Mímir. Icelandic institutions with adresses - 15.12.1903, Blaðsíða 89

____________NOTES ON ICELANDIC MATTERS_________________79 |
as a seal of state, for political purposes, or as a decorative
ornament. Of course, like other heraldic emblems taken from
the natural kingdom, it cannot, for artistic reasons, be adapted
to the purposes of a banner; but that is, of course, not the
intention, since so long as the connection between Denmark
and Iceland shall last the commercial flag of the latter will be
the white cross of St. Valdemar — who, by the way, must have
spoken a tongue very near akin to Icelandic.
The Icelandic Post. — The mail reaches Iceland from for-
eign parts almost wholly by steamers of the Danish United
Steamship Company, under contract with the Icelandic govern-
ment. These steamers take from Copenhagen every class of
mail matter, and always touch, on their voyages to and fro,
at Leith, Scotland. They leave Copenhagen three or four days
before their arrival in Scotland, and between their trips from
three to five weeks, according to the season of the year, intervene.
Postal matter may therefore escape a possible delay of some
weeks if sent, in the first instance, direct to Leith — there to
be put on board the mail steamer, before its departure north,
by the postal authorities at that place. Until now, only letters
journals and books (book post) could be forwarded by the way
°f Leith; but just as this is written new arrangements have
been announced by the British Post Office, by virtue of which
parcels of all sorts may likewise be posted by the Leith route.
The rates are: for parcels weighing not over 3 lbs., 1 shilling;
over 3 lbs., but not over 7 lbs., 1 shilling 6 pence; over 7 lbs.,
but not over 11 lbs., 2 shillings. Therefore all postal matter
(letters, newspapers, books, parcels) for Iceland, especially if
dispatched from the United States, Canada, Great Britain,
France, Holland, Belgium, Italy or Germany, should be plainly
marked via Leith, Scotland. It is also well to place in the
address not only the name of Iceland in the language of the
country whence the matter is sent, but also in English (Icela?id),
since the word “Island” (German, Danish, Swedish, Dutch)