Part 34

_Samples_, 1753, 1795, 1805, 1812, 230; 1837, 1863, 231; 1864, 1870, 232; 1887, 1897, 234; 1915, 235

_Commercial Papers_, 1660, 238; 1847, 239

_Local Rates_, 1680, 247; 1730, 249; 1794, 1801, 251; 1805, 252

CANADA.

_Letters_ (First-class Mail), 1765, 38; 1842, 49-52; 1851, 55; 1867, 56; 1889, 1898, 57

_Newspapers_ (Second-class Mail), 1840, 136; 1844, 140; 1867, 141; 1882, 143; 1898, 145; 1903, 147

_Book Post_ (Third-class Mail), 245

_Fourth-class Mail_, 245

_Parcels_, 1914, 856

_Local Rates_, 1867, 1889, 254; 1898, 255

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

_Letters_ (First-class Mail), 1693, 61; 1711, 1765, 63; 1775, 66; 1777, 68; 1780, 1781, 1782, 69; 1792, 1814, 71; 1845, 73; 1851, 1863, 75; 1883, 1885, 76

_Newspapers_ (Second-class Mail), 1792, 149; 1794, 1825, 150; 1845, 1847, 1851, 151; 1863, 1872, 152; 1879, 153

_Book Post_ (Third-class Mail), 76, 245

_Fourth-class Mail_, 76, 245

_Parcels_, 1913, 201; 1914, 202

FRANCE.

_Letters_, 1576, 1627, 1676, 80; 1703, 1759, 81; 1791, 82; 1827, 83; 1849, 85; 1850, 1854, 1871, 88; 1876, 1878, 90; 1906, 94; 1910, 1917, 96

_Newspapers_, 1791, 1795, 1799, 165; 1827, 1850, 166; 1856, 167; 1878, 1895, 1908, 169

_Book Post_,1791, 1856, 223; 1878, 224; 1909, 225

_Parcels_, 1881, 205; 1897, 206

_Samples_,1791, 1856, 235; 1871, 1873, 1875, 236

_Papiers d'Affaires_, 1856, 1871, 1875, 240

_Local Rates_, 1653, 255; 1759, 1878, 256

GERMANY.

_Letters_, 1712, 1762, 100; 1766, 1770, 1822, 101; 1824, 102; 1844, 104; 1848, 105; 1850, 106; 1860, 1861, 107; 1868, 1871, 1900, 109

_Newspapers_, 1821, 1848, 174; 1899, 178

_Book Post_, 1712, 1821, 1824, 225; 1850, 226; 1856, 227; 1871, 1874, 228; 1890, 229

_Parcels_, 1699, 1713, 210; 1762, 1766, 211; 1770, 1805, 1811, 1824, 212; 1842, 1850, 1857, 1867, 213; 1874, 214-15

_Samples_, 1825, 1850, 236; 1860, 1863, 1871, 237; 1875, 1914, 238

_Gesch[:a]ftspapiere_, 1900, 241

_Local Rates_, 1852, 256; 1860, 1865, 1867, 257; 1875, 258; 1900, 261

INTERNATIONAL.

_Letters_, 1874, 270; 1906, 275

_Parcels_, 1880, 1886, 280; 1897, 281; 1906, 282

Rates, international transit, _see_ Transit rates

Redirection (of letters, etc.), 283, note 2

Reform Act, 1832, 119

Revenue, net, 16, 22, 31, 35, 58, 63, 71, 76, 80, 83, 87, 89, 91, 94, 99, 100, 104, 105, 109, 253, 314, 353, 355, 358; theoretical character of, 362, 363

Rice, Spring, 122

Richelieu, 80

Riders in post, 4, 5, 20, 22, 67

Rural delivery, 89, 110, 161, 314 note, 331, 332; free, 161

Sample rate, _see_ Rates of postage

Savings Bank, Post Office, 33, 357

_Schriftentaxe_, 225, 240

Second-class Mail, _see_ Mail matter, classification of; Congressional Commission on, 1907, 156; 1912, 158; deficit, 147, 155, 158, 162; use of freight trains for, 163

Select Committee on Postage, Report of, 1838, 30; on Newspaper Stamps, 1851, 122, 127

Seven Years' War, 81, 100, 211

Ship Letter Office, 344

Ship letters, 339, 342

Single letter, definition of, 336

Smith, Adam, 329, 330

Sorting frames, 285

_Stafetti_, 8, 378

Staff, 33-5; cost of, 289, 301, 306

Stage coach, 20, 250 note, 385

Stamp duty (on newspapers), 117, 119, 121, 128

Stamping machines, 303

Stamps, postage, introduction of, 27

Stanhope, Lord, 7, 341, 380

State control of Post Office, 328

Stayner, T. A., 138

Stephan, H. von, 241, 266

Supplemental services, 33, 109, 357

Supplements (newspaper), 132, 171, 172, 181

Surveyors (post office), 20, 21

Sutherland, Daniel, 43

Taxes on knowledge, 126, 142

Taxis, J. von, 350

Telegraphs, Post Office, 33, 358

Telephones, Post Office, 33, 358

Temporary uniform fourpenny rate. 30 note

Third-class Mail Matter, _see_ Mail matter, classification of

Thirty Years' War, 209, 353

Thorough Post, 4, 5

Threepenny Post (London), 252

Thurn and Taxis Posts, 108, 350

_Times_ newspaper, 121, 129

Trade journals, transmission by post, 132, 147, 159

Transient newspapers, 137, 152

Transit, gratuitous, 268, 273, 275

Transit rates, international, 267, 270, 271, 273, 275, 279, 281

Travelling Post, 3-6, 79

Treble letter, definition of, 336

Tuke, Brian, 2, 3

Tupper, Sir Charles, 57

Twopenny Post (London), 252

Uniform postage, 23, 26, 28, 54, 72, 75, 85, 108, 312, 323

_Union g['e]n['e]rale des Postes_, 269

_Union postale universelle_, 269, note 3

Universal penny postage, 276, 348

Universal Postal Union, 224, 229

University posts, 6, 78

Urgent parcels, special fee for, 215

Wages (of postmasters), 3, 5

Wages, Post Office, 34, 297

Walkley, A. B., 275 note

Wanamaker, J., 77, 154, 155, 192

Ward, Edmund, 137, 139

Ward, Sir J. G., 276

Warwick, Earl of, 11

Way letter, 18, 50

Way Office, 49, 50

Weighing of mails (United States), 156, 157

Wells, H. G., 134

West, Robert, 398

Williamson, Joseph, 113

Witherings, Thomas, 8, 9, 12, 378, 381

Yearly express, 40

Zone rates, 177, 199, 201, 202, 215, 356

* * * * *

_Printed in Great Britain by_

UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED, THE GRESHAM PRESS, WOKING AND LONDON

* * * * *

[1] _Report from Secret Committee on the Post Office_ (_Commons_), 1844, Appx., p. 21.

[2] Ibid., p. 4. _Annual Report of the Postmaster-General_, 1854, p. 8.

[3] _Encyclopaedia of the Laws of England_, London, 1908, vol. xi. p. 344. J. W. Hyde, _The Post in Grant and Farm_, London, 1894, p. 131.

[4] _Report from Secret Committee on the Past Office_ (_Commons_),1844, Appx., p. 95. In 1324 a writ or letter was issued to the Constable of Dover and Warden of the Cinque Ports, to the Mayor and Sheriffs of London, the Bailiffs of Bristol, Southampton, and Portsmouth, and the Sheriffs of Hants, Somerset, Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall, reciting that previous orders _de scrutinio faciendo_ had not been observed, in consequence of which many letters prejudicial to the Crown were brought into the kingdom; and commanding them to "make diligent scrutiny of all persons passing from parts beyond the seas to England, and to stop all letters concerning which sinister suspicions might arise, and their bearers, and to keep the bearers in custody until further directions, and to transmit the letters so intercepted to the King with the utmost speed."

[5] Richard III in 1484 "followed the practice which had been recently introduced by King Edward in the time of the last war with Scotland (1482) of appointing a single horseman for every 20 miles, by means of whom travelling with the utmost speed, and not passing their respective limits, news was always able to be carried by letter from hand to hand 200 miles within two days."--_Third Continuation of the Chronicle of Croyland_, Oxford, 1684, p. 571. The system was identical with that of the posts of antiquity (_vide_ Appendix B, pp. 374-7, _infra_).

[6] Derived from _posta_, a contraction for _posita_, from _ponere_, to place. The general use of the word is to signify relays placed at intervals on the routes followed by messengers.

[7] "Ne men can kepe horses in redynes without som way to bere the charges"--Tuke to Cromwell, 17 August 1533 (_Report from Secret Committee on the Post Office_ (_Commons_), 1844, Appx., p. 32).

[8] "The King's pleasure is that postes be better appointed, and laide in al places most expedient; with commaundement to al townshippes in al places on payn of lyfe, to be in such redynes, and to make such provision of horses at al tymes, as no tract or losse of tyme be had in that behalf "--Ibid., Appx., p. 32.

[9] "A.D. 1572. The Office of the Maister of the Postes. The Accompte of Thomas Randolphe esquier, Maister of the Postes.... As also of the yssuyng and defrayment owte of the same, as well for the wages of the ordinarie postes laide betwene London and Barwicke and elles where within hir Ma^ts Realme of Englande, As also for the wages of divers extra ordenarie postes laid in divers places of the Realme in the tyme of hir Ma^ts severall progresses, and also to divers postes for cariage of packets of l'res from Sittingbourne, Dartforde Rochester, Canterbury and Dover for hir Ma^ts service and affayres, as occasion from tyme to tyme did requier."--Ibid., Appx., p. 34.

[10] In the United Kingdom this system exists to a considerable extent, chiefly in the south and west of Ireland, and in many parts of Scotland, more especially among the Western Isles. In remote parts the means of communication are in general provided for the double purpose, and economy to the Post Office naturally results from the fact that the contractors for the mail service have a source of income in addition to the Post Office payment. Indeed, it is probable that since the days of the post-boys by far the greater portion of the mails has always been conveyed by means not exclusively provided for that purpose. The mail coaches carried passengers and goods, and it was from that traffic that the income of the proprietor was mainly derived. The payment in respect of the mails was very small, the real consideration inducing the proprietors to carry the mail being the fact that the mail coaches were exempt from tolls. The railway displaced the mail coach, and increased the dependence of the mail service on means of communication provided primarily for other purposes. The number of trains run solely for the conveyance of mails has always been extremely small. The weight of mails to be conveyed is usually insufficient to warrant the provision of a special train, and the Post Office is therefore compelled, as far as possible, to make use of such trains as may be run for other traffic, endeavouring to obtain such modification in the times and working as will make them of the greatest advantage to the mail service without destroying their utility for general traffic. The existence of extensive means of communication for general purposes therefore results advantageously to the Post Office.

[11] 2 and 3 Edward VI, cap. 3.

[12] "The Lords of the Privie Counsell, endevouring heretofore the like furtherance of the service of the State, as well in horsing such as ride on their Prince's affaires, as the speedy despatch of packets in all places where Posts were erected and ordeined, considering that for the service of the one, a daily fee is allowed, and for the other, no certaine wages at all, but the hire of the horses let out, and that often ill paide, whereby they stand not so bound to the one, as to attend to the other; And that the townes and countreys besides became many wayes vexed and perplexed, by the over great libertie of riders in poste, specially by such as pretend publike service by speciall commission, contrary to the King's meaning or their lordships' orders."--Orders for Thorough Posts and Couriers, riding Post on the King's Affairs, 1603 _(Report from Secret Committee on the Post Office (Commons_), 1844, Appx., p. 38).

The "Thorough Post" was the term applied to the travelling facilities provided by the posts, i.e. when the messenger travelled "through," in contradistinction to the "Post for the Pacquet" (or "Packet"), i.e. the post for the transmission of the mail, or "pacquet."

[13] "1. First it is ordered, That in all places where Posts are layde for the packet, they also, as persons most fit, shall have the benefit and preheminence of letting, furnishing, and appointing of horses to all riding in poste (that is to say) with horse and guide by commission or otherwise.

"2. And, like as in the orders for the carrying of the packets, the furtherance of our service and the State is only aymed at; so in this it is intended that none be holden to ride on publique affairs but with speciall commission, and the same signed either by one of our Principall Secretaries of State, ... and of all such so riding in publike affaires, it shall be lawfull for the Posts, or the owners of the horses, to demand, for the hire of ich horse, after the rate of twopence halfe-peny the mile (besides the guides groats). But of all others riding poste with horse and guide, about their private businesses the hire and prices are left to the parties discretions, to agree and compound within themselves."--Ibid., Appx., p. 39.

[14] Contemporary papers show that this was largely a measure of police, intended to enable the Government to keep a watch on all persons travelling about the kingdom.

[15] As late as 1620 there were only four, and they touched only a small portion of the kingdom. They were (1) The Courte to Barwicke, (2) The Courte to Beaumaris, (3) The Courte to Dover, and (4) The Courte to Plymouthe.

[16] See _supra_, p. 3.

[17] "The constables many times be fayn to take horses oute of plowes and cartes."--Brian Tuke, 1533 (_Report from Secret Committee on the Post Office_ (_Commons_), 1844, Appx., p. 33).

[18] The post from London serving the "Westerne part" of the kingdom was discontinued in 1610 as unnecessary except in time of war.--Ibid., Appx., p. 43.

[19] "Universities and great towns had their own particular posts; and the same horse or foot post went through the journey, and returned with other letters, without having different stages as at present. It was thus practised later in Scotland as having less commerce than in England."--D. Macpherson, _Annals of Commerce_, London, 1805, vol. ii. p. 400.

[20] The Committee of Secrecy of the House of Commons were of opinion that the practice of carrying private letters probably began at an early period and became a perquisite of the postmasters (_Report from Secret Committee on the Post Office_ (_Commons_), 1844, p. 4).

[21] Ibid., Appx., p. 56.

[22] Ibid., Appx., p. 36; see p. 380, _infra._

[23] Ibid., Appx., p. 41.

[24] The business of carrying foreign letters had been conducted by the holder of the general patent for carrying letters, although that patent covered only inland posts and foreign posts within the King's dominions. In 1620 a patent was issued to Matthew de Quester and his son, conferring on them the office of Postmaster of England for Foreign Parts. The holder of the patent for the Inland Posts, who had hitherto been conducting this service, attempted to resist this new grant, but without success; and for some time there was a sort of triple division of the posts, viz. the Inland Posts, the posts in parts beyond the seas within the King's dominions, and the posts for foreign parts out of the King's dominions. There was, nevertheless, no regular provision for the conveying of letters for places out of England. The foreign mails were conveyed by men who were engaged in other business, who bought their places in the posts, and were accused of delaying the mails through "more minding their own peddling traffic than the service of the State or merchants, omitting many passages, sometimes staying for the vending of their own commodities, many times through neglect by lying in tippling-houses."--See J. W. Hyde, _The Post in Grant and Farm_, London, 1894, p. 12.

[25] "Nether can anie place in Christendom bee named wher merchants are allowed to send their letters by other body or posts, then by those only which are authorized by the State.... Your Lordship best knoweth what accompt wee shal bee hable to give in our places of that w^{ch} passeth by letters in or out of the land, if everie man may convey lrs, under the covers of merchants, to whome and what place hee pleaseth."--30th February 1627. John Coke to Lord Conway (_Report from Secret Committee on the Post Office (Commons)_, 1844, Appx., p. 51).

[26] A copy is given in Appendix B, _infra_, pp. 378-380.

[27] "Now his Majesty ... taking into his princely consideration how much it imports this State and this whole realm, that the secrets be not disclosed to foreign nations; which cannot be prevented if promiscuous use of transmitting or taking up of foreign letters by these private posts and carriers aforesaid should be suffered, which will be also no small prejudice to his merchants in their trading.... And his Majesty, taking further into his consideration that the mutual commerce and correspondency of his subjects within his Majesty's dominions will be as advantageous and beneficial as the trade with foreign nations, and that nothing will more increase and advance the same than the safe and speedy conveying, carrying, and re-carrying of letters from one place to another ... he doth hereby straightly charge and command, that no post or carrier whatsoever within his Majesty's dominions, other than such as shall be nominated and appointed by the said Thomas Witherings, shall presume to take up, carry, receive, and deliver any letter or letters, pacquet or pacquets whatsoever, to any such place or places where the said Thomas Witherings shall have settled posts, according to the said grant, except a particular messenger sent on purpose with letters by any man for his own occasions, or letters by a friend, or by common known carriers."--Proclamation of 11th February 1637-8 (_Report from Secret Committee on the Post Office (Commons)_,1844, Appx., p. 58).

[28] "1650. June 29th. Council of State to (Serjeant Dendy and his assistants?):--

"You are to repair to some post stage 20 miles from London on the road towards York; seize the letter mail going outward, and all other letters upon the rider, and present them by one of yourselves; the other shall then ride to the next stage, and seize the mail coming inwards, and bring the letters to Council, searching all persons that ride with the mail, or any other that ride post without warrant, and bring them before Council, or the Commissioners for Examinations. All officers civil and military to be assistants. With note of like orders for Chester Road and the western roads."--_Calendar of State Papers (Domestic Series_), 1650, p. 223.

[29] _Commons Journal_, 7th September 1644, p. 621.

[30] Ibid., 21st March 1650, p. 385.

[31] Ibid.

[32] H. Joyce, _History of the Post Office_, London, 1893, p. 25.

[33] _Commons Journal_, 19th October, 1652, p. 192.

[34] _Register of Council of State_, 7th May 1653, vol. xvi. pp. 34-6.

[35] _Calendar of State Papers (Domestic Series)_, 1652-3, p. 455.

[36] "The case of the first undertakers for reducing letters to half the former rates, viz. Clem. Oxenbridge, Rich. Blackwell, Fra. Thompson, and Wm. Malyn. We observed that the postage of inland letters was long continued at 6d. a letter, and that the whole benefit went into one hand, to the grievance of many. Being encouraged by the votes of the last Parliament (made in the time of their primitive, free, and public actings, viz. 16 August 1642) that the taking of letters from and the restraints and imprisonments of Gower, Chapman, Cotton, and Mackedral were against the law and the liberty of the subject ... and that the said secretaries and Witherings were delinquents, being also encouraged by the opinion of the judges given in the House of Lords, that the clause in Witherings' patent for restraint of carrying letters was void and against law--we attempted to put the same in practice, but through the interest of Mr. Prideaux, who for many years had enjoyed excessive gains by the former high rates, we met with all the obstruction he could make against us, by stopping our mails, abusing our servants, etc., though he always held forth that it was free for any to carry or send letters as they pleased."--_Calendar of State Papers (Domestic Series)_, 1653/1654, p. 22. Cf. John Hill, _A Penny Post_, London, 1659.

[37] "Cross posts did not exist. Between two towns not being on the same post road, however near the towns might be, letters could circulate only through London; and the moment London was reached an additional rate was imposed. Hence the apparent charges, the charges as deduced from the table of rates, might be very different from the actual charges. Bristol and Exeter, for instance, are less than 80 miles apart; but in 1660, and for nearly forty years afterwards, letters from one to the other passed through London, and would be charged, if single, not 2d. but 6d., and if double, not 4d. but 1s. That is to say, the postage or portage, as it was then called, would consist of two rates, and each of these rates would be for a distance in excess of 80 miles."--H. Joyce, _History of the Post Office_, p. 29. Cf. _infra_, Appendix B, pp. 390-1.

This practice of charging according to the route traversed and not according to direct distance was also followed in other countries. It is perhaps comparable to the practice of computing railway charges on the basis of the distance by railway, and not as the crow flies.

[38] H. Scobell, _Collection of Acts and Ordinances_, London, 1658, p. 511.

[39] 12 Car. II, cap. 35.

[40] See, e.g., Royal Proclamations, 16th January 1660-1 and 16th July 1667.

[41] See Appendix, pp. 388-391.

[42] "As early as William's reign they (the Postmasters-General) had been asked to estimate how much an additional penny of postage would produce; ... the necessities of the Civil List had prompted the inquiry."--H. Joyce, _History of the Post Office_, p. 119.

[43] 9 Anne, cap. 10.

[44] 9 Anne, cap. 10, [S] 35.

[45] "The additional tax has never answered in proportion to the produce of the revenue at the time it took place, the people having found private conveyances for their letters, which they are daily endeavouring to increase, notwithstanding all the endeavours that can be used to prevent them."--Statement by the Postmasters-General, 20th May 1718 (_British Official Records_).

[46] H. Joyce, _History of the Post Office_, p. 145.

[47] 9 Anne, cap. 10, [S] 39.

[48] 3 Geo. III, cap. 75, [S] 1.

[49] "An important legal decision, with which the Post Office had only the remotest concern, an improved system of expresses following as a natural consequence from circumstances over which the Post Office had no control, a simple contrivance to facilitate the posting of letters (i.e. the aperture), and an acceleration of the mail between London and Edinburgh--this as the record of forty or fifty years' progress is assuredly meagre enough; and yet we are not aware of any omission."--H. Joyce, ibid., p. 184.

[50] "A letter between Bath and London would be a London letter, and a letter from one part of the country to another which in course of transit passed through London would be a country letter. A bye or way letter would be a letter passing between any two towns on the Bath Road and stopping short of London--as, for instance, between Bath and Hungerford, between Hungerford and Newbury, between Newbury and Reading, and so on; while a cross post letter would be a letter crossing from the Bath road to some other--as, for instance, a letter between Bath and Oxford."--Ibid., p. 147.

[51] 9 Anne, cap. 10, [S] 18.