Part 37

"Elle transporte ensuite toutes les d['e]p[^e]ches administratives dont le poids d['e]passe 1,000 [a'] 1,100 kilogrammes.

"Enfin elle transporte les lettres dont le poids n'est pas ['e]gal ni [a'] celui des journaux, ni [a'] celui des d['e]p[^e]ches administratives.

"En cons['e]quence, si vous r['e]partissez les 30 millions ou 35 millions, si vous voulez, sur les trois services, vous verrez qu'il ne faut pas mettre au compte des lettres plus d'une douzaine de millions de francs.

"Eh bien, si toutes les lettres ['e]taient tax['e]es [a'] 5 centimes, il n'y a pas de doute que les 12 ou 15 millions de frais seraient parfaitement couverts."--Le Citoyen Fr['e]d['e]ric Bastiat, ibid.

[201] Edgar Bonnet, _Importance, des Postes et T['e]l['e]graphes au point de vue social et ['e]conomique_, Paris, 1891.

[202] M. Caillaux, Assembl['e]e Nationale, 23 ao[^u]t 1871 (_Journal Officiel de la R['e]publique Francaise_).

[203] P. Jaccottey, op. cit., p. 298.

[204] See _Rapport sur l'Administration des Postes_, pr['e]sent['e] au Ministre des Finances par M. L['e]on Riant, Directeur-G['e]n['e]ral, octobre 1877.

[205] "Toute commune doit [^e]tre desservie une fois par jour, au moins (_loi du 21 avril, 1832, art. 47_) sauf exception temporaire en cas de force majeure, et dont il est rendu compte au directeur du d['e]partement."--_Instruction g['e]n['e]rale sur le service des Postes et des T['e]l['e]graphes_, Paris, 1905, vol. iv. p. 453, Instr. 5316.

[206] It must further be borne in mind that France was less developed industrially.

[207] "Nous avons jug['e] cette r['e]forme insuffisante; elle ne serait pas de nature [a'] donner une satisfaction r['e]elle [a'] notre industrie et [a'] acc['e]l['e]rer suffisamment le mouvement de la correspondance. On pouvait discuter peut-[^e]tre l'opportunit['e] de la mesure; mais d[e']s que cette mesure est reconnue n['e]cessaire, elle doit [^e]tre compl[e']te, de mani[e']re [a'] produire tous ses effets....

"La r['e]forme [a'] 20 centimes entra[^i]nerait done un d['e]ficit total de 12 millions; et celle [a'] 15 centimes, de 27 millions; le rapprochement de ces deux chiffres suffit [a'] d['e]montrer que le sacrifice n'est pas assez consid['e]rable pour h['e]siter [a'] faire une r['e]forme compl[e']te en r['e]duisant imm['e]diatement la taxe [a'] 15 centimes."--_Rapport portant fixation du Budget g['e]n['e]rale_, d['e]pos['e] le 31 juillet 1877.

[208] _Rapport portant fixation du Budget g['e]n['e]rale_, Chambre des D['e]put['e]s, 1898, No. 498.

[209] Their remarks are characteristic of the attitude adopted towards the reform. They said:--

"L'adoption de cette proposition de M. Chassaing aurait pour effet de cr['e]er dans le Budget de 1898 un d['e]ficit qu'il ne parait gu[e']re possible d'['e]valuer [a'] moins de 38 millions. Quel qu'il puisse [^e]tre, dans la situation actuelle, il serait indispensable de le combler et l'on ne pourrait pour cela recourir qu'[a'] des ressources nouvelles. L'auteur de la proposition n'en indique pas. II se borne [a'] demander l'abandon d'une recette sans dire par quoi cet abandon serait compens['e]. Sera-ce [a'] l'imp[^o]t qu'il faudra s'adresser? Mais ce n'est pas seulement d'une diminution de recette qu'il s'agira. On a vu qu'une augmentation de d['e]pense ['e]tait le corollaire imm['e]diat de la proposition, car plus prompt et plus sensible sera l'effet de la r['e]duction de tarif, plus pressante sera la n['e]cessit['e] d'ouvrir de nouveaux bureaux, de cr['e]er de nouveaux courriers, de renforcer le personnel charg['e] de la manipulation et de la distribution, plus t[^o]t s'imposera l'obligation de r['e]organiser le service de Paris.

"C'est l[a'] une [oe]uvre ou l'initiative et l'intervention du Gouvemement sont n['e]cessaires.

"Mais, en tout cas, et pour ce qui concerne la Commission du Budget de 1898, un abandon de recettes de 21 millions ayant lui-m[^e]me pour consequence une augmentation de d['e]pense de 17 millions ne lui ont pas paru admissibles."--_Rapport portant fixation du Budget g['e]n['e]rale_, Chambre des D['e]put['e]s, 1897, No. 2701, p. 49.

[210] _Rapport sur les conditions du Fonctionnement de l'Administration des Postes et des T['e]l['e]graphes_, par A. Millerand, le Ministre du Commerce, de l'Industrie, des Postes, et des T['e]l['e]graphes, 12 May 1900.

[211] "En tout cas les r['e]sultats de l'exp['e]rience faite [a'] l'['e]tranger prouvent que l'on peut abaisser la taxe des cartes postales jusqu'[a'] la moiti['e] de celle des lettres simple sans craindre que les cartes fassent concurrence aux lettres et que la g['e]n['e]ralisation de ce mode de correspondance [a'] prix r['e]duit am[e']ne une diminution des revenus de la poste."--M. Millerand, op. cit.

[212] Ibid.

[213] On such packets the rate was 1 centime for each 5 grammes. M. Millerand was of opinion that any rate less than 5 centimes involved a loss to the net revenue. In 1877 it had been estimated that the average cost of dealing with a postal packet (taking all classes into consideration) was 8 centimes: in 1889 it had been estimated at 5.5 centimes. The Budget Commission of 1901 estimated the cost at 4 centimes.--See _Rapport portant fixation du Budget g['e]n['e]rale_, Chambre des D['e]put['e]s, 1901, No. 1866.

[214] "C'est tomber dans la banalit['e] de dire que la France n'occupe pas dans le monde, au point de vue du trafic postal, un rang correspondant [a'] l'importance de sa population, de son commerce, de son Industrie, et de sa haute civilisation."--Ibid.

[215] "Depuis de longues ann['e]es, les chambres de commerce et la Presse toute enti[e']re r['e]claimaient une r['e]forme depuis quelque temps r['e]alis['e]e dans la plupart des pays ['e]trangers. Mais le souci de l'['e]quilibre budg['e]taire avait toujours fait ajourner la r['e]duction [a'] 10 centimes de la taxe des lettres."--Ibid., S['e]nat, 1906, No. 477.

[216] On the proposal at the Universal Postal Congress of 1907 to increase the weight unit for international letters, the Budget Report (Chambre des D['e]put['e]s, Session 1909, No. 2767) contained the following:--

"Alors que tous nos voisins ou presque tous s'['e]taient conform['e]s [a'] partir du 1^er octobre 1907, aux indications du Congr[e']s de l'Union postale universelle, il ['e]tait humiliant pour la France de montrer que des pr['e]occupations purement fiscales l'emp[^e]chaient d'adopter, avec le m[^e]me empressement que l'Allemagne, la Belgique, l'Angleterre ou la Suisse, la r['e]forme."

[217] _Rapport portant fixation du Budget g['e]n['e]rale_, S['e]nat, 1908, No. 340. Ibid., Chambre des D['e]put['e]s, 1908, No. 2032.

[218] "Il n'en coute pas plus pour timbrer, trier, transporter et distribuer un objet pesant qu'un objet l['e]ger. Tout au plus doit ou tenir compte de l'encombrement produit par les objets volumineux et du surcro[^i]t de travail qu'occasionne le contr[^o]le obligatoire du poids des objets pesantes, en graduant les tarifs suivant une progression nettement d['e]croissante par rapport au poids."--Ibid.

[219] See table of financial effect, _Rapport portant fixation du Budget g['e]n['e]rale_, S['e]nat, 1910, No. 115.

[220] Prior to the date of the establishment of the Imperial German Post Office, the text deals more particularly with the rate in Prussia. For a sketch of the Thurn and Taxis posts in Germany see _infra_, Appendix A, pp. 349 ff.

[221] H. von Stephan, _Geschichte der preussischen Post_, Berlin, 1859, p. 12.

[222] F. Haass, _Die Post und der Charakter ihrer Eink[:u]nfte_, Stuttgart, 1890, p. 92.

[223] F. Haass, op. cit., p. 94.

[224] H. von Stephan, op. cit., p. 15.

[225] Ibid., p. 17.

[226] 1 German mile=7.5 kilometres. Distances are given throughout in German miles.

[227] H. von Stephan, op. cit., p. 62.

[228] Ibid., p. 18.

[229] "Dass unter solchen Umst[:a]nden bei Ankunft der Posten namentlich an bedeutenderen Orten ein grosser Zusammenlauf von Menschen stattfand, ist begreiflich. Auch finden wir mehrere Rescripte wider das tumultuarische Treiben des Publicums vor den Posth[:a]usern."--Ibid., p. 61.

[230] In 1662 the posts yielded 7,000 thalers surplus (revenue 17,000 thalers, expenditure 10,000 thalers); in 1672, 10,433 thalers (revenue 24,539 thalers, expenditure 14,106 thalers); in 1682, 29,058 thalers (revenue 51,959 thalers, expenditure 22,901 thalers); and in 1688, 39,213 thalers (revenue 79,971 thalers, expenditure 40,758 thalers). The net revenue of the posts was generally devoted to the payment of State officials, to the improvement of means of communication (building of canals, etc.), and to beneficence. For example, the Elector, during the severe illness of his first wife, made a vow to found an almshouse and ordered 6,000 thalers yearly to be assigned for its support. Of this sum 2,000 thalers were laid on the post revenues.--Ibid., p. 60.

[231] A groschen was roughly the equivalent of a penny. The value of money was then about four times its present value.

[232] The price of a bushel of rye in Berlin, which from 1740 to 1756 had varied from 23 groschen to a thaler, rose to 4 thalers.

[233] The edict of the 27th January proclaiming the higher rates remarked that the raising of the letter rate would be detrimental to the public and prejudicial to the credit of the service, and that "in spite of the high price of corn and the depreciation of money, raising of the letter rate could not be thought of, and that in the neighbouring States this measure, however soon it might be set aside, had worked to their disadvantage."--H. von Stephan, op. cit., p. 292.

[234] "The encouragement of a particular business or manufacture in a particular place; the better opposing of the competition of a neighbouring route; tenderness for existing difference in newly acquired districts; the difference in the price of corn in a province, and at an earlier date even of money, weight, length of the miles, as also, in the case of travelling post charges, the season of the year; all these circumstances were often brought into consideration in the fixing of postage rates."--Ibid., p. 296.

[235] The ascertainment of the direct distances was commenced in 1823. It was completed in a year and a half (including two revisions), and a map of distances prepared. There were 1,386,506 distances to measure, and the measuring was done by land surveyors. The distances so measured were tabulated for practical use by postal officials.--H. von Stephan, op. cit., p. 746, n. 3; Moch, _Archiv f[:u]r Post und Telegraphie_, 1893, p. 2.

[236] The rates were to be rounded up. One or 2 pfennigs were to be counted as 3 pfennigs, 4 or 5 pfennigs as 6 pfennigs, 7 or 8 pfennigs as 9 pfennigs, and 10 or 11 pfennigs as 1 silver groschen.

[237] H. von Stephan, op. cit., pp. 760 and 761.

[238] This does not take into account the normal yearly increase, which was 120,000 thalers under the old rates. If that be taken into account there was still a loss in 1847. Thus:--

+------------------------+---------------+----------- Year. | Probable Gross Postage | | | Receipts under Old | Actual Yield. | Loss. | Rates. | | --------+------------------------+---------------+----------- 1844 | 4,765,000 | 4,628,133 | 136,867 1845 | 4,885,000 | 4,325,570 | 559,430 1846 | 5,005,000 | 4,514,338 | 490,662 1847 | 5,125,000 | 4,771,392 | 353,608 --------+------------------------+---------------+----------- --Ibid., p. 762.

[239] Ibid., p. 763.

[240] "Die preussische Postverwaltung war bei Einf[:u]hrung der weitgreifenden Taxerm[:a]ssigungen mit grosser Vorsicht und mit weiser Berechnung aller in Betracht kommenden Vorst[:a]nde schrittweise zu Werke gegangen und hatte die Erleichterungen ohne bedeutende Opfer aus der Postkasse erkauft."--Moch, _Archiv f[:u]r Post und Telegraphie_, 1893, p. 40.

[241] Regulation of 21st December 1800.

[242] Law of 21st March 1861.

[243] Moch, _Archiv f[:u]r Post und Telegraphie_, 1893, p. 42.

[244] Ibid.

[245] Law of 16th September 1862.

[246] Law of 16th February 1867. See _infra_, Appendix, p. 355.

[247] Prussia, Hanover, the two Mecklenburgs, Oldenburg, Brunswick, Saxony, Hamburg, Bremen, Lubeck, and the Thurn and Taxis posts.

[248] Moch, _Archiv f[:u]r Post und Telegraphie_, 1893, p. 44.

[249] Law of 28th October 1871.

[250] For 1906 it has been estimated at 41,693,017 M. P. Ullrich, _Die Finanzen der Reichs-Post- und Telegraphenverwaltung_, Stettin, 1913, p. 54, n. 5.

[251] J. Jung, _Entwickelung des deutschen Post- und Telegraphenwesen in den letzten 25 Jahren_, Leipzig, 1893, p. 45.

[252] The following table (J. Jung, loc. cit.) shows the increase in the number of rural deliverers:--

1868 1870 1875 1880 1885 1891 8,021 8,334 11,405 11,480 20,386 25,649

[253] In a number of cases the deliverer was provided with a vehicle for the sake of speed, and worked out from the railway. In 1898 there were 2,365 such services.--_Handw[:o]rterbuch der Staatswissenschaft_, Jena, 1901, p. 137.

[254] "There was a profession of 'news writers,' or correspondents, who collected such scraps of information as they could from various sources, and for a subscription of three or four pounds per annum sent them every post-day to their employers in the country."--A. Andrews, _The History of British Journalism_, London, 1859, vol. i. p. 14.

[255] E.g., "To Mr. Neale, Deale, 27 Nov. 1674.

" ... You should give me a Constant Accompt (as m^r Lodge was wont to doe) of all Newes that happens in your Parts. It is Expected from me at Whitehall, and much wondered at, y^t my officers doe not give me y^e first, and best Accompt of all that Passes, all Newes, Comeing (Probably) first to theire hands. I Pray be Carefull, and punctuall herein hereafter. I shall be ready, in all things (as I have bin) to shew myself

Y^rs, &c."

--Documents from Peover Hall, _British Official Records_.

"The Post Office Packets in those days were carriers of news as well as of the mails. The officers had instructions to record most carefully in their journals full details of any events of public importance occurring in the countries which they visited. These journals, which frequently contained news later and more authentic than any which had yet reached London, were sent up from Falmouth immediately after the arrival of the Packets, and lay at the Post Office open to the inspection of the merchants."--A. H. Norway, _History of the Post Office Packet Service_, London, 1895, p. 37.

"An old instruction was renewed in 1812, that all postmasters should transmit to me (the Secretary), for the information of his Majesty's Postmaster-General, an immediate account of all remarkable occurrences within their districts, that the same may be communicated, if necessary, to his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State. This has not been invariably attended to, and I am commanded by his Lordship to say, that henceforward it will be expected of every Deputy."--Cited (without giving source) by J. W. Hyde, _A Hundred Years by Post_, London, 1891, p. 91.

"The mail-coach it was that distributed over the face of the land, like the opening of apocalyptic vials, the heartshaking news of Trafalgar, of Salamanca, of Vittoria, of Waterloo."--De Quincey, _The English Mail-Coach_.

[256] "As it seems clear that the 'Remonstrance' (_The Remonstrance and Address of the Army_) was framed by Clarges, Henry Muddiman must have settled its wording and final form, as he did that of many other documents.... For this reason, after the Restoration, he became sole privileged journalist of the kingdom, and was granted the privilege of free postage for his letters like the officers of State."--J. B. Williams, _A History of English Journalism_, London, 1908, p. 176.

[257] _Calendar of State Papers, Charles II_, vol. 139, No. 61.

[258] J. B. Williams, _A History of English Journalism_, p. 190.

[259] _Calendar of State Papers_ (_Domestic Series_), 1665-6, p. viii.

[260] "I find that the South Wales maile is much retarded in your Stage; particularly that yo^r riding servant calles at severall places by y^e way; and that you allow him noe other wages, but what hee getts (by a _Gazette_ News-letter, w^ch you give him y^e benefitt of) from severall Gentlemen near y^e Roade, and this hinders y^e due course of the post, not only to y^e Damage and discreditt of y^e office, but to y^e prejudice of publique businesse; it is much complained of and I canot longer dispence with it; wherefore I Give you this freindly admonicon and remaine

Yo^r, etc.

Mr. Davyes, Feb. 8th, 1672."--Documents from Peover Hall, _British Official Records_.

"I am clearly of your opinion, that Hereford and the Hay is y^e best roade for the Pembroke Maile, the onely difficulty will be to bring you and Mr. Phillpotts to reason....

"I pray consider these 2 Points, that y^e Hay being in your Branch will much Encrease your share, and it is easier to send thither than to Abergaveny--if you will joyne Issue in this Proposall I will give y^e Contrey y^e Satisfaction to turne the Roade that Way; and by y^e tyme I have your answer I shall be ready, to give directions for the Change; you must provide a fitt person, to keepe the office at Hay and for his Encouragem^t I will send him a _Gazette_ by every Post, few of y^e By offices expect more, and some make great Suite and would pay money for the Imployment. I pray close w^th me herein, being desirous to Continue--I pray give me your opinion of sending y^e Maile into Wales 3 tymes a weeke, as I doe to all other places.

I am, Y^{rs}, etc.

"Mr. Awbrey, Brecon, 1st April, 1675."--Documents from Peover Hall, _British Official Records_.

[261] H. Joyce, _History of the Post Office_, p. 50.

[262] _Tenth Report of the Commissioners on Fees and Emoluments_, 1788, p. 28.

"For Post Office purposes the kingdom was divided into six roads--the North Road, the Chester or Holyhead Road, the Western Road, the Kent Road, and the Roads to Bristol and to Yarmouth; and these roads were presided over by a corresponding number of clerks in London, whose duty it was to sort the letters and to tax them with the proper amount of postage."--H. Joyce, ibid., p. 47; cf. _infra_, Appendix B, p. 404.

[263] _Eighteenth Report of Commissioners of Revenue Inquiry_, 1829, Appx., p. 486.

[264] "That the six Clerks of the Road are also allowed to frank newspapers from the London office.

"That the newspapers franked by them are not included in any of the accounts of Deductions in respect of Franks. That the profits arising from their franking newspapers may amount to [L]3,000 or [L]4,000 p. ann., and that a considerable allowance is made thereout to the Comptroller, Deputy-Comptroller, By Night Clerk and six assistants; all of whom as well as the six Clerks of the Roads would without such advantage be very insufficiently provided for."--Evidence of Anthony Todd, Secretary to the Post Office. _Report of Committee appointed to enquire into the several frauds and abuses in relation to the sending or receiving of letters and parcels free from the Duty of Postage_ (_Commons Journal_, March 28, 1764).

"The Profits derived by the Clerks of the Road from the privilege of sending Newspapers into the Country free of Postage, were so considerable that they were not only able to make a good Provision for their Families but also to pay thereout an Annual Sum of [L]1,300 to Officers and Clerks in this Dept. in Aid of their Salaries, which on that Account were proportionately small from the Public; and this Situation of Clerk of the Roads was looked up to as the Reward of their long and arduous Labour in the subordinate Stations of the Office. Twenty years before, of the sum of [L]8,660 paid to the 39 Officers of the Inland Dept., [L]2,060 was paid by the Public and [L]6,600 from the profits on the circulation of newspapers."--_Tenth Report of the Commissioners on Fees and Emoluments_, 1788, p. 28.

[265] 4 Geo. III, cap. 24.

[266] "The Produce of this Privilege has long been decreasing, and is now reduced to one-third the above sum from the operation of an Act of 1764 by which members of both Houses were empowered to have Newspapers, Votes, and all other printed Parliamentary Papers, sent by post in their Names, free from Postage, upon a written Notice of the Direction of such Papers being sent to the Postmaster-General by the respective Members, whose names were to be used instead of the former Mode of franking Newspapers the same as Letters. The Printers, News Sellers, and others, availing themselves of this Privilege, have obtained numerous Orders, readily granted, under the Persuasion of increasing the Stamp Revenue. The present Number of Orders in the Office is 6,751, and the Number of Newspapers sent weekly by the Post in Consequence thereof is 47,017; these Dealers are enabled to supply their Customers in the Country at a cheaper Rate than the Clerks in the Office can, who are loaded with Out Payments from their Profits, and are obliged to purchase their Papers at an advanced Price from an Officer appointed by the Postmaster-General to supply them."--_Tenth Report of the Commissioners on Fees and Emoluments_, 1788, p. 29.

[267] A. Andrews, _The History of British Journalism_, London, 1859, vol. i. pp. 210-11.

[268] "The Postmaster-General, sensible of this Diminution, lately directed the Payments thereout to the other Officers and Clerks in the Office to be discontinued, and reimbursed some of them out of the Revenue; but this is not the only Expence to which the Public is subjected by the Increase of these Orders. The Number of Newspapers to be forwarded every Night is now so great, that ... a separate Office is allotted ... and 18 Extra Persons are employed, at an Annual Expence of [L]400, to perform the Duty of sorting and packing up the Newspapers; besides it is in Proof that Letters and written Papers are frequently enclosed in them, by which the Revenue is defrauded, without a Possibility of Prevention, while the present Mode continues; as the number is by far too great to admit of a general Search for Enclosures."--_Tenth Report of the Commissioners on Fees and Emoluments_, 1788, p. 29.

[269] 6 Geo. IV, cap. 68, [S] 10.

[270] "Was there no way by which, without the necessity of constant contention, private men might be prevented from using the Press to make their opinions public? The pamphleteers were not rich, but they were often persons of education, and not penniless. When only a few copies of their writings were wanted they could pay for them, but now that reading was become more common, and that great numbers of copies were printed, the cost had, to a great extent, to be paid by the readers. If these sheets could be taxed their distribution might become difficult, and when any one attempted to evade the tax he could be punished, not as a libeller, but as a smuggler."--Collet Dobson Collet, _History of the Taxes on Knowledge_, London, 1899, vol. i. p. 7.

[271] _Chambers's Encyclopaedia_, London, 1908, vol. vii. p. 473.

[272] "There was no doubt but that, in the first instance, the stamp duty upon newspapers had been imposed for political purposes."--Attorney-General, 26th March 1855, _Parl. Debates_ (_Commons_), vol. cxxxvii. col. 1129.

[273] "Whereas many papers containing observations upon Public Acts tending to excite the hatred of the public to the constitution of this realm, and also vilifying our holy religion, have lately been published in great numbers, and at a very small price, and it is expedient that the same should be restrained."--Preamble of the "Six Acts," 1819.