FRANCE 19th century - SPECIAL OFFICES "FRANCHISES, CONTRESEINGS". KING LOUIS XVIII, letter for the Postmaster General in Meaux - Paris 27 July 1815. Handwritten letter signed by the Marquis d' Herbouville, Director General of the Royal Post Office. Letter concerning "the visit by two gendarmes to Sieur Nicolas Simon, driver of a patache" and the letter found in his possession, and the fact that "he could not have been unaware of the laws prohibiting him from carrying it" (given the monopoly on mail transport granted to the Post Office) - "given that he only had one letter. I invite you to see Mr. Procureur du Roi and ask him to cease his proceedings... on the recto RARE FRANCHISE GRIFFE, in cursive on 2 lines, struck in red: "PAIR DE FFRANCE / DIRECTEUR Gal des POSTES" - (catalogue Rochette/Pothion 1958 n° 2010). THIS MARK IS EXTREMELY RARE "It was only used from 2 October 1815 to 2 November 1816.