As a bank usually receives by mail a large number of checks, drafts, etc., for collection or in payment for items forwarded to other banks for collection, the opening of the mail Lb an important matter and should have careful attention. As each letter is opened its contents should be carefully examined and checked off on the letter of advice. This done, the contents should be disposed of as follows: All checks on the bank itself should be turned over to the receiving teller to be entered on his books, and by him turned over to the individual bookkeepers, to be charged up against depositors' accounts; checks on clearing-house banks should also be turned over to the receiving teller to be sent through the day's clearings; checks and drafts on other banks or parties in same place should be presented, by messenger, for collection or acceptance on same day, and checks and other cash items on out-of-town banks or parties forwarded promptly by mail the same day for collection. Time items for collection should be turned over to the discount clerk to be properly entered in a separate book, like the discount register, kept for this purpose, and to be treated with the same care and attention as paper owned by the bank, but kept entirely separate and apart from same. The letters containing the necessary data with regard to all items received by mail should be turned over to the general bookkeeper, and the mail clerk should furnish to each employe to whom he delivers the items a memorandum giving the necessary data with regard to the various items and the disposition of same, so that "credit" or "charge" slips may agree with the data contained in the letters of advice. At the close of the day's business each bank or party from whom either remittances or collections are received should be advised by mail of such receipt, and where items have been collected with instructions to remit, remittances for same by mail or express, as requested, should be made also. Prompt attention to this feature of business adds to the business and. reputation of a bank, while a lack of promptness is apt to discredit it with parties entrusting it with collections.

Great care should be exercised to see that each letter of advice or remittance is carefully addressed, and that proper contents are enclosed in each letter. In the case of a regular correspondent, stamped envelopes bearing its printed address and the imprint of the sending bank save time and secure accuracy.

Copies of all such letters of remittance should be retained, from which the proper entries may be made by the general bookkeeper.