e-mail is interesting technology, but so was V-Mail:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-mailIts introduction to Canada came 70 years ago, though the V-Mail name did not get coined until the U.S. entered World War II, the 70th anniversary of which will also be remembered at the end of this year.
The concept was simple: save all that valuable airplane cargo space that would normally go for carrying airmail overseas, by microfilming the originals, and just transporting the microfilm in an aircraft. Prints were made and delivered at the other end of the overseas flight.