Page 3 - Bengal Records Manual, 1943.doc

Compendium on Acts and Rules

The papers within each file should ordinarily be of foolscap size and of good quality.
Where they are not of this size, they should be folded to fit into the same space, if
larger than foolscap size; if smaller they should not, as a. measure of economy, be

pasted on to a sheet of foolscap but care should be taken that they are not mislaid.

Files. 2. A single file consists of every letter received and every draft of a letter or memorandum

issued in the course of a consecutive correspondence on one subject. Each paper i£* to
be placed flatly in chronological order, i.e., the first letter issued or received at the bottom,

the nest above it, and so on, the letter of latest date being at the top. Such letters and
drafts should, as far as practicable, be written only on the standard routine forms prescribed

by the Board which are in Appendix C.

3. (1) Each letter will have assigned to it a consecutive number within the file to which it
Serial
belongs, called the serial number which should be inserted in a big figure in the space
number
provided for the purpose in the standard forms.

(2) Every document of the nature referred to in rule 227 received with a letter will have

assigned to it a sub-number. For example, if the letter is numbered 12 the private
document or exhibit received with it will bear the number 12 (a) If more documents than

one are received with a letter, sub-numbers 12 (a), 12 (b), 12 (c), etc., will be given to
them.

Keep-withs 4. With each letter or draft should be kept any enclosures of the letter, i.e.,
papers which are sent with the letter and are intended to be read as part of the letter

and kept with it, and any office notes which passed with regal it; these are technically

called "keep-withs", and, except as provided in rule 3 (2), do not bear separate serial
numbers. part of the correspondence. These papers will be stitched together with

cotton in the upper left hand corner will form one unit under one serial number in the file

Collections. 5. A "collection” is an aggregate of the files, the subjects of which fall under some
general classification- and which are tied up together and kept together on the racks for the

sake of convenience and for economy of space. For instance, the English
correspondence regarding the settlement of one ordinary estate will constitute a file; a
number of such files will be kept together in one collection, of which the title would be

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