"William M. Klimon" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am attempting to purchase a heavy (but not that heavy) 5-volume set
of books from a U.K. dealer. He thought the abe shipping charge was
"crazy" but then indicated that it would be about 55 pounds sterling
(c. $100), which, knowing these books, I likewise think is crazy.

I know that using a U.S.P.S. M-Bag I could ship these books to the U.K.
for probably under $20.

Is there an equivalent service from the Royal Mail?

Yes, there is an M-bag service available from Royal Mail; I don't know if
private individuals can use it, but we certainly did when we lived in the
U.K. and were shipping books back to North America, and we know dealers
there who still use it. Make sure, though, that if your books are sent to
you in an M-bag that whoever does the wrapping makes the box bullet-proof
and well-padded; our experience of how some books arrive when they're
shipped by M-bag suggests that at some point they're used in football
matches.

Barbara Roden