SYNCHRONISM OF THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 1866.

The year 7374-75 of the Byzantine Era, or of the Septuagint, in use at Constantinople.

The year 5626-27 of the Jewish Era. Begins September 10th. The year 1283 of the Turks or Mahommedans. Begins May 16th.

The year 2178 of the Grecian Era, or the Era of the Seleucidæ. The year 2619 since the foundation of Rome, according to Varro.

The year 374 of the Discovery of America by Christopher Columbus.

The year 90-91 of the Independence of the United States of America.

First Sunday in Lent............ February 18

MOVEABLE FEASTS AND FASTS.

Septuagesima Sunday,...........January 28 | Easter Sunday............
Shrove Tuesday,.
.February 18 Low Sunday..

Ash Wednesday. ............February 14 Rogation....................

Ascension......

Pas-ion Sunday..
Palm Sunday..

...March 18 Whit Sunday.......

...............March 10 Trinity Sunday............................

Good Friday.....

.........March 30 | Advent Sunday..................December 2

ECLIPSES FOR THE YEAR 1866.

In the year 1866 there will be five Eclipses; three of the Sun and two of the Moon.

1. A partial Eclipse of the Sun, March 16, 1866; invisible in the United States and in Europe.

2. A total Eclipse of the Moon, March 30, 1866; visible throughout the United States. The Moon enters Penumbra at 8 o'clock 19 min., P. M., theu enters shadow at 9 o'clock 19 min., at Washington, and the total Phase from 10 o'clock to midnight and

14 min.; then leaves the shadow at 1 o'clock 21 min. A. M., and Penumbra at 2 o'clock 30 min.

3. A partial Eclipse of the Sun, April 15, 1866. Invisible except in Australia.

4. A total Eclipse of the Moon, September 24, 1866. Invisible in the United States, except on Pacific coast, commencing at San Francisco at 4 o'clock 9 minutes A. M., and becomes total at 5 o'clock 9 minutes. Moon sets in total Eclipse.

5. A partial Eclipse of the Sun, October 7 and 8, 1866; invisible at Washington, but visible in the Americo-Russian possessions, and in a great part of Europe.

POSTAL RATES AND REGULATIONS.

LETTERS. The law requires postage on all letters (including those to foreign countries when prepaid) excepting those written to the President or Vice-President, or members of Congress, or (on official business) to the chiefs of the executive departments of the government, and the heads of bureaus and chief clerks, and others invested with the franking privilege, to be prepaid by stamps or stamped envelops, prepayment in money being prohibited.

All drop-letters must be prepaid. The rate of postage on dropletters, at offices where free delivery by carrier is established, is two cents per half ounce or fraction of a half ounce; at offices where such free delivery is not established, the rate is one cent.

The single rate of postage on all domestic mail letters throughout the United States is three cents per half ounce, with an additional rate of three cents for each additional half ounce or fraction of a half ounce. The ten cent (Pacific) rate is abolished.

To and from Canada and New Brunswick, 10 cents per half ounce, irrespective of distance.

To and from other British North American Provinces, for distance not over 3,000 miles, 10 cents. Over 3,000, 15 cents.

For every additional half ounce, or fraction of a half ounce, an additional rate is charged. Prepayment is optional on all letters for the British North American Provinces except Newfoundland, to which prepayment is compulsory.

NEWSPAPERS, ETC.-Letter postage is to be charged on all handbills, circulars, or other printed matter which shall contain any manuscript writing whatever.

Daguerreotypes, when sent in the mail, are to be charged with letter postage by weight.

Photographs on cards, paper, and other flexible material (not in cases), can be sent at the same rate as miscellaneous printed matter-viz., two cents for each four ounces, or fraction thereof.

Photographic Albums are chargeable with book postage-four cents for each four ounces, or fraction thereof.

NEWSPAPER POSTAGE.-Postage on daily papers to subscribers when prepaid quarterly or yearly in advance, either at the mailing office or office of delivery, per quarter (three months), 35 cts.; six times per week, per quarter 30 cts.; for tri-weekly, per quarter 15 cts.; for semi-weekly, per quarter 10 cts. ; for weekly, per quarter 5 cts.

Weekly newspapers (one copy only) sent by the publisher to actual subscribers within the county where printed and published, free.

Postage per quarter (to be paid quarterly or yearly in advance)

on newspapers and periodicals issued less frequently than once a week, sent to actual subscribers in any part of the United States:

Semi-monthly, not over 4 oz., 6 cts., over 4 oz. and not over 8 oz., 12 cts.; over 8 oz. and not over 12 oz., 18 cts. ; monthly, not over 4 oz., 3 cts.; over 4 oz. and not over 8 oz., 6 cts.; over 8 oz. and not over 12 oz., 9 cts.; quarterly, not over 4 oz., 1 ct.; over 4 oz. and not over 8 oz., 2 cts.; over 8 oz. and not over 12 oz., 3 cts.

TRANSIENT MATTER.-Books not over 4 oz. in weight, to one address, 4 cts.; over 4 oz. and not over 8 oz., 8 cts.; over 8 oz. and not over 12 oz., 12 cts.; over 12 oz. and not over 16 oz., 16 cts.

Circulars, not exceeding three in number, to one address, 2 cts., over three and not over six, 4 cts.; over six and not over nine, 6 cts.; over nine and not exceeding twelve, 8 cts.

On miscellaneous mailable matter, (embracing all pamphlets, occasional publications, transient newspapers, hand-bills and posters, book manuscripts and proof-sheets, whether corrected or not, maps, prints, engravings, sheet music, blanks, flexible patterns, samples and sample-cards, photographic paper, letter envelopes, postal envelopes, or wrappers, cards, paper, plain or ornamental, photographic representations of different types, seeds, cuttings, bulbs, roots and scions,) the postage to be pre-paid by stamps, is, on one package, to one address, not over 4 oz. in weight, 2 cts.; over 4 oz. and not over OZ., cts.; over 8 oz. and not over 12 oz., 6 cts. ; over 12 oz. and not over 16 oz., 8 cts. The weight of packages of seeds, cuttings, roots and scions, to be franked, is limited to thirtytwo ounces.

[All printed matter (except single copies of newspapers, magazines and periodicals to regular subscribers) sent via overland mail, is to be charged at letter postage rates.]

Any word or communication, whether by printing, writing, marks or signs, upon the cover or wrapper of a newspaper, pamphlet, magazine, or other printed matter, other than the name and address of the person to whom it is to be sent, and the date when subscription expires, subjects the package to letter postage.

LETTER POSTAGE TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES.-For each half ounce: To England, Ireland and Scotland, 24 cts.; to France and Algeria, by French mails, 15 cts. quarter ounce. By the Bremen or Hamburg mails, the postage to Bremen and Hamburg is 10 cts.; to Frankfort and Wurtemburg, 15 cts.; to the German States, Prussia, Austria and its States, and Lombardy, 15 cts.; to the Sardinian States, 24 cts.; to the Papal States, 38 cts.; to the Two Sicilies, 22 cts.; to Denmark, 20 cts.; to Sweden, 33 cts.; to Norway, 38 cts.; to Russia, 29 cts. By the Prussian closed mails, or by French mail, the postage to these countries is higher. The prepayment of letters to them, excepting the Two Sicilies, is optional; as also to Canada and the British North American States, where the postage is 10 cts. under 3,000 miles, and 15 cts. over. To the following, postage must beprepaid: To British West Indies, Aspinwall, Panama, and Mexico, 10 cts. under 2,500 miles, 20 cts. over; to New Grenada, 18 cts.; to Peru, 22 cts.; to Ecuador, Bolivia, and

Chili, 34 cts.; to Sandwich Islands, New South Wales, and China, by mail to San Francisco, thence by private ship, 10 cts.; to China and Australia via England, 33 and 45 cts.; via Marseilles, 35 and 57 cents.

POSTAL MONEY ORDER SYSTEM.

HOW TO OBTAIN MONEY ORDERS.-Orders may be given at any of the offices named below upon any single office authorized to transact this business, for one dollar up to thirty dollars. The following blank, with explanatory notes which accompany it, gives a very plain idea of the process by which orders may be obtained:

NOTE. The applicant must, in all cases, give his own Christian name in full; and when the Christian name of the payee is known, it should be so stated; otherwise initials may be used. The Christian names of married women must be given, and not those of their husbands. For example, Mrs. Mary Brown must not be described as Mrs. William Brown.

Names of parties and places, and the sums, to be written in the plainest possible manner.

As there are several places of the same name in the United States, remitters must be careful to indicate which of them they mean; and the Postmaster will satisfy himself, before writing out the order, that the place indicated is the one intended.

On the back of the application are the rates of commission, as follows:

RATES OF COMMISSION CHARGED FOR MONEY ORDERS.

On orders not exceeding $10-10 cents.

Over $10 and not ex

ceeding $20-15 cts. Over $20 and up to $30-20 cts. No single order issued for less than $1 or more than $30; and no fraction of cents to be introduced in an order. No orders to be issued on credit.

These orders are only payable by the Postmaster at the office upon which it is drawn. Payment of all orders should be obtained before the expiration of 90 days from the date of issue.

The Post Office Department will not be responsible for the pay