In 1883, Russian colonization societies from Riga, Vilna and Kovno (Kaunas) purchased 6,400 acres of land in Hadera, south of old Caesarea at the mouth of the Nahr el Mefjir River, which flows into the Wadi el Khuderia. A colony covering an area of 7,100 acres was founded there in 1891, which by 1898 numbered 153 settlers, and 164 settlers by 1909. Initially a rather unhealthy place, the colony had prospects of eventually becoming an important center because of its proximity to the seacoast. Near Hadera, in 1906, a fairly large orange plantation was started. In accordance with an agreement between the Jewish settle¬ments and the Austrian Post, the inland mail was forwarded free of charge in the same Austrian postal districts under the condition, or at least the expectation, that the Jewish settlers would give preference to the Austrian Post by sending their foreign mail through its me¬dium. Letters were conveyed by messenger from the settle¬ment to the Austrian Post Office at Jaffa for onward forwarding to the addressees. To reckon messenger charges, local fee stamps were used with the Hebrew inscription "Moshava Hadera," (Hadera Colony), plus a value designation. Two rates of fee stamp are known: 5 para for postcards and 10 para for letters; a bisect of the 10 para was also used on postcards.