Postal services around the world have long found it necessary to provide explanation for mail delivery times that did not meet or exceed the expectations of those who send and receive letters. One method was to place a marking on items that were brought to the post office after the scheduled departure of the coach, train, ship or other carrier that was to take the mail. The idea was to make it clear that it was NOT the origination post office's fault that the letter did not begin its journey at the first expected opportunity that the dated postmark, or other markings, might imply.