CHAPTER XVI. DELIVERY AND COLLECTING OF MAIL BY CARRIERS.

 The regulations as to the delivery of mail matter will apply to the delivery of such matter by letter carriers, except where inapplicable or as otherwise modified.

Carriers must be careful to deliver mail to the persons for whom it is intended, or to some one authorized¹ to receive it. They will, in case of doubt, make inquiry² with the view of ascertaining³ the owner. Failing in this, the mail will be returned to the office, to be disposed of as the postmaster may direct. Carriers must not deliver mail matter to patrons in the street, unless such delivery can be made without unreasonable⁴ delay. Mail matter must not be delivered by carriers in boxes or other receptacles which are not occupied in whole or in part by the addressees unless expressly ordered by the postmaster.

Carriers must not throw mail matter into windows or halls, unless specially⁵ instructed to do so. They must ring the bell, wait a reasonable time for an answer, and deliver the mail to some one of the household[146] in the habit of receiving it. Patrons who repeatedly fail to respond promptly⁶ to the carrier’s ring must be reported to the postmaster. Carriers must not enter any house while on their trips, except in the discharge of their official duties. Mail matter must not be delivered by carriers which has not passed through the post office or station with which they are connected. Mail matter intrusted to carriers must not be exhibited to persons other than those addressed, except on the order of the postmaster or some one authorized to act for him. Letters for delivery must not be carried by carriers in their pockets. Carriers must not deviate⁷ from the respective routes. Carriers must not stop for their meals while on their trips. Carriers must not throw away or improperly⁸ dispose of mail matter, however trifling⁹ or unimportant it may appear to them. Stamps must not be removed from mail matter of any class whatever intrusted to carriers for delivery or collected by them for mailing.

Mounted carriers must dismount and deliver the mail at the doors of residences, except in cases where the patrons on their routes consent to respond to their call and receive the mail at the sidewalk. Carriers are not required to deliver mail at residences where vicious dogs are permitted to run at large. Persons keeping such dogs must call at the post office for their mail.

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Carriers must collect and promptly return to the postmaster all postage due on mail intrusted to them for delivery, as indicated by the postage-due stamps attached. Such mail matter must not be delivered until the postage due shall have been paid.

When carriers making collections from letter boxes find that it will be impossible on any one trip to carry to the post office the contents of all the boxes on their routes, preference must be given to mail matter of the first class. Newspapers and packages placed on the tops of letter boxes should be collected when it can be done without overloading¹⁰ the mail sacks and preventing the prompt collection of mail matter properly deposited in the boxes.

Carriers must, while on their routes, receive letters with postage stamps affixed¹¹, handed them for mailing, but they should not delay the deliveries by waiting for such letters. Money to pay postage on letters handed them for mailing must not be accepted, except as provided for in the use of the stamp-selling envelope in connection with house-to-house delivery and collection boxes.

Carriers should also receive other small articles of mailable matter with postage properly prepaid, but they should refuse to receive packages that are cumbersome¹² on account of size, shape or weight, especially[148] when the carrying of such packages would interfere¹³ with the prompt delivery of mail and the collections from letter boxes.

Carriers must receive and register all letters and packages of first-class matter that are not cumbersome on account of size, shape or weight, and properly offered them for registration¹⁴, and must give the regulation receipt therefor. Carriers must encourage the registration of valuable first-class matter by patrons on their routes.

Postmasters may permit carriers to sell postage stamps or stamped envelopes in limited quantities; but their deliveries or collections must not be delayed in making change.

Carriers must not return, under any circumstances, to any person, any letter or letters, said to have been deposited in a letter box, or which have come into the custody¹⁵ of the carrier in a regular way. An applicant¹⁶ for the return of such mail should be directed to the postmaster.

After the last daily delivery carriers must return to the post office or station with which they are connected their satchels¹⁷ and all mail that can not be delivered. Carriers may be permitted to take their satchels home with them direct from their routes[149] when, in the opinion of the postmaster, the interests of the service will be promoted thereby¹⁸, but undelivered mail matter remaining in satchels must first be deposited in the nearest letter box.

1 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

2 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

3 ascertaining   

v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I was ascertaining whether the cellar stretched out in front or behind. 我当时是要弄清楚地下室是朝前还是朝后延伸的。 来自辞典例句
• The design and ascertaining of permanent-magnet-biased magnetic bearing parameter are detailed introduced. 并对永磁偏置磁悬浮轴承参数的设计和确定进行了详细介绍。 来自互联网

4 unreasonable   

adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的

参考例句：

• I know that they made the most unreasonable demands on you.我知道他们对你提出了最不合理的要求。
• They spend an unreasonable amount of money on clothes.他们花在衣服上的钱太多了。

5 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

6 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

7 deviate   

v.(from)背离，偏离

参考例句：

• Don't deviate from major issues.不要偏离主要问题。
• I will never deviate from what I believe to be right.我绝不背离我自信正确的道路。

8 improperly   

不正确地，不适当地

参考例句：

• Of course it was acting improperly. 这样做就是不对嘛！
• He is trying to improperly influence a witness. 他在试图误导证人。

9 trifling   

adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的

参考例句：

• They quarreled over a trifling matter.他们为这种微不足道的事情争吵。
• So far Europe has no doubt, gained a real conveniency,though surely a very trifling one.直到现在为止,欧洲无疑地已经获得了实在的便利，不过那确是一种微不足道的便利。

10 overloading   

过载，超载，过负载

参考例句：

• Enables multiple users to search the site without overloading the server. 使多个用户搜索网站，而无需超载的服务器上。
• The driver got stripped down again for overloading his trunk. 那位卡车司机因为超载又受到责备。

11 affixed   

adj.[医]附着的，附着的v.附加( affix的过去式和过去分词 )；粘贴；加以；盖（印章）

参考例句：

• The label should be firmly affixed to the package. 这张标签应该牢牢地贴在包裹上。
• He affixed the sign to the wall. 他将标记贴到墙上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 cumbersome   

adj.笨重的，不便携带的

参考例句：

• Although the machine looks cumbersome,it is actually easy to use.尽管这台机器看上去很笨重，操作起来却很容易。
• The furniture is too cumbersome to move.家具太笨，搬起来很不方便。

13 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

14 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

15 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

16 applicant   

n.申请人，求职者，请求者

参考例句：

• He was the hundredth applicant for the job. 他是第100个申请这项工作的人。
• In my estimation, the applicant is well qualified for this job. 据我看, 这位应征者完全具备这项工作的条件。

17 satchels   

n.书包( satchel的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Genuine leather satchels make young ladies fall into temptation. 真皮女用挎包——妙龄女郎的诱惑。 来自互联网
• Scans the front for mines, satchels, IEDs, and other threats. 搜索前方可能存在的地雷、炸药、路边炸弹以及其他的威胁。 来自互联网

18 thereby   

adv.因此，从而

参考例句：

• I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市，因此对它不怎么熟悉。
• He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民，因而得到了投票权。