain price. On December 6, A writes that he has changed his mind and cannot give so much, and mails the letter. On December 8, B, in New Orleans, receives the first letter, and the next day, the 9th, answers it, saying that he accepts the offer and mails the letter. On the 10th, he receives the second letter of A withdrawing the offer. Nevertheless the bargain is complete and the goods are sold. But if B had kept his letter of acceptance until he had received A's letter of withdrawal, he could not have put his letter into the mail and bound A by his acceptance. The person making the offer by letter may with- draw it by telegraph or any other means, and any withdrawal, however made, terminates the offer, if it reaches the other party before his acceptance. Thus if A, in the case just stated, had telegraphed B on the 8th that he desired to cancel the offer sent in his letter of the 5th, and this telegram had been deliv- ered to B before he mailed his acceptance, the with- drawal would be effectual. The advantages of the telegraph in withdrawing an offer made by letter are obvious. A few illustrations will make this clearer. In the following cases the acceptance is communicated to A because it is communicated to his agent, and a con- tract is complete, though the acceptance may he delayed or lost. As between the sender of a letter and the CONTRACTS BY MAIL AND BY TELEGRAPH 151 person to whom it is addressed, the post office is the agent of the sender. The sender impliedly makes the mail and telegraph his agent when he uses them to make his offer. (1) A sends an offer by his office hoy to B. B delivers his acceptance to the hoy. (2) A makes an offer hy mail requesting a reply by mail. B mails his acceptance. (3) A makes an offer to B hy mail, but says nothing as to how the acceptance is to be made. B mails his acceptance. (4) A telegraphs B an offer, adding " wire me your reply." B hands his acceptance to the telegraph company. (5) A telegraphs B an offer. B hands his acceptance to the telegraph company. In all the cases cited below, there is no communica- tion of the acceptance to C until he actually receives it, and if it is delayed or lost in transit there is no contract. (6) C sends an offer hy his office hoy to D. D examines it, and immediately sends his own clerk with his acceptance to C. (7) C sends an offer by his servant to D, and D immedi- ately mails his acceptance to C. (8) C makes an offer to D by mail, and D dispatches his clerk to C with his acceptance. (9) C makes an offer to D by mail, and D telegraphs his acceptance to C. (10) C wires an offer to D, and D mails his acceptance to C. (11) C makes an offer to D by mail, conditional on the acceptance heing received by him by a certain day. D mails his acceptance to C. 152 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE In making an offer by mail, therefore, it is well to state in the letter that unless a reply is received within a certain time, the writer will consider the offer refused. It is especially important for the writer to safeguard himself in some such way in offering to buy or sell something which is fluctuating in value or which cannot be readily duplicated. Sir Frederick Pollock remarks concerning the law on this subject, " The practical conclusion seems to be that every pru- dent man who makes an offer of any importance by letter should expressly make it conditional on his ac- tual receipt of an acceptance within some definite ti7)%eP On December 2, an insurance company wrote to William Tayloe, offering to insure his house for 88000, upon his (T's) paying a premium of $57. The letter contained this sentence, " Should you desire to effect the insurance, send me your chech, payable to my order, for |57, and the business is concluded^ Through misdirection, T did not receive the letter until December 20, when he immediately accepted the offer by letter, inclosing his check for |57, w^hich he mailed, but which was not received by the insur- ance company before December 31. On December 22, Tayloe's house was destroyed by fire. The insur- ance company, learning of the fire, refused to accept T's check when received, stating that inasmuch as the house was destroyed they could not insure it. T, however, claimed that he had accepted their propo- CONTRACTS BY MAIL AND BY TELEGRAPH 153 sition before the house burned and that, therefore, the insurance company was liable. He sued the company for the 18000 and recovered the full amount (9 Howard, U. S. 390). Had the insurance company written, " TJ;pon receipt of your check, payable to our order, the insurance will be effected," it would have protected itself against the contin- gency that happened. C wrote to W, " Upon an agreement to finish the fitting up of offices 57 Broadway in two weeks from date, you may begin at once." W did not answer the letter. He intended, however, to accept the offer, and bought lumber with which to do the work. The next day the proposition was countermanded, and W w^as left with the lumber on his hands. He tried to hold C for the price of the lumber, but the court held that he could not, as there was no contract (46 N. Y. 467). Had W written immediately in reply to A's let- ter, " I agree to fit up offices 57 Broadway, New York, in two weeks from ," and mailed it, C would have been bound. This case shows the importance of acknowledging the receipt of letters. On Saturday, July 31, A offered by telegraph a quantity of oil at fifty-eight cents. The telegram was not delivered to B until Monday, August 2, between 8 and 9 o'clock. On Tuesday, August 3, about 9 o'clock, B deposited a telegram with the telegraph 154 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE company, accepting the offer. Later in the same day, A sent B a telegram withdrawing the offer of July 31 ; but B replied that sale was effected, and tried to hold A. The court held, however, that there was no con- tract, as B had not accepted within a reasonable time (4 Dillon, 431). Telegraph offers require immediate answers. Had B answered the same day that he re- ceived the telegram, A would probably have been held. A, the proprietor of a theater, telegraphed to B, who was a playwright, concerning a certain play : " What are your terms for Fernande ? Can I pro- duce it May 7 ? " B answered : " Twenty dollars per night. You may announce it for May 7. If you agree, will send scene plot to-night. Answer." A replied : " Agreed to terms. Piece announced for May 7. Send manuscript and plot immediately." B sent the manuscript and plot, but A did not exhibit the piece. It was held that these messages established a contract between the parties for the exhibition of the play on May 7, and that the plaintiff was entitled to recover the price named for one night and no more. Business circulars. " Care should always be taken not to construe as an agreement letters which the parties intend only as preliminary negotiations." (Foster, J., in Lyman -y. Robinson, 14 Allen, 254.) Business circulars, stating terms upon which goods CONTRACTS BY MAIL AND BY TELEGRAPH 155 may be ordered, sent to persons to attract their at- tention to a particular business, are not offers which become binding contracts on their acceptance by the persons addressed. (Moulton v. Kershaw, 59 Wis. 316.) If a person accepts from the post office a periodical sent to him through the mails, he is bound to pay the subscription price. Where an individual makes an offer by mail, which expressly or by implication requires an answer by return mail, the offer can continue only for a limited time, and the making of it is accompanied by an im- plied stipulation that the answer will be sent by return post. If an offer is made by letter, the proposer requesting an answer by telegraph, " yes " or "no," and stating that unless he receives the answer by a certain date he " shall conclude no," the offer is made dependent upon an actual receipt of the telegram on or before the date named. Bills are frequently sent out with these words stamped across the face, viz., "10 per cent discount if paid on or before the 15th." Where such a bill is sent by mail, the person receiving it is entitled to the discount if he mails the remittance any time before midnight of the 15th, although the remittance may not be received before the 16th or 17th or later. If a seller makes a mistake in price in offering goods by letter, and the buyer accepts the offer. 156 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE the seller can, nevertheless, in some cases, escape from the contract, on the ground of mistake. Thus, in the case of Mummenhoff & Co. v. Randall (19 Ind. App. 44), Randall wrote to Mummenhoff & Co., quoting a price on potatoes. The letter was dictated to a stenog- rapher, and by mistake the stenographer wrote thirty- five cents per bushel instead of fifty-five cents, as was dictated to her. Upon receipt of this letter, Mum- menhoff & Co. replied by mail, and ordered several carloads of the potatoes. The potatoes were shipped. After shipment, R, in looking over his correspondence, noticed the mistake and at once telegraphed M. & Co. the correct price. M. & Co. received this telegram before the arrival of the potatoes. Notwithstanding this, they accepted the potatoes upon their arrival. The court held, under the circumstances, that M. & Co. should pay at the rate of fifty-five cents per bushel, but intimated that had M. & Co. received the potatoes and disposed of them before they had received R's telegram notifying them of the mistake, they could not have been held to pay more than thirty-five cents. Stoppage in transitu is a right which the seller has to repossess himself of goods not paid for, while in the possession of a carrier on their way to the pur- chaser. The right may be exercised only when the following conditions exist : — 1. The amotint for which the goods were sold must be wholly or partly unpaid. CONTRACTS BY MAIL AND BY TELEGRAPH 157 2. They must be in the hands of a third person in transit. 3. The buyer must be insolvent or unable to pay his debts. The seller exercises this right at his own peril ; if the seller stops the goods when the buyer is solvent, he may be compelled to deliver them, and will also be liable to the buyer for all damage that may have resulted from the stoppage. The notice should de- scribe the goods, state that the right of stoppage in transitu exists, and order the carrier not to deliver them to the consignee. For example, a manufacturer of electrical supplies in Philadelphia, Pa., ships to a dealer in Scranton, Pa., by the P. & R. Freight Com- pany, a box of supplies ; the next morning he learns that the dealer has failed. If he desires to repossess himself of the goods, he should deliver or send to the P. & R. Freight Company without delay a notice like the following : — Philadelphia, Pa., February 9, 19 . P. & R. Freight Company, 12th & Market Streets, Philadelphia, Pa. Gentlemen : We delivered to you yesterday, February 8, a box of goods consigned to the Electric Company, Scranton, Pa. Circumstances have since arisen which warrant our exercising our right of stoppage in transitu. Please, therefore, hold the goods subject to our order. Yours very truly, 158 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Exercise 73 1. As between the sender of a letter and the person to whom it is addressed, in what capacity does the post ofl&ce act ? 2. At what precise moment does the acceptance of an ofEer by mail bind the contract ? 3. What conclusion does Sir Frederick Pollock draw from the rule that " a person who makes an offer by letter or by telegraph becomes bound by contract the moment the offeree dispatches his acceptance by mail or by telegraph"? 4. In the following cases the acceptances are not received within a reasonable time because of delays of various kinds. State in which, however, there is legally a communication of the acceptance and con- sequently a complete contract, and in which there is no contract, viz.: — (1) C sends an offer by his clerk to D. D delivers his acceptance to the clerk. (2) A sends an offer by a servant to B. B examines it and immediately sends his own servant with his acceptance to A. (3) A sends an offer by his servant to B, and B immedi- ately mails his acceptance to A. (4) C makes D an offer by mail, requesting a reply by mail. D mails his acceptance. (5) C makes an offer to D by mail, and D sends his clerk to C with his acceptance. (6) A makes an offer to B by mail, and B telegraphs his acceptance to A. (7) A makes an offer to B by mail, saying nothing as to how the acceptance is to be made. B mails his acceptance. (8) D telegraphs E an offer, adding, " Wire me your reply." E hands his acceptance to the telegraph company. CONTRACTS BY MAIL AND BY TELEGRAPH 159 (9) D wires an ofEer to E, and E mails his acceptance toD. (10) A telegraphs an offer to B. B hands his acceptance to the telegraph company. 5. On June 1, A offers by letter to sell B 100 shares of stock at ^10 a share, and demands an immediate reply. Through misdirection B does not receive the letter until June 5, but immediately accepts by letter, which he mails, but which is not received by A until June 7. On June 6, however, the stock has advanced to $12 a share, and A not having heard from B and deeming that B does not wish the stock, sells it to C. Can A be held liable by B ? Esiercise 74 You are a confidential clerk and stenographer to the firm of Cool- *idge & Greer, Buffalo, N. Y. Greer is in Europe, and the head of the firm has left in a hurry to catch a train. Ten minutes after his departure a telegraph messenger brings you the following scrawled on a crumpled envelope : " Howard is about to fail. Write express company to hold goods until further notice." (Signed) Coolidge. The firm sent a case of goods yesterday to Samuel C. Howard, 151 State Street, Chicago, by Adams Express. As they have learned that Howard is about to fail, they desire to exercise their right of stoppage in transitu. Write letter. Exercise 75 1. Robert W. Hunt, of 435 Drexel Building, Philadelphia, Pa., and Frank K. Alexander, of 1012 Masonic Building, Chicago, 111., have been corresponding concerning the purchase and sale of one hundred shares of traction stock owned by Hunt. Write a letter from Hunt to Alexander offering the stock for $87 a share. 2. By the next morning after the preceding offer is made, circum- stances arise which make it desirable for Hunt to countermand the offer. Write letter or telegram, whichever you deem proper under the circumstances, withdrawing the offer. CHAPTER XIII MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES Exercise 76 You are in the house furnishing goods business : — 1. Mr. Frank Clayton has applied for a position as traveling salesman, and refers to Messrs. Phillips & Dunlap, of (give some address in your city), for information as to character and ability. You have found Mr. Clayton prepossessing in manner and might engage him at once, but you make it a rule to investigate tes- timonials and references. You will rest your decision largely upon Messrs. Phillips & Dunlap's reply. Write them these facts. 2. Then write the reply of Messrs. Phillips & Dunlap, stating that personally they have a favorable opinion of Mr. Clayton. They do not, however, believe that he possesses the qualifications for success on the road. While affable in manner, he has not the aggressive force that alone can successfully battle against sharp competition, and that he lacks the personal magnetism that would make him popular and influential. His work for their house was conscientious and painstaking ; but owing to the lack of results they were obliged to dispense with his services. They regret that they cannot advise his being engaged as a traveling salesman. They suggest that Mr. Clayton would make a valuable ofl&ce assistant, as his methodical habits and integrity are unquestioned. Exercise 77 You are a real estate agent : — One of your tenants, Mr. Samuel McCormick, of 1023 Walnut Street, owes $100 for rent due March 1. You have called at his office several times in the last two weeks, but never found him in. 160 MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES 161 You are expected to pay all the rents over to owners before the 15th of each month, and they hold you responsible if they are not paid at that time. Write these facts to Mr. McCormick, asking for an immediate payment, otherwise you will be compelled to distrain his goods. Exercise 78 J. B. Browning & Co., of Cincinnati, Ohio, a good customer of yours, has not sent you an order for some time. You cannot under- stand the cause, as they have never made complaint, still you think something must be the matter. Write a letter of at least 125 words, stating this fact and asking the cause. Close with some complimen- tary allusion to them, and add that you have written your Mr. Jones to call upon them, as he will be in Cincinnati in the course of a few days and will be glad to receive orders. Exercise 79 1. The John Sparks Electric Co., of 157 Center Street, St. Louis, Mo., write a letter to John E. Hunt, of 334 Marion St., St. Louis, inclosing statement for $225, and requesting immediate payment. Write letter. 2. John E. Hunt's business is growing so rapidly that he finds his capital insufficient to meet its requirements. His orders to Sparks Electric Co. have been increasing for some time. This in- crease in orders is the result of a healthy expansion of business, and not of any irregularity or careless extension of it. He is obliged to give long credit, and this with his inadequate capital places him at a disadvantage. His creditors are good. He desires the Sparks Elec- tric Co. to accept his note at 90 days for the amount of their bill. Write letter from Hunt to the Sparks Electric Co., asking them to make this concession upon the basis of the statements given. 3. Write reply to the above from the Sparks Electric Co. to John E. Hunt to the effect that they are disappointed that Hunt cannot send a remittance; that when they opened an account with him, it was with the understanding that settlements were to be made monthly, whereas he is now asking for an extension of three months. They add they will accept his note in this instance, but that they do not wish it to be considered as a precedent. 162 COMMERCIAL CORRESPOI^DENCE Exercise 80 You are sales manager of the Office Furniture Company, Limited, of Grand Rapids, Mich. John Tompkins, of 211 Market Street, Grand Rapids, called for prices on two-drawer vertical files. As you were absent, he requested your office boy to ask you to write him a letter, giving prices and styles. Write letter to John Tompkins, giving the following quotations : one #851 2-dr. vertical file, 15^ in. deep, net, ^7.15; one #871 2-dr. vertical file, 21^ in. deep, net, $9 ; one 2-dr. upright vertical file, 28 in. deep, equipped with auto- matic locking device, net, $15. Express the hope that the quota- tions will be satisfactory, and that a reply will inform you how you may serve him. Add some appropriate close, and sign letter in name of Office Furniture Company, with your name as sales manager. Exercise 81 1. Mr. John Smith, of Grand Rapids, Mich., is a real estate agent, and at the suggestion of influential friends he desires to add life insurance to his business. Although he has never solicited insurance, he feels that his ten years' experience in the real estate business, and his wide acquaintance in the city, would enable him to secure many policies. He notes that the Mutual Life Insurance Co. of New York has no representative in Grand Rapids. Write a letter to the Mutual Life Insurance Co., Mutual Life Building, New York, N. Y., in the name of John Smith, making application to represent them. Add the names of two bankers as references. 2. Then write a letter from the Mutual Life Insurance Co. to John Smith, acknowledging receipt of his letter, and stating that it will be given consideration. 3. Then write a letter from the Mutual Life Insurance Co. to one of the references, mentioning Mr. Smith's application, and ask- ing for information concerning his fitness for such work. 4. Then write a letter from the person addressed to the Mutual Life Insurance Co., stating that many years' personal acquaintance with Mr. Smith enables the writer to testify to his ability and integ- rity. He states that Mr. Smith is a popular and widely known citi- zen of the community in which he resides, that he is of pleasing MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES 163 personality and address, and that the writer believes that he is fully- equipped for the agency. 5. Then write a letter from the Mutual Life Insurance Co. to Mr. Smith, notifying him that after due consideration of his appli- cation, they take pleasure in informing him of his appointment as agent of their company. Add that their representative will call (specify time) to discuss details with him and to draw up a formal contract. Exercise 82 One of your customers has sent you a letter complaining of the lack of courtesy of one of your employees. Write a letter expressing your regret, stating the matter will be investigated, and assuring them that every precaution will be taken to prevent a similar occur- rence. Add such other matter as you think proper. Exercise 83 In conversation the other day with your friend, Mr. Franklin Wood, who was inquiring for a man as a stenographer and private secretary, you mentioned the name of Mr. Harry Mills as a suitable person, and Mr. Wood asked you to send Mr. Mills to see him. Write letter of introduction for Mr. Mills to Mr. Wood, stating that he has had rare experience as a stenographer, having been employed for several years by the law firm of Messrs. Johnson & Choate, and since January, 19 — , has been reporting in the courts of the city. That he is a man of superior abilities and qualifications, is discreet and thoughtful, and that his training has been of such a character as to fit him well for work of a confidential nature. You bespeak for him Mr. Wood's kind consideration. Exercise 84 You have a prospect of being employed in the establishment of George C. Winkler & Co., of 2920 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. You have had an interview with these gentlemen, and being asked for a reference took the liberty of giving the name of William Phil- lips, of 1049 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, by whom you were for- merly employed for two years. Write a letter to Mr. Phillips stat- 164 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE ing these facts, and adding that you felt justified in referring to him, inasmuch as he had expressed satisfaction with your conduct and service while you were in his employ. Exercise 85 You represent a loan company : — Mr. C. A. Jones, of 121 Market Street, your city, has written to you, applying for a loan of $10,000 on premises 321 Market Street. Answer his letter, stating that the matter has been considered by your loan committee, and that you have been directed to advise him that it will be considered further if the amount can be reduced to $8000 ; otherwise it is respectfully declined. Exercise 86 1. On Messrs. Clark & Simpson, of Toledo, Ohio, sent an order for goods to Smith Bros. & Co., of 229 Main Street, Buffalo, N. Y., to be shipped by Merchants' Dispatch. By mistake Smith Bros. & Co. sent the goods by express, and Clark & Simpson were obliged to pay $3.50 more than the charges would have been if the goods had come by freight, as ordered. Write letter from Clark & Simpson to Smith Bros. & Co., stating the above, and adding that they have charged the difference to Smith Bros. & Co.'s account. 2. Then write letter from Smith Bros. & Co. to Clark & Simpson, stating that upon referring to the order they find Clark & Simpson's statement to be correct, and that they will give them proper credit for the excess charges paid, and apologizing for the mistake made. Exercise 87 1. The Holyoke Paper Mills Company of Holyoke, Mass., are about to establish a Southern agency. Mr. Samuel W. Williams, of Jackson, Miss., has been strongly recommended to them. For several years he was with Messrs. Robinson & Fisher, 321 Com- mercial Street, New Orleans, La. Write a letter from the Holyoke Paper Mills Company to Robinson & Fisher, asking their opinion of Mr. Williams's ability to fill a position involving responsibility and good business judgment. Any communication will, of course, MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES 165 be considered by the Holyoke Paper Mills Company as strictly con- fidential. 2. Then write a reply from Robinson & Fisher to the Holyoke Paper Mills Company, expressing the pleasure it gives them to say that during a somewhat intimate business connection, extending over several years, they found Mr. Williams in all respects worthy of the fullest confidence. They add that they feel sure that the Holyoke Paper Mills Company will have no reason to regret placing Mr. Wil- liams in the responsible position for which he is an applicant. Exercise 88 Letter of resignation and reply : — 1. James T. Bennett is president of the Henry Clay Debating Society of the High School. He finds it necessary to resign as the doctor has ordered him to go to Denver, Colo., because of ill health. Write letter to the secretary and members of the society, expressing his regret at being compelled to withdraw ; also give expression of the pleasure and benefit which the writer has derived from his association with the society. 2. Write reply from secretary on behalf of the society, acknowl- edging and accepting resignation. Express regret at losing Mr. Bennett, the society's appreciation of his valued services and the profit and benefit derived from personal contact with him. Add such other matter as you think proper. Exercise 89 You are in the insurance business : — Mr. William C. O'Neill, 135 Queen Street, Toronto, Canada, your agent there, has sent you a report under date of April 24, giving the amount of business written by him last month. You are not pleased with it, and think that the district he represents should produce more insurance. Write letter to Mr. O'Neill to this effect, pointing out to him that during his predecessor's (Mr. Frank C. Parker's) manage- ment, the record of his work was as follows, viz. : in 1909 he wrote 350 policies covering $350,000 insurance ; in 1910 he wrote 375 poli- cies covering $375,000 insurance; in 1911, 400 policies covering 166 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE $500,000; in 1912, 450 policies covering $750,000, and in 1913, 500 policies covering $1,000,000. Point out to Mr. O'Neill that the above figures show a gain in each year. On the other hand, Mr. O'Neill's monthly reports for this year show a falling off each month. Explain that for the first month or two this was not wholly unexpected, as he was a new agent in the field. You feel, however, that now he should be acquainted with the territory and that there should be some im- provement during the coming months. Tell him that as the territory has always been well handled you think that should balance his new- ness to the position, and add such other matter as you think proper. Exercise 90 1. Benjamin F. Ely, of Peoria, HI., writes to William S. Henderson, 701 " The Rookery," Chicago, 111., for information concerning the Franklin Insurance Company of 1001 Security Building, Chicago, with which he contemplates placing considerable insurance. He desires information concerning the directors and officers of the com- pany ; how much capital and surplus the company has, and whether they pay losses promptly. Write letter. 2. Then write reply embodying the following data : In Hender- son's estimation the company is one of the best in existence ; the officers and directors are experienced insurance men and are among the leading citizens of the city; the company has a paid-up cash capital of $1,000,000 and a net surplus of $300,000 ; it pays its losses promptly and is abundantly able to meet all demands; Henderson has transacted business with the company for many years, and knows it to be honorable and thoroughly reliable. Exercise 91 You are a traveling salesman for Kolb, Sewall & Co., of 27 Maiden Lane, New York, N. Y. You are in St. Louis, Mo., in the interest of the firm. You have secured a large order from Messrs. Macdonald & Campbell, of Market and Fourteenth Streets, St. Louis, which you send to the firm. As M. & C. is a new firm, you send with the order a report to the effect that you found them to be thorough business men, and MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES 167 that your conversation with them created in you a feeling of security in opening an account with them. They gave you, without hesitation, full information of their affairs, the amount of capital employed and business done, together with some private matters which you will lay before the firm upon your return. From other sources you have learned of the esteem in which they are held individually. You feel that if the order is satisfactorily filled it will result in securing Macdonald & Campbell as customers. Write letter from Southern Hotel, St. Louis, to your firm, inclosing order and giving report to the above effect. Add that as you have thoroughly can- vassed St. Louis, you leave for Chicago, where you will await further advices at the Auditorium Hotel. Eserciae 92 1. Philip Bayne, of 19 Center St., St. Louis, Mo., on the first of the present month sent a box containing a framed picture to Walter Burrill, Boise City, Idaho, by the Western Express Company, for which he received their receipt containing the following conditions, viz. : — " In no event shall the Western Express Company be liable for any loss or damage unless the claim therefor shall be presented to them in writing, at this office, within thirty days after this date, a state- ment to which this receipt shall be annexed. " All articles of GLASS, or contained in GLASS, or any of a frag- ile nature, will be taken at shipper's risk only, and the shipper agrees that the company shall not be held responsible for any injury, by breakage or otherwise, nor for damage to goods not properly packed and secured for transportation." The picture in transportation was badly damaged and the frame and glass broken. He desires to enter a claim for damages. He believes the claim to be a just one, as he feels sure the picture was packed with the best of care; that the box had on the outside ** GLASS, handle with care"; that he feels that if these directions had been carefully observed, the damage could not have occurred ; that he believes it was due entirely to the carelessness of some employee, and that he therefore looks to the express company for damages, and makes claim for $50. 168 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE 2. Under current date acknowledge receipt of the foregoing letter by the Western Express Company, stating that the matter will be investigated, and that a reply will be sent within a few days. 3. Considerable time has elapsed since the receipt of the letter from the Western Express Company. Bayne feels that they have had ample time for investigation. Write that he desires to have the claim settled, and that he would like them to give the matter their immediate attention. 4. Under proper date write letter from Western Express Company stating that they have considered the foregoing claim of (date), and while they are willing to assume responsibility in the matter and make some satisfactory adjustment, they believe that the claim of $50 is entirely too large. That they are willing to send their check for ^25, which they believe will be full compensation for the damage done. 5. Then write reply from Bayne, stating that he has since found the bill for the picture and frame, which shows the original cost to have been $50; that, in view of this, he cannot assent to a settlement upon the basis suggested ; that he must insist on full settlement, and that in view of the facts presented, they must now surely see that his claim is entirely fair and just. 6. Then write letter from Western Express Company, inclosing their check for $50 in settlement of claim. Exercise 93 1. You have received a letter from Timothy Wells & Co., Plants- ville. Conn., manufacturers of lunch boxes, offering you a large lot of lunch boxes at low prices and on favorable terms. Write letter acknowledging receipt of their letter and thanking them for their kind offer. Add the following : you do not believe the class of goods mentioned is capable of ready sale in your market; an attempt to find a market for them would entail considerable outlay for advertis- ing, etc. They may send you three hundred on commission, allowing you to use your own discretion as to the methods to be pursued for their sale ; you will do your best to place them and at the least pos- MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES 169 sible expense for your services in this direction. Your charge will be but twenty per cent on the gross price, and you will duly render an account of sales monthly until the lot is disposed of. 2. Then write a letter from Timothy Wells & Co., acknowledg- ing receipt of your letter and expressing regret at learning that the present does not seem a favorable time for the sale of their lunch boxes. They are disinclined to enter upon the arrangement sug- gested ; but as their stock is somewhat large, and as they have confi- dence in the goods and believe that they are salable wherever their merits become known, they take pleasure in sending three hundred to be sold (mention terms) as per accompanying memorandum. They say that if these samples are properly distributed, they feel sure they will influence further sales. They speak of having orders from the South and West, where the goods have been well advertised and where agents have represented them extensively. They close with the hope that you will do your best on this lot with a view of bringing about a permanent business in the goods. Exercise 94 You have a farm of 180 acres valued at one hundred and fifty dollars ($150) per acre, situated at (state place), which you wish to exchange for a city property. The farm is in superior condition, free from incumbrance, and has a good title. Write to Messrs. Doyle & Kipling, Real Estate Agents (give an address), inquiring as to the pos- sibility of making an exchange, their terms for transacting the busi- ness, etc. In case they undertake to make the exchange, you will send all needed information, maps, descriptions, etc. Exercise 95 You are a member of the Board of Directors of the United States Insurance Company. It has not been convenient for you to attend the meetings of the board. Your interest in the company is repre- sented on the board by your son. Write a letter to E. H. Greene, Esq., chairman of the board, tendering your resignation, giving rea- sons, and expressing the hope that the vacancy occasioned may be 170 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE fiUed to the advantage of the company by some one who can person- ally attend the meetings. Exercise 96 You are a wholesale merchant in Detroit, Mich., and have confi- dential relations with Horace Manly, a banker, in Columbus, Ohio. Morgan & Westcott, a firm in Columbus, have asked to open a credit account with you. Write Mr. Manly for necessary information. Exercise 97 Write a letter of at least one hundred words to a friend, on the advantages of studying commercial correspondence. NOTIFICATION LETTERS Exercise 98 You are secretary of the Columbia Title and Trust Company of 9th and G Streets, Washington, D. C. An annual meeting of the stockholders of the company will be held at the office of the company on Monday, November 16, at 3.30 p.m., at which time an election will be held for five directors to serve for three years, and one director to fill the unexpired term of Frank T. Buell for one year. Prepare notice to be sent to the stockholders. Exercise 99 You are secretary and treasurer of the Schuylkill Navigation Company, 37 Broadway, New York. The Board of Managers has this day declared a dividend of three per cent (3 %) ($ 1.50 per share) on the capital stock of the company, being dividend No. 112, payable (insert a date two weeks later than date of notice) to the stockholders as registered upon the books of the company at date of notice. Prepare notice to be sent to stockholders, adding that checks will be mailed. Exercise 100 Write a notification dated the 5th of the month to be sent to Messrs. Armstrong & Lee, Williamsport, Pa., informing them that MISCELLANEOUS EXERCISES 171 your traveling salesman, Mr. Frank Chandler, will call upon them on or about the 15th, when the favor of their orders is respectfully requested. Exercise 101 At the request of William H. Baker, vice president of the Postal Telegraph Cable Co., New York City, you send to William H. Deering (add address) a copy of their directory code with Mr. Baker's com- pliments. Write notification letter. Exercise 102 You have this day made draft on Samuel Whitaker (add address) at sight for $125, which is in settlement of bill of goods shipped two months previous. Write letter courteously notifiying him to be pre- pared to meet the same. Exercise 103 James M. Wilson resides in Louisville, Ky. He subscribes to the Louisville Courier-Journal. He will spend four months at Hotel Poinciana, Palm Beach, Fla., and desires the Courier- Journal to be sent to him during that time. Write letter requesting the change of address. Exercise 104 Write to the postmaster of your city, requesting him to forward mail for a specified time from to Note. — All letters changing an address should give full name with the old and new address. CHAPTER XIV LETTERS OTHER THAN BUSINESS As a means of extending social intercourse and increasing happiness the possibilities of letter writing are not fully appreciated. We all like to receive let- ters ; but do we respond as often as we should ? When our friend has met with good fortune, or is bowed with sorrow, do we send the tender message which increases his joys or lessens his griefs? We should never forget to write the considerate letter of thanks, the tactful letter of explanation, the sym- pathic letter of consolation, the heart-felt letter of congratulation, the cheery and gossipy letter of friendship. The social letter is a true index of the culture, refinement, though tfulness, and good taste of the writer. These qualities are shown in the penman- ship, in the quality of the paper used, and in the general tone of the composition. The social letter may be divided into the informal and the formal. The informal comprehends all vari- eties of letters of friendship. There are no rules for 172 LETTERS OTHER THAN BUSINESS 173 writing the letter of friendship. Its character is as varied as the character and temperament of individ- uals. It should be polite, considerate, ingenuous, and natural. If natural, it will not only be the expression of the writer's thoughts and character, but it will also be a reflection of the thoughts and character of the person to whom it is written. Convention has established some rules, however, with regard to the formal note, — such as polite notes of invitation, acceptance, and regret. These notes should be written in the third person. They have no heading, no intro- duction, and no conclusion. If the address of the writer and the date are not omitted altogether, they are written below the body of the note at the left- hand side. The year is usually omitted, and the month and the day may be written in figures, e.g.^ June 6, or as is shown in the illustrations on page 174. I The reply to an invitation should always carefully observe the formula of the invitation and answer it exactly. The reason for this repetition is to show that the invitation is perfectly understood and that there is no misunderstanding as to time or place. When written in the third person it should, of course, never be signed. The informal notes shown on pages 176, 177, 178, and 179 are facsimiles of autograph letters in the George W. Childs Collection, Drexel Institute. 174 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE ^J^?P Jw^n^^^S^yO^y^m/^ S^5 f^J^f^ne^ d 't^. 'y^^. 2/^ .Main/ ^^^ X ^/9 ,M€u/iyJ^ee^ Oj z LETTERS OTHER THAN BUSINESS 175 /^^. S ..J£f^aHdJ&d.%/m^^ ^/ydta^j/uf'm^^ ■^Jk % Mt 176 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Exercise 105 1. Write an invitation to Mr. and Mrs. William Fielding to dine with you on Wednesday next, at eight o'clock. 2. Write an acceptance to the above invitation. 3. Write a note of regret to the above invitation. 4. Miss Charlotte Brewster is to give a whist party a week from Tuesday at eight o'clock. Write her invitation to Miss Lavina Caldwell. 5. Write Miss Caldwell's acceptance. The letters which follow show the characteristics of celebrated men of different nationalities in'' writing informal notes. 233 ^-^— j^-- ^o.w^ ///m d^c/^ LETTERS OTHER THAN BUSINESS 177 38. Berkeley Square .W. /^^cX-^^ — oOvw^C-rl^ /C;;yu -^ u-^^ h\x^ ^ t;^ Uw^^ Y ^ .t^ p— AvV 178 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE ^^l^^ut JaaoL i!^iKC iS^coc£Li^cxcl.iir^ua^ LETTERS OTHER THAN BUSINESS 179 'X^ - ( Ac'^^^^r^^ -J^ ^^.=0 180 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Letters of Congratulation and Condolence. To write a graceful letter of congratulation or a comforting letter of condolence requires both kindly instinct and tact, and the writer must have a delicate and sensi- tive appreciation of the finer feelings of life. Such letters should not be studied in their composition, but sympathetically spontaneous, and spring from a heart which is glad at a friend's success, or sincerely solici- tous of his sorrows and afflictions. Engagements, marriages, births, and deaths are always events of importance in the families of our friends, and it is very remiss in us not to show our interest in them. The kind and encouraging expression of our friends' approval and felicitations upon any happy event in our lives augments and sweetens our own gratifica- tion, and their sympathy when we are in sorrow com- forts us and revives our hope. Unless one feels, how^ever, that his letter will add to the happiness of the recipient, or be helpful to him in grief, it should not be written ; otherwise, it comes as an un- welcome intrusion instead of a messenger of joy or peace. The following letters are introduced for the pur- pose of showing how some masters of literature have expressed themselves in letters of congratulation and condolence. Such letters cannot be manufactured. They can be written only when one is glowing with the vivacious spirit, or imbued with the tender and LETTERS OTHER THAN BUSINESS 181 sympathetic mood. They are produced like the improvisations of an organist. One cannot read these masterpieces without having his sensibilities quickened and all his higher emotions gently stirred. Such letters are an unfailing source of inspiration. CONGRATULATION ON ANNOUNCEMENT OF ENGAGEMENT George Bancroft to Charles Sumner Newport, Sept. 15, 1886. My dear Sumner : Though you may think I come tardily, like the lame son of the Israelitish king, yet you must receive with a true welcome my heart-felt congratulations on the im- pending change which is to make of the rest of your life a romance of untold happiness. Love in very young folks is so natural that it is no more observable than the blending of two drops of dew into one, or the mixing of two tears, or the junction of two tiny brooks, or any- thing else that may be charming but is commonplace and not noteworthy ; but when a man of mature years, of high endowments, of the most varied culture, a robust nature, hardened by conflicts, treading the paths of ambition with energy and daring, is touched by the tender passion, love gains majesty as well as gentleness. To feel the passion of love in its full force, the subject of it needs to liave the ripened experience of an active and unblemished character, the strength of a powerful, complete, and undecaying manhood. To the lady in whom your affections have found a home I had the pleasure of being presented a few years- ago; but I do not know her well enough to justify my writing to her directly; so I must claim of you to be the bearer of my regard, and to charge her to include 182 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE me henceforward among her friends, having so many years been included among yours. I hope your mar- riage will prove not only fraught with blessings for you and for her, but an omen of peace to the country, in whose history you have gained yourself so lasting a name. Mrs. Bancroft joins in all I have written, and more. I am ever, dear Sumner, most faithfully yours, GEORGE BANCROFT. ANNOUNCING THE BIRTH OF A CHILD Oliver WendeU Hohnes to Mrs. Charles W. Upham March 9, 1841. My dear Ann: Last evening, between eight and nine, there appeared at No. 8 Montgomery Place a little individual who may hereafter be addressed as Holmes, Esq., or The Hon. Holmes, M. C, or His Excellency Holmes, President, etc., but for the present is content with scratching his face and sucking his right forefinger. LETTERS OF CONDOLENCE William Cowper to Joseph Hill, Esq. My dear Friend: To condole with you on the death of a mother aged eighty-seven would be absurd; rather, therefore, as is reasonable, I congratulate you on the almost singular felicity of having enjoyed the company of so amiable and so near a relation so long. Your lot and mine LETTERS OTHER THAN BUSINESS 183 in this respect have been very difEerent, as, indeed, in almost every other. Your mother lived to see you rise, at least to see you comfortably established in the world ; mine, dying when I was six years old, did not live to see me sink in it. You may remember with pleasure, while you live, a blessing vouchsafed to you so long ; and I, while I live, must regret a comfort of which I was de- prived so early. I can truly say that not a week passes (perhaps I might with equal veracity say a day) in which I do not think of her. Such was the impression her tenderness made upon me, though the opportunity she had for showing it was so short. But the ways of God are equal; and when I reflect on the pangs she would have suffered had she been a witness of all mine, I see more cause to rejoice than to mourn that she was hidden in the grave so soon. L. Agassiz to Charles Sumner Cambridge, Oct. 2, 1867. My dear Sumner: You have my deepest and truest silent sympathy. Ever truly your friend, L. AGASSIZ. LETTER ACKNOWLEDGING THE RECEIPT OF A PRESENT Of a Barometer Oliver Wendell Holmes to James T. Fields 21 Charles Street, July 6, 8.38 a.m. Barometer at 30^^. My dear Friend and Neighbor : Your most unexpected gift, which is not a mere token of remembrance, but a permanently valuable present, is 184 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE making me happier every moment I look at it. It is so pleasant to be thought of by our friends when they have so much to draw their thoughts away from us ; it is so pleasant, too, to find that they have cared enough about us to study our special tastes — that you can see why your beautiful gift has a growing charm for me. Only Mrs. Holmes thinks it ought to be in the parlor among the things for show, and I think it ought to be in the study, where I can look at it at least once an hour every day of my life. I have observed some extraordinary movements of the index of the barometer during the discussion that ensued, which you may be interested to see my notes of : — Mrs. H. Barometer. My dear, we shall of course keep this beautiful barometer in the parlor. Fair. Dr. H. Why, no, my dear ; the study is the place. Dry. Mrs. H. I'm sure it ought to go in the parlor. It's too handsome for your old den. Change. Dr. H. I shall keep it in the study. Very dry. Mrs. H. I don't think that's fair. Rain. Dr. H. I'm sorry. Can't help it. Very dry. Mrs. H. It's — too — too — ba-a-ad. Much rain. Dr. H. (Music omitted.) 'Mid pleas-ures and paaal-a-a-c-es. Set fair. Mrs. H. I will have it! You horrid — Stormy. LETTERS OTHER THAN BUSINESS 185 You see what a wonderful instrument this is that you have given me. But, my dear Mr. Fields, while I watch its changes, it will be a constant memorial of unchanging friendship ; and while the dark hand of fate is traversing the whole range of mortal vicissitudes, the golden index of the kind affections shall stand always at Set Fair. CHAPTER XV LETTER FILING AND CARD INDEXING System is the key that unlocks the door leading from the dingy and disorderly office of the past to the cheerful and methodical office of the present. In correspondence, nothing is more conducive to system and efficiency than good filing. system is to the cor- respondent what the dictionary is to the student. It will — 1. Save space. 2. Save time. 3. Facilitate the han- dling of details. 4. Increase efficiency. The filing of correspondence is a very important part of office administration. Every day the business man must refer to letters or documents that have been received or sent out, and unless he has some system which will enable him to find them quickly and surely his efficiency is materially decreased. Correspondence Filing. It is of advantage to bring together, in one folder, all letters to and from each 186 Figure 1. LETTER FILING AND CARD INDEXING 187 Figure 2. correspondent. To do this a carbon or other copy of the answer is placed with the letter it answers in the same folder, as shown in Figure 1. 188 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE These folders are then filed vertically in a cabinet drawer. After letters are filed they should be in- dexed, in order that they may be located at any time^ quickly, and surely. Indexing may be 1. Alphabetical. 2. Numerical. 3. Geographical. Alphabetical Filing is the most direct method of filing papers, and, where the correspondence is not too extensive, it is the simplest and best. A folder is assigned to each correspondent, whose name is written on the tab of the folder. The fold- ers are then filed alphabetically with alphabetical guides. (See Figure 2.) When the number of folders is very large, each alphabetical division may be subdivided, as shown in Figure 2. These subdivided guides assist in locating the names of correspondents, as words at the top of each page of a dictionary assist in finding words. The letters of infrequent correspondents may be filed in a miscellaneous folder which is placed at the back of each alphabetical subdivision. (See Figure 3.) Suppose a letter from As tor & Co.. is to be filed. The drawer " A " in the cabinet is drawn out. If there is no folder for " Astor & Co." the letter is placed in the miscellaneous folder " An." If the cor- respondence with " Astor & Co." should become fre- LETTER FILING AND CARD INDEXING 189 quent, an individual folder should be made out in the name of " Astor & Co." and filed in its proper place. By referring to Figure 2 it will be seen that the tabs of the folders of all infrequent correspondents are located on the right-hand side of the cabinet drawer. This position, therefore, locates the fold- ers of these correspondents instantly. Numerical Filing re- quires in addition to the folder already described a card index as shown in Figure 4. Figure 3. Numerical filing is carried on as follows : — (This folder " An" will hold all miscellaneous letters of corre- spondents whose names begin A letter is received from with A, and whose second letter Frank J. Rice for the first is one occurring between n and ^ of the alphabet.) time. Suppose the next unused folder is 420. An index card is filled out with Rice's name and address and the number 420. (See Figure 4.) This number is written in the top corner of his letter, and a clerk files it in folder 420. (See Figure 5.) All subsequent letters received from Rice, and copies of all letters sent to him, are marked with the same number and placed in folder 420. To look up Rice's correspondence you turn to the card index and find 190 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Figure 4. FlGDBE 5. LETTER FILING AND CARD INDEXING 191 Figure 6. his folder is 420. By referring then to folder 420, Rice's complete correspondence, letters and answers, is found instantly. (See Figure 6.) 192 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Figure 7. LETTER FILING AND CARD INDEXING 193 In lines of business where territorial conditions are of leading importance, correspondence may be filed on a geographical basis. The plan is exactly the same as alphabetical filing except that the file is divided by guides for the states and subdivided by guides for tov^ns, folders being filed alphabetically behind each guide. (See Figure T.) Figure 8. Correspondence Transferring. Correspondence which is out of date is removed from the folders at con- venient intervals and filed in alphabetical, numerical, or geographical order in a transfer file or in transfer boxes. (See Figure 8.) The contents of each box is indicated on the la- bels with the transfer dates " From to 194 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE ." No other record is necessary. Boxes may be numbered consecutively for placement on the shelves. Follow-up Letters. Follow-up letters are letters written at successive intervals to obtain new cus- tomers. Names and addresses of persons to whom follow-up letters may be sent are generally taken from directo- ries, or secured through replies to a " catchy " adver- tisement. For example, something is offered free in the advertisement, and at the end will appear a printed request somewhat as follows : — Mail to address below your FREE booklet Name Address. Town State The names and addresses of those who answer the advertisement are entered on cards, which are then filed alphabetically under town and state. (See Fig- ure 9.) On this card is then entered a record of the adver- tising sent out, dates of letters sent and received, and dates and amounts of orders. LETTER FILING AND CARD INDEXING 195 - P -' '•r,' i;'."- ' — i SJW — — _w. jpi. -iit- jai^ .., .... ~, -^ ^^. ■k ^5 IE EZE — J^ r A very ingenious method of indicating at once the dates when cards are to have attention is by means of signals. (See Figure 10.) 214S6789I0II IZiir4 IS r6 IT ISI320U b.314 lilt 11 2BZ9iO 3 No. C;ty '-' Stole 30453. Xia Vl ioXxJ W Xl Vcm/nX Figure 10, 196 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Of the many ways of using these signals perhaps the most common is to print or stamp along the tops of the cards dates as shown. A signal placed over any number indicates that the card is to have attention on that date. The cards wanted for each day are found by simply taking the signals in the row for that day. Signals of different colors are used to distinguish different classes, e.g. : in a follow-up system, red for the first follow-ups, green for the second follow-ups, yellow for the third, etc. CHAPTER XVI POSTAL INFORMATION (Revised to August 15, 1913) The Growth of the Post Office. From the earliest ages, governments have regarded posts as one of their exclusive privileges, to be controlled, granted away, and revoked as necessity demanded, or as pleased the v^hims of rulers. It is, therefore, not surprising that our Constitution provides — " That Congress shall have power to establish post offices and post roads." From this beginning has grown that well-nigh indispensable institution which has become an essen- tial part of our government, and which reaches prac- tically every house in the land. In this age of quick communication, we forget how great has been the advance in a hundred years ; in 1800, for example, the time required to exchange mail was more days than it takes hours at present. With rapid trans- portation and present post-office facilities, we send forth our letters, and they quickly bring us news of our friends, and enable us readily to transact business with those hundreds of miles away. The present Post-office Department of the United States is, doubtless, the greatest business machine in 197 198 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE POSTAL INFORMATION 199 the world. Considering the extent of territory served, the number of employees, the generally ample and satisfactory facilities afforded, the cheapness of its rates, and the safety and certainty with which it transmits the hundreds of millions of dollars intrusted to its money order or registered mail division, the people of the United States may felicitate themselves upon the success of this great enterprise. As no other part of the government so nearly concerns every individual citizen, it is incumbent that each should be jealously interested in its services and growth. ' The growth of the postal service is much more than an index of the national advance in population and wealth ; it is also the measure of a marvelous intellectual development. The service is a colossal educational agency, quickening the mind and ener- gizing the spirit of the entire people. BRIEF HISTORY OF THE POST OFFICE The following is a summary of the development of the post office in the United States: — a .^-^ 1639. Post office established in Boston. -^ ■'^^^^^!!^^ 16 *^? 0^1672. A monthly mail to Boston established by the ' (f S^^^^^^J^^ government of New York. /"^J^ 1692. Postal system for the American colonies projected. ^ r\f^^ 1710. Postal system for the American colonies estab- li^'^.'^y lished. 1717. A mail route put in operation between Boston, Mass., and Williamsburg, Va., transmitting ^'^ ^ letters in four weeks. ^ 200 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE 1737. Benjamin Franklin made deputy postmaster- general for the colonies. 1753. Franklin becomes deputy postmaster-general in America. 1756. Stages carry the mails between Philadelphia and New York. 1760. Franklin establishes mail coaches from Philadel- phia to Boston. 1775. The Continental Congress elects Franklin post- master-general. 1777. The Continental Congress passes a resolution appointing an inspector of dead letters. , 1782. Rate of postage fixed by Continental Congress for single letters, ranging from 4.7 cents under 60 miles to 14.8 cents for 200 miles, and 3.4 cents for each additional hundred miles. 1794. Letter carriers are employed at the discretion of the postmaster-general to deliver letters on the t^M:^VS^M^^!^U>(^yaU. n^ 1810. ^Ageherdl post office'ises&lifehedarw^ (7 1829. The Postmaster-General becomes a member of the President's Cabinet. 1832. System of house-to-house delivery of mail intro- duced in Washington, called penny-post sys- tem; charge for delivery of letter 2 cents. One postman for entire city. 1834. Railroads first carried the mail. 1839. Modern envelopes for letters first used. 1847. The use of postage stamps authorized. 1851. Three cents per half ounce for distance under 3000 miles, postage prepaid, becomes the rate of letter postage. 1852. Congress passes an act providing for stamped envelopes. 1855. Registration of letters introduced. 1856. Prepayment of postage made compulsory. POSTAL INFORMATION 201 1858. Street letter boxes are set up in Boston. In the same year the first overland mail was estab- lished from St. Louis to San Francisco. 1861. Merchandise admitted to the mail. 1863. Uniform rate of 3 cents established irrespective of distance. Receiving boxes authorized. 1863. Free delivery of letters inaugurated in forty-nine cities. 1864. Money-order system established. 1868. Uniforms authorized for letter carriers. 1872. Free delivery by letter carriers in cities of 50,000 population. 1872. Order of postmaster-general requiring carriers to wear uniform. 1873. One-cent postal cards made their appearance. 1878. Registration (heretofore restricted to first class) to take in all classes of mail. 1883. Postage of first-class mail reduced to 2 cents per half ounce. 1885. Special delivery system authorized. In the same year letter postage reduced to 2 cents per ounce. 1893. Fee for registration reduced to 8 cents. 1896. Rural free delivery of mail established. 1902. Indemnity for registered first-class mail not to exceed $25. 1909. Registry fee advanced to 10 cents. Indemnity of domestic registered mail of the first class (sealed) up to $50, and of the third and fourth classes (unsealed) up to $25. 1910. Postal Savings Bank established. (See page 248.) 1912. Law passed providing for a parcel post to go into operation January 1, 1913. (See page 223.) Organization of the Post Office. The original idea of the post office was simply the transfer of letters and periodicals. From time to time, however, there 202 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE have been added what may properly be termed legiti- mate extensions of this function, and the post office now in its organization consists of several divisions, the principal of which are : Money -order Division, Registry Division, Dead-letter Office, Special Deliv- ery, Parcel Post, Free Rural Delivery, and Postal Savings System. THE MONEY-ORDER DIVISION The Money-order Division was established by Act of Congress, May 17, 1864 ; its object is to secure safety im, the tromsfer of small sums of money through the mails. So great is the convenience of this service to the pub- lic that over $300,000,000 are sent annually through this department. Domestic Money Orders. There are two kinds of money orders, — domestic and international. A money order is issued only after an applicant has properly filled out an application for a money order, such as is issued by the post office. There are two forms of application blanks, — the domestic and in- ternational. The domestic blank is used in applying for money orders payable in the United States (which includes Guam, Hawaii, Tutuila (Samoa), Porto Rico), or payable in the Bermudas, British Guiana, British Honduras, Canal Zone, Canada, Cuba, Hawaii, Philip- pine Islands, Shanghai, and Newfoundland. The domestic form is shown on the opposite page. POSTAL INFORMATION 203 (Form No. 6001) Post ©fftce department No. THIRD ASSISTANT POSTMASTER QBNERAI. Stamp of IsSUing Office DIVISION OF MONEY ORDERS The Postmaster will insert DOLLARS CENTS here the office drawn on, when the office named by the remitter in the body of this application is not a Money Order Office. Spaces above this line are for the Postmaster's record, to be filled in by him. Application for Domestic Money Order Amount Spaces below to be filled in by purchaser, or, if necessary, by another person for him. Dollars Cents Pay to Order of (Name of person or firm for whom order is intended) Whose Address is ) No,. Post Office .Street State. Sent by. (Name of Sender) Address ) of J- sender ) No. Street PURCHASER MUST SEND ORDER AND COUPON TO PAYEE 204 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE On the back of this application slip the following matter is printed : — Fees for Money Orders drawn on Domestic Form Payable in the United States (which includes Hawaii and Porto Rico) and its possessions comprising the Canal Zone (Isthmus of Panama), Guam, the Philippines and Tutuila, Samoa ; also for Orders payable in Bermuda, British Guiana, British Honduras, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Newfoundland, the United States Postal Agency at Shang- hai (China), the Bahama Islands, and certain other Islands in the West Indies mentioned in Register of Money Order Post Offices. For Orders From $ 0.01 to $ 2.50 3 cents. From -S 2.51 to $ 5.00 5 cents. From $ 5.01 to $ 10.00 8 cents. From $10.01 to ^ 20.00 10 cents. From .$20.01 to $ 30.00 12 cents. From §30.01 to $ 40.00 ..... 15 cents. From $40.01 to § 50.00 18 cents. From §50.01 to $ 60.00 20 cents. From §60.01 to § 75.00 25 cents. From §75.01 to §100.00 30 cents. Memoranda of Issuing Postmaster: Note.— The maximum amount for which a single Money Order may be Issued Is $100. When a larger sum Is to be sent additional Orders must be obtained. Any number of Orders may be drawn on any Money Order office; but, if Orders are drawn In excess of $200 on any one day upon an office of the 4th class, notice of the fact by letter (or Form 6037) Is to be promptly sent the Department by the Issuing Postmaster so that provision may be made for payment. Applications must be preserved at the office of Issue for four years from date of issue. (Edition, Jan., 1911) Sh mil ^« I sSSSg sHw sis; OofjEi i o 3 8 8 0| 03 ".1 5! bBlSVMlSOd ONIAVil A.a 3)t3H OBHOViaO 38 QlnOHS NOy i 1 i^ 1 '5 « S vv /^^ e "O 1 '? f ■s • = ' .3 ^^~^_--^^^ 1 J 1 S ;l 1 1 1 1 <9 3 ^ 1 * •^ 1 c^ > (4 ;« S^ ! < : ^ a ^'''''^'^X cd o UJ A s a^ \ E ^^ 1 11 > z /s When the parcel is de- livered, the tag is detached, post- marked, and filed for one year by the post- master. A mail- able parcel on which the post- age is fully pre- paid may be in- sured against lossto an amount equivalent to its actual value, but not to exceed 125, on payment of a fee of five cents, and to an amount equiva- lent to its actual value in excess of 125, but not to exceed $50, on payment of a fee of ten cents in stamps, such POSTAL INFORMATION 231 stamps to be affixed. The amount of the insur- ance fee shall be placed on the receipt given the sender and on the coupon retained at the mailing office. C. 0. D. packages. "Collection on delivery" ship- ments of fourth-class matter may be sent through the mail when sent from and addressed to an office at which money orders are issued, provided the fol- lowing rules are observed : — 1. The amount of C. O. D. must not exceed % 100. 2. Ten cents in parcel post stamps must be affixed to the package, in addition to the regular rate of parcel postage. 3. The C. O. D. tag must be securely attached to the package and must show : — (a) The amount due the sender. (h) The money order fee to cover remittance. (c) The total amount to be collected (a + &). The post office regulations do not provide for an examination of the contents of a package by the con- signee. It will be insured against loss, without addi- tional charge, in an amount equivalent to its actual value, but not to exceed |50. FOREIGN PARCEL POST Admissible Matter. Any article admissible to the domestic mails of the United States may be sent, in unsealed packages, by " Parcel Post " to the 232 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE following-named countries (but to those countries only): — Australia Ecuador New Zealand Austria France Newfoundland Bahamas Germany Nicaragua Barbadoes Great Britain Norway Belgium Guatemala Peru Bermuda Honduras (British) Salvador Bolivia Honduras (Republic of) Sweden Brazil Hong Kong The Danish West Indies British Guiana Hungary The Netherlands Chile Italy Trinidad, including Tobago Colombia Jamaica Turks Island Costa Rica Japan Uruguay Denmark Leeward Islands Venezuela Dutch Guiana Mexico Windward Islands Size and Weight of Packages. A package must not measure more than 3 feet 6 inches in length, and 6 feet in length and girth combined, except that pack- ages sent to Mexico, Colombia, and Costa Rica may not measure over 2 feet in length. The weight of a single package is limited to 11 pounds, except that parcels for Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Norway, Bel- gium, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, and The Nether- lands, must not weigh. more than 4 pounds 6 ounces nor exceed f 50 in value ; and a parcel for Peru or Ecuador must not exceed 150 in value. Postage Rates- Postage must be prepaid in full by stamps affixed at the rate of 12 cents a pound or fraction of a pound, except that on packages to Chile POSTAL INFORMATION 233 and Ecuador, the rate is 20 cents a pound or fraction thereof. A registry fee of 10 cents is charged in addi- tion to postage. Letters or other communications in writing must not be inclosed with such packages. Registration. The sender of a parcel addressed to any of the countries named on the preceding page, except Barbadoes, Great Britain, and The Nether- lands, may have the same registered by paying a registry fee of 10 cents, and will receive the " Return receipt" without special charge therefor, when envelope or wrapper is marked " Return receipt requested." Place of Mailing. Matter intended for Parcel Post must not be posted in a letter box, but must be taken to the post office and presented to the postmaster, or person in charge, for inspection. Directions on Packages. In addition to the name and full address of the person to whom sent, the package must bear the words " Parcel Post " in upper left-hand corner, with the name and address of the sender. Prohibited Matter. Any matter which is declared unmailable in the domestic mails is also denied trans- mission as " parcel-post " mail. (See page 239.) RURAL FREE DELIVERY SERVICE Objects and Benefits. The object of rural free de- livery is to give the advantages of the mail delivery 234 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE to rural communities. Its benefits are obvious. It broadens the thoughts and activities of country people, and arouses their interest in the events of the day. Nothing is doing more for the higher and more universal education of the rural districts than are these free delivery routes. The farmers and their families, whose conversation previously was of crops and neighborhood gossip, now talk intelligently of politics and matters of general interest, because they receive the news of the day before it is ancient history. Business becomes brisker and pleasures multiply wher- ever the R. F. D. wagon goes, and the authorities state that few changes have so tended to improve and build up outlying districts as this new rural mail service. How Established. Those who desire rural free delivery service petition the Postmaster-General through their nearest postmaster for its establish- ment, and if Congress has made the necessary appro- priation and the Postmaster-General regards the petition favorably, he sends a government inspector to visit the town or village from which the petition has been received. This inspector goes over the ter- ritory carefully, noting the roads and seeing that the service is needed and can be established without undue waste of money. Then comes the selecting of the carrier. This is done by a civil service examination. One man with a substitute is appointed for each route. A carrier receives 1720 per annum, and is to POSTAL INFORMATION 235 hold his position as long as he discharges his duties with credit. A territory to obtain rural free delivery should have at least five hundred persons to be served with mail. MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION Division of Mail Matter and Rates of Postage. All mailable matter for local delivery, or for transmission from one place to another within the United States, or to or from or between Porto Rico, Hawaii, the Philippine Archipelago, Guam, Tutuila, and the Canal Zone, is classified as domestic matter, and is divided into four classes : — First : Written and sealed matter, postal cards, and private mailing cards. Second : Periodical publications. Third: Miscellaneous printed matter (on paper). Fourth: Merchandise; all matter not included in previous classes. (See Parcel Post, page 223.) Domestic rates and conditions apply to mail matter addressed to the United States Postal Agency at Shanghai, China, and, with certain exceptions, to that sent to Canada, Cuba, Mexico, and the Republic of Panama. The domestic rate a})plies also to letters^ but not to other articles, addressed to Great Britain, Ireland, and Newfoundland, and to letters for Ger- many dispatched only by steamers which sail direct to German ports. (See also table, page 247.) 236 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE DOMESTIC RATES OF POSTAGE Letters to any part (first class) 2 cents per ounce or frac- tion thereof. Postal cards (first class) 1 cent each. Periodical publications (second class) . . 1 cent for 4 ounces or fraction thereof. Miscellaneous printed matter (third class) 1 cent for 2 ounces or fraction thereof. Merchandise (fourth class) 1 cent per ounce or frac- tion thereof not ex- ceeding 4 ounces. Note. Parcels weighing more than 4 ounces are mailable at the pound rates under the parcel post system. (See page 229.) The full rate applies to each fraction of an ounce, e.g., a letter weighing one and one eighth ounces costs four cents, or as much as one weighing two ounces. First-class matter includes letters, postal cards, and anything sealed or otherwise closed against inspection, or anything containing writ- ing not allowed as an accompaniment to printed matter under class three. Postage on letters should be fully prepaid, but if paid for one ounce and no more, they will be forwarded, and the amount of deficient postage collected on delivery ; if wholly unpaid, or prepaid less than the rate for one ounce, such letters will be returned to the sender if he is located at the place of mailing, providing his address is printed or written upon them ; otherwise the addressee will be notified to remit postage ; and if he fails to do so, they will be sent to the Dead-letter Office. Letter rates are charged on all productions by the typewriter or by manifolding process, and on all printed imitations of typewriting or manuscript, unless such productions are presented at post office windows in the minimum number of twenty identical copies sepa- rately addressed. Letters (but no other class of mail matter) will be returned to the sender free if a request to that effect is printed or written on the POSTAL INFORMATION 237 envelope. There is no limit of size for first-class matter fully prepaid. The limit of weight is four pounds. Rate, 2 cents per ounce or frac- tion thereof. Forwarding Mail Matter. Prepaid first class matter may be for- warded any number of times without additional charge. Second, third, and fourth class matter requires a new prepayment of postage every time it is forwarded. Second-class matter includes all newspapers, periodicals, or matter exclusively in print and regularly issued at stated intervals, and as frequently as four times a year ; there must be a known office of pub- lication and actual subscribers. Second-class matter must be so wrapped as to enable the postmaster to inspect it. The sender's name and address may be written in publications going as second- class matter, but any other writing subjects this matter to letter postage. Second-class matter is entitled to special delivery. Postage must be prepaid on all matter of this class, and there is no limit of weight or size. Rate, one cent for each four ounces or fraction thereof. Publishers sending to subscribers are given a rate of one cent a pound or fractional part thereof. Third-class matter includes printed books, pamphlets, engravings, circulars in print (or by hectograph, electric pen, or similar process, when at least twenty identical copies, separately addressed, are mailed at post office windows at one time) and other matter wholly in print, proof sheets, corrected proof sheets, and manuscript copy accompany- ing the same. Manuscript unaccompanied by proof sheets must pay letter rates. Third-class matter must admit of easy inspection, other- wise it will be charged letter rates on delivery. There may be placed upon the blank leaves or cover of any book a simple manuscript dedication, or inscription not of the nature of a personal correspond- ence. Matter of the third class must be fully prepaid, otherwise it will not be forwarded. The limit of weight is four pounds, except single books, on which the weight is not limited. This matter is entitled to special delivery when special delivery stamps are affixed. There may be inclosed with-third class matter without changing the classification thereof a single visiting or business card ; a single printed order blank, or a single printed combination order blank and coin card with 238 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE envelope bearing return address, or a single postal card bearing return address. There is no limit as to size. Rate, one cent for each two ounces or fraction thereof. Fourth-class mail matter shall embrace all other matter, including farm and factory products, not now embraced by law in either the first, second, or third class, not exceeding eleven and, in some in- stances, twenty pounds in weight, nor greater in size than seventy- two inches in length and girth combined, nor in form or kind likely to injure the person of any postal employee or damage the mail equipment or other mail matter and not of a character perishable within a period reasonably required for transportation and delivery. The rate of postage on fourth -class matter weighing not more than four ounces shall be one cent for each ounce or fraction of an ounce, and on such matter in excess of four ounces in weight the rate shall be by the pound. (See page 229, Parcel Post.) Second, third, and fourth class matter, whenever forwarded, re- quire additional postage at the same rate at which they were origi- nally mailed. Mail matter of the second, third, or fourth class is not returned to the sender if undeliverable ; but if it is of obvious value the postmaster must notify the sender that it cannot be delivered, and give him an opportunity to furnish the return postage ; or in the case of third and fourth class matter, to withdraw the matter, if he so prefers, from the mails (either himself or through some person authorized by him) at the office where it is held, upon payment of 1 cent postage for each card notice sent him. Any person who knowingly conceals or incloses any matter of a higher class in that of a lower class, and deposits or causes the same to be deposited for conveyance by mail, at a less rate than would be charged for both such higher and lower class matter, is subject, for every such offense, to a fine of not more than one hundred dollars. Unmailable Matter. What is UnmailaUe. Unmailable matter includes all matter which is prohibited from being transmitted in the mails, or which, by reason of illegible, incorrect, or insufficient address of person or office, cannot be forwarded to destination or delivered to the person for whom intended. Held for Postage. Matter insufficiently prepaid. This includes POSTAL INFORMATION 239 domestic matter of the first class which is not prepaid at least one full rate, two cents, and all other domestic matter not fully prepaid. Misdirected. All matter illegibly, incorrectly, or insufficiently addressed. Overweight. All matter weighing over 4 pounds, except second- class matter, single books, and documents printed and circulated by authority of Congress and matter sent by parcel post over 11 pounds, or 20 pounds beyond second zone. Post cards bearing particles of glass, metal, mica, sand, tinsel, or other similar substances. Destructive. Articles which are of a harmful nature are for- bidden the mails. Among these are poisons, explosives, or inflam- mable articles, fruits or vegetable matter liable to decomposition, or any article exhaling a bad odor; vinous, spirituous, and malt liquors, and liquids liable to explosion, etc. Obscene Matter. Lottery Matter. Lottery matter includes letters and circulars known to be concerning lotteries, so-called gift concerts, or other similar enterprises offering prizes, or concerning schemes devised and intended to deceive and defraud the public for the purpose of ob- taining money under false pretenses. Scuirilous Matter. Matter which is defamatory or threatening written on a postal card or writing on an envelope which is calculated to reflect injuriously upon the character or conduct of another is termed scurrilous. Penalty. The penalty for depositing in or taking from the mails for the purpose of circulating or disposing of any obscene, scurrilous, threatening, or lottery matter is a fine not exceeding |5000, imprison- ment at hard labor not exceeding five years, or both, at the discretion of the court. Stamps. Postage stamps are issued in the following denominations : 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 15, and 50 cent, 1 dollar, 10 cent special delivery and 10 cent registry. Stamps cut from stamped envelopes are valueless, but postmasters are authorized to give good stamps for stamped envelopes or news- paper wrappers that may be spoiled in directing, if they are presented 240 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE in whole condition, and with satisfactory evidence of not having been tised. The value given is in postage stamps^ stamped envelopes, or postal cards, not in money. Books containing postage stamps interleaved with non-adhesive paper are issued. The books are made up of 1-cent and 2-cent stamps, and cost 1 cent more than their postage value. That is : — A book of twenty-four 1-cent or twelve 2-cent stamps costs 25 cents. A book of twenty-four 2-cent stamps costs 49 cents. A book of forty-eight 2-cent stamps costs 97 cents. Stamped Envelopes. Stamped envelopes are issued by the Post- oflSce Department, and are known as, — a. "Ordinary," of various sizes, qualities of paper, and denomi- nations, and either, "plain" or "printed," that is, bearing a blank return request. h. " Special request," bearing a printed return request, with name and address, hut not business. In lots of 500 or more the government prints these envelopes free. They are sold at from $ 1 to $1.20 per thousand. Stamped envelopes are issued in all the standard sizes with stamps of the value of 1,2, 4, and 5 cents. Envelopes bearing the embossed stamps do not stick together and are not liable to be missent, as frequently happens where ordinary stamps are used. Stamped envelopes are redeemable. The value given is in postage stamps, postal cards, or other stamped envelopes. Postal Cards. Postal cards are the cards issued by the Post- office Department, and they are of two kinds, viz. : — a. Single cards, 1 cent. b. Double, 2 cents each. Postal cards (except double ones) are not returned if undeliverable. They are sent to the Dead-letter Office. Anything but the address upon the address side of a postal card renders it subject to letter postage. Postal cards " uncanceled " are redeemable at 75 per cent of their value in stamps, postal cards, or stamped envelopes or paper. Postal cards to foreign countries cost 2 cents each. Double cards to foreign countries cost 4 cents each. 241 242 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE Private Mailing Cards. Since July 1, 1898, it is lawful to trans- mit by mail, at the postage rate of a cent each, payable by stamps to be affixed by the sender, and under such regulations as the Post- master-General may prescribe, written messages on private mailing cards, such cards to be sent openly in the mails, to be no larger than the size fixed by the agreement of the Universal Postal Union, and to be approximately of the same form, quality, and weight as the stamped postal card now in general use in the United States. How to recall Letters. It sometimes happens that after one has posted a letter or package he desires that it should not be delivered. Many people do not know that a recall may be effected before the final delivery. The post office permits mail matter to be withdrawn or recalled. This may be done by filling out the official application blanks issued for that purpose. There are two blanks, one to be used for the withdrawal of mail before it has left the office of mailing, the other to be used for withdrawal of mail when it is necessary to telegraph to the post- master at destination to intercept and return the mail in question. When one desires to recall a letter or package, he should fill out one or the other of the blanks and file it immediately with the postmaster. Copies of the blanks above mentioned are shown on pages 244 and 245. General Delivery. For the convenience of persons temporarily sojourning in a city, or for those whose address is not certain, the post office has established the " General Delivery " through which letters having POSTAL INFORMATION 243 as a part of their address the words " General De- livery," " Transient," " To be called for," etc., indi- cating that they are intended for transient persons, are delivered on application and after proper identifi- cation. Mail intended for general delivery should have that fact indicated, otherwise an attempt may be made to deliver it. Such letters should not be addressed, " Care of the Postmaster." THE UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION Increased international intercourse has made it de- sirable that there be some means of regulating foreign postal affairs. For this purpose the Postal Union was formed. The aim of the Union is to have, for purposes of international and mail communication, a single postal territory embracing the whole earth, with uniformity of postal charges and conditions of international exchange for all descriptions of corre- spondence. Nearly all the civilized nations are members. The credit for the formation of this Union belongs to the United States, as the first idea of a postal congress was suggested here in 1862. The first and preliminary meeting took place in Paris, May 11, 1863, at which were present representatives from Great Britain, France, United States, Prussia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Costa Rica, the German Free Cities, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Switzerland, 2U COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE ?Post ©fficr, &m JFrancisco, Cal Division of Distribution and Dispatch of Mails. 191 Postmaster, San Francisco, Cal. Please deliver to myself or bearer a deposited in about 191 addressed to and described as follows : and in same handwriting, which was written by me or by my author- ity, and which I do not desire forwarded to the addressee for the fol- lowing reasons : {Address) RECEIVED, ,191 , of the Postmaster at San Francisco, Cal. , the above-described letter for the account of sender. (Address). Witness : [Recall of letter when same has not left oflBce of mailing.] POSTAL INFORMATION 245 Post ©ffice, Boston, JHass. 191 Postmaster, Boston, Mass. Please recall and deliver to myself or bearer a letter deposited in about M., on 191 addressed to.- and described as follows and in same handwriting as this application, and which was written by me, or by my authority, and which I do not desire delivered to addressee for the following reasons : It is hereby agreed that if the letter is returned to me, I will pro- tect you from all claims made against you for such return, and will fully indemnify you for any loss you may sustain by reason of such action, and I herewith deposit $ to cover all expenses incurred, and will deliver you the envelope of letter returned. (Address) RECEIVED, ,191 , of the Postmaster of Boston, the above-described piece of mail matter for account of the sender. (Address) - Witness : [Recall of letter after it has left office of mailing.] 246 COMMERCIAL CORRESPONDENCE and the Sandwich Islands. Another meeting was necessary, and. the Congress reassembled at Berne, Switzerland, September 15, 1874. All the countries of Europe, the United States, and Egypt were repre- sented, and a treaty was signed October 9, from which the actual organization of the Postal Union may be said to date. A central office, known as In- ternational Bureau of the Universal Postal Union, was established at Berne, under the superintendence of the Swiss Postal Administration, and its expenses are borne by the various countries composing the Union. Another meeting of the organized Union was held in Paris in May, 1878 ; one at Lisbon, February, 1885 ; one at Vienna, May, 1891 ; one at Washington, June, 1897 ; and one in Rome, in May, 1906. Congresses are held when a demand for them is made or approved by two thirds, at least, of the governments in the Union. At the time of its formation, the jurisdiction of the Postal Union extended over an area of about 14,294,000 square miles and about 350,000,000 inhab- itants, while the Union's present operations cover 40,000,000 square miles, inhabited by no less than 1,100,000,000 people. The rates of postage applicable to all foreign countries are as follows : — Cents Letters, for the first ounce or fraction of an ounce 5 And for each additional ounce ot fraction of an ounce .... 3 Single postal cards (including souvenir cards) , each .2 Double postal cards (including souvenir cards), each 4 Printed matter of all kinds, for each 2 ounces or fraction of 2 ounces . 1 POSTAL INFORMATION 247 Cents Commercial papers, for the first 10 ounces or less 5 And for each additional 2 ounces or fraction of 2 ounces . . . 1 Samples of merchandise, for the first 4 ounces or less . ... 2 And for each additional 2 ounces or fraction of 2 ounces . . .1 Registration fee in addition to postage 10 Letters for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and New- foundland (per ounce or fraction of an ounce) 2 Letters to Germany direct (per ounce or fraction of an ounce) . . .2 Letters to Germany via Great Britain or France, for the first ounce . 5 And for each additional ounce or fraction of an ounce .... 3 Domestic rates apply to Hawaii, Porto Rico, the Philippines, the islands of Guam and Tutuila, the " Canal Zone," and the city of Shanghai, China. Exercise 106 1. Give the different classes of mail matter and a general descrip- tion of each. 2. What are the rates of postage for each class, and how must the matter be prepared to entitle it to its particular rate ? 3. What will it cost to send the following articles by mail in the United States? Three letters weighing 2^ ounces each. One package of newspapers weighing 9 ounces. One package of magazines weighing 16^ ounces. One book weighing 8 pounds. One registered letter weighing 3| ounces. One special delivery letter weighing 2 ounces. One package of merchandise weighing 4 ounces. Three letters each to Berlin, London, and Paris, weighing 2 ounces each. ^ 4. What is the limit of size and weight of the different classes of mail matter? 5. Describe the method of sending money by the Money-order Department. Give its advantages. 6. Describe the method of registering letters and packages. Give its advantages. 7. To what extent does the post office hold itself liable for the loss or destruction of registered matter ? % How is the claim for indemnity made ? 248 COMMERCIAL CORKESPONDENCE 9. Describe in detail the parcel post system of the United States. ^-^ 10. What is meant by the Universal Postal Union ? 1 1 . How may letters be recalled ? 12. What precautions does the superintendent of the Dead-letter Office advise to secure the return of undeliverable mail matter? 13. Describe the advantages of the special delivery service. What entitles one to the benefits of this service ? 14. What matter is unmailable? Exercise 107 On August 25, of the present year, J. H. Haines, of 121 W. State Street, Harrisburg, Pa., mailed a package at the letter box at Second and State Streets, Harrisburg, which contained a dark brier pipe with an amber stem inclosed in a velvet-lined box, and which was addressed to William Cox, Atlantic City, N.J. The article was never received. Haines is under the impression that it had insufficient postage on it. Write a letter to the First Assistant Postmaster-General, Division of Dead Lettei*s, Washington, D. C, asking whether such a package has been received at that office. POSTAL SAVINGS BANK An act of June 25, 1910, established Postal Savings Banks in the United States. The act provides for a Board of Trustees, consisting of the Postmaster-Gen- eral, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Attorney- General, v^ho have the control, supervision, and ad- ministration of the Postal Savings depository offices. Accounts may be opened by any person of the age of ten years or over. On opening an account a de- positor is supplied with an envelope in which he may keep his savings certificates. On the envelope is printed information for his guidance, and also a blank POSTAL INFORMATION 249 ledger record on which to keep an account of his deposits and withdrawals. At least one dollar, or a larger amount in multiples thereof, must be deposited before the account is opened. No more than $100 may be deposited in any one month. Postal Savings Cards, costing 10 cents each, may be used for saving small amounts. Postal Savings Stamps, costing 10 cents each, may be purchased and attached to the Postal Savings Cards. Nine stamps so attached to a card will be accepted on deposit for 11.00. The deposit of any one person shall not ex- ceed 1500. Interest is paid at the rate of 2 per cent per annum. The depositor may surrender his deposit, or any part thereof, in sums of $20, $40, $60, $80, $100, and multiples of $100 and $500, and receive therefor United States coupon or registered bonds, paying 21 per cent. These bonds are not counted as part of the maxi- mum of $500 allowed one depositor. They are exempt from all taxes, United States, State, municipal and local. INDEX Abbreviations, used in corre- spondence ; general, 24 months, 25 ; states, 25, 26 ; degrees, 26, 27. Addison, on the value of letter writing, 1. Address, forms of, 15. Addressing envelopes, 48. Agent's signature, 23. Alphabetical filing, 188. Application, letters of, 134. Body of letters, 11. Business circulars, 154. Business letter, composition of, 66; elements of, 67; struc- ture of, 79. Cablegrams, 143. Capitalization, rules of, 29. Carbon copy, 62. Card indexing, 186. Circular letters, 126. Claims of indemnity, 214. Clearness, 69. Codes, 143. Coherency, 73. Completeness, 73. Complimentary close, 11. Composition of a business letter, 66. Condolence, letters of, 180. Congratulation, letters of, 180. Contracts by mail and telegraph, 148. Copies of letters, carbon copy, 62; press copy, 61. Corporation signatures, 19. Correspondence, form of inter- course, 3 ; importance of, 4 ; how handled, 60 ; transferring, 193. Courtesy, 79. Day letter, 141. Day message, 141. Dead-letter Office, 216. Dead-letter Office sales, 222. Dead matter, how treated, 217. Degrees, use of, 26. Destructive mail matter, 239. Division of mail matter, 235. Domestic money order, 202. Elements of business letter, 67. Envelopes, addressing of, 48; stamped, 240 ; special request, 240. Exactness, 75. Figures, rules for writing in letters, 32. Filing, alphabetical, 188; nu- merical, 189 ; geographical, 193. First-class matter, 236. Folding letter sheet, 53. Follow-up letters, 194. Formal notes, 174, 175. Forms of introduction, saluta- tion, and superscription to government officials, 44. Forms of letters, business, 9; social and military, 12. Fourth-class matter, 238. Franklin, Benjamin, 119. General delivery, 242. Geographical filing, 193. Government officials, forms of address, 44. Growth of post office, 197. Hadley, President, remark on letter writing, 2. Heading of letter, 10. Inclosures, letters containing, 54. Incoming letters, 61. Indemnity for lost mail, 214; claims for, 216. Individual signature, 22. 251 252 INDEX Informal notes, 176, 177, 178, 179. Inquiry and information, letters of, 82. Insured parcel, 230. International money order, 207. Introduction, letters of, 113. Introduction to letter, 11. Invitations, formal, 174, 175. Letter filing, 186. Letters, containing inclosures, 54; of inquiry and informa- tion, 82 ; ordering goods, 90 ; requests for payment, 99 ; •blackmailing, 104 ; introduc- tion, 113; recommendation, 119; circular, 126; applica- tion, 134 ; congratulation, 180 ; condolence, 180 ; how to regis- ter, 211 ; how to reclaim, 213. Limitati9ns, Statute of, 104. List of titles, 15 ; abbreviations, 24 ; states, 25 ; degrees, 26. Lost mail, how to recover, 221. Lottery mail matter, 239. Method, 77. Miscellaneous hints, 63. Misdirected matter, 239. Model forms, business, 9, 10; social and miUtary, 12, 13. Money orders, domestic, 202 ; indorsement of, 206; loss of, 206; invalid, 206; interna- tional, 207. Night letter, 142. Night message, 141. Notes, formal, 174 ; informal, 176. Numerical filing, 189. Obscene mail matter, 239. Ordering goods, letters, 90. Outgoing letters, 61. Paragraph, 38. Parcel post law, 223. Partnership signature, 20. Payment, request for, 99. Penalty, misuse of mail, 239. Postage, rates of, domestic, 236 ; foreign, 246. Postal cards, threatening, 103; single, 240; double, 240; re- demption of, 240. Postal savings bank, 248. Post office, growth of, 197 ; his- tory of, 199 ; organization, 201. Press copying, method of, 61. Private mailing cards, 242. Punctuation, rules of, 34. Rates of postage, domestic, 236 ; foreign, 246. Recall of letters, 242. Reclaiming registered letters, 213. Recommendation, letters of, 119. Registry at door, 215. Registry system, 210. Request for payment, 99. Rural free delivery, 233. Sales, Dead-letter Office, 222. Salesmanship letters, 123. Salutation, 11. Scurrilous mail matter, 239. Second-class matter, 237. Signatures to letters, 18. Special delivery service, 223. Special request envelopes, 240. Stamped envelopes, 240; re- demption of, 240. Stamps, denominations of, 239; books of, 240. Statute of Limitations, 105. Stoppage in transitu, 156. Structure of letters, 79. Suggestions to teacher and stu- dent, 65. Technique of a business letter, 7. Telegrams, 140. Telegraph, contracts by, 148. Terseness, 69. Third-class matter, 237. Titles, use of, 15. Transferring correspondence, 193. Universal Postal Union, 243. Unmailable matter, 238. Woman's signature, 23. Zones, 225. nPHE following pages contain advertisements of a few of the Macmillan books on kindred subjects Macmillan's Commercial Series Edited by CHEESMAN A. HERRICK President of Girard College, formerly Director of School of Commerce Philadelphia Central High School Each volume 12mo. Cloth Altmaier's Commercial Correspondence with Postal Information A simple, practical text-book widely used with great success. BiGELow & Arnold's Elements of Business Arithmetic A new, practical, elementary treatment of the subject suitable for use in the last years of the grammar school or the first years of the high school course. Bogle's Comprehensive Bookkeeping A complete manual for the use of students in commercial couraes. Blanks and a Teachers' Maniuil, made to accompany this text are available at moderate prices, and these books form a good working basis for the commercial course in secondary schools. Herrick's The Meaning and Practice of Commercial Education This book explains the purpose and describes the actual working of commercial schools. It treats commercial education from various points of view, and shows that this form of instruction is a result of present economic conditions and a natural step in our national de- velopment. An appendix supplies a number of curricula for schools of various grades, and there is a serviceable bibliography of the subject. Herrick's History of Commerce In preparation Thurston's Business Arithmetic for Secondary Schools The book is particularly fitted for use in commercial courses, but it may be used in any practical course in high school arithmetic. It deals with processes and business forms used in modern commercial practice. Trotter's Geography of Commerce In this book there is a union of the two phases of thought which form the basis of the geography of commerce. It interprets the activities of men and of organizations of men as they are dependent upon physical conditions. THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 64-66 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO DALLAS ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO The Geography of Commerce By SPENCER TROTTER, M.D. Professor of Biology and Oeotogy la Swarthmore College, Peansylvaala List price, $i.io This book is the first volume of Macmillan's Commercial Series, of which it, together with three other volumes, forms the backbone. The book is exceptionally fortunate as well as unique in its authorship. Dr. Trotter is a scientist and geographer of high standing, while the editor, Dr. Herrick, who was associated with him in the preparation and revision of the manuscript, is a trained economist. Both are experienced and suc- cessful teachers. Moreover, the text has been studied by high school students, and the matter so altered as to bring it fairly within their com- prehension. The Geography of Commerce gives a clear presentation of the existing conditions of trade. Throughout the book emphasis is laid on the relation between physiography and the activities and the organizations of men. In dealing with other countries their trade relations with the United States are given special prominence. In con- sidering the causal relations of physical environment to men, of men and environment to products, and of products to trade, there is given a unity that makes the book readily adapted for class use. Dr. Trotter's book is on the *• practical side " of geography, which, according to a recent statement of a recognized authority, " is best taught in a well-developed course of commercial geography placed after earlier courses on general geography in the grades and a course in elementary physiography either in the grades or in an early high school year." The book is furnished with a working equipment which is as com- plete as possible. The subject is new, and it has been thought wise to append lists of books for further consultation. These lists are meant merely as suggestions as to some of the available newer material. Supplementary questions and topics are also supplied. The Macmillan Company New York Boston Chicago San Francisco Atlanta THE MEANING AND PRACTICE OF Commercial Education By CHEESMAN A. HERRICK, Ph.D. Director School of Commerce, Philadelphia Central High School List price, $1.25 The book above mentioned was prepared to explain the idea and describe the actual workings of commercial schools. It treats commercial education from various points of view, and shows that this form of instruction is a result of present economic conditions and a natural step in our educational development. The author shows also that special edu- cation for the present commercial age fs both possible and desirable, and that such education will gradually bring about a higher form of commer- cialism. The author reviews the movements to furnish commercial education in various countries, including Germany and Austria, France and Bel- gium, England and the United States. The treatment of each country is from the standpoint of general education, and the account is based on the latest information. For the United States a series of chapters are devoted to the Private Commercial School, the High School of Commerce, the Curriculum of the Secondary Commercial School, and the Higher School of Commerce. The final chapter gathers up the discussion in a statement of conclusions and recommendations. An appendix furnishes a goodly number of curricula for schools of various grades both at home and abroad. The value of the work is further increased by a select bibliography of the subject, including nearly three hundred titles, which will be found of no small service by both stu dents and teachers. The Macmillan Company New York Boston Chicago San Francisco Atlanta Business Arithmetic for Secondary Schools By ERNEST L. THURSTON Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Washington, D.C. Cloth, i2mo, illustrated, 431 pages. List price, $1.00 This book is designed for use in those schools in which it is desired to emphasize the practical rather than the merely theoretical phases of the subject. The principles of arithmetic are by no means neglected ; in fact, the simple logical development and state- ment of these principles is one of the most noteworthy features of the book. The author does not stop here, however, but goes on to show how arithmetic is used in the actual processes of business life. The book not only furnishes an excellent drill in arithmetical prin- ciples and processes, but it introduces the student to business technique. Problems are original and vital and they are numerous enough to provide abundant practice without becoming a burden. The great variety of form in which they are stated serves to increase interest and to emphasize principles rather than form of statement. Among the topics of common interest treated are rapid adding, short methods in multiplication, averaging, making change, house- hold expenses, payment for service, advertising, aliquot parts, practi- cal measurements, composite units, graphic arithmetic, insurance, savings accounts, bids and estimates. The book is alive from beginning to end. THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 64-66 FIFTH AVENUE BOSTON NEW YORK CITY DALLAS CHICAGO ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO 54i;}74 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY