text_original: The cost of foreign postage might be regarded as comparatively cheap. A single sheet letter could be sent to the West Indies for one and threepence, and a double letter for two and sixpence, but letters coming from the West Indies to England had to pay one and sixpence or three shillings each, or, if bulky enough to be rated according to mere weight, six shillings for each ounce.
text_transcription: THE COST OF FOREIGN POSTAGE MIGHT BE REGARDED AS COMPARATIVELY CHEAP A SINGLE LETTER COULD BE SENT TO THE WEST INDIES FOR ONE AND THREEPENCE AND A DOUBLE LETTER FOR TWO AND SIXPENCE BUT LETTERS COMING FROM THE WEST INDIES TO ENGLAND HAD TO PAY ONE AND SIXPENCE OR THREE SHILLINGS EACH OR OF BULKY ENOUGH TO BE RATED ACCORDING TO MERE WEIGHT SIX SHILLINGS FOR EACH OUNCE
phonemes: ðə kˈɔst ʌv fˈɔːɹən pˈoʊstɪdʒ mˌaɪt biː ɹᵻɡˈɑːɹdᵻd æz kəmpˈæɹətˌɪvli tʃˈiːp. ɐ sˈɪŋɡəl ʃˈiːt lˈɛɾɚ kʊd biː sˈɛnt tə ðə wˈɛst ˈɪndiz fɔːɹ wˈʌn ænd θɹˈiːpəns, ænd ɐ dˈʌbəl lˈɛɾɚ fɔːɹ tˈuː ænd sˈɪkspəns, bˌʌt lˈɛɾɚz kˈʌmɪŋ fɹʌmðə wˈɛst ˈɪndiz tʊ ˈɪŋɡlənd hædtə pˈeɪ wˈʌn ænd sˈɪkspəns ɔːɹ θɹˈiː ʃˈɪlɪŋz ˈiːtʃ, ɔːɹ, ɪf bˈʌlki ɪnˈʌf təbi ɹˈeɪɾᵻd ɐkˈɔːɹdɪŋ tə mˈɪɹ wˈeɪt, sˈɪks ʃˈɪlɪŋz fɔːɹ ˈiːtʃ ˈaʊns.