664 



POSTS. 



At the same time, the private post, which had 

 existed between the countries, from Rye to Dieppe, 

 was abolished. These arguments suffered, during 

 the civil wars, many important interruptions, or 

 \VITC almost entirely annihilated. Yet no sooner 

 -as public tranquillity restored, than a commission 

 was appointed, and a post system arranged, under 

 the direction of the attorney-general, Edmund Pri- 

 deaux, which became so profitable, that the posts 

 could now be leased for 10,000, while before, the 

 support of them had cost 7,000. The lessee still 

 made so large profits tliat the common council of 

 London looked upon him with jealous eyes. On 

 the restoration, the system was retained with slight 

 modifications. During the government of William 

 III., acts of parliament were passed, which regu- 

 lated the internal post system of Scotland; and, by 

 the ninth act of queen Anne, the post system of 

 England was arranged as it is at present. 



The general post-office of Great Britain has juris- 

 diction of all which concerns the English and Scotch 

 posts, and those going to the British colonies, ex- 

 cepting the East Indies, and the settlements in the 

 South sea. Ireland has a separate post department. 

 In all the cities, and in most of the large villages, 

 postmasters and deputy postmasters are appointed. 

 Their duty is to receive and despatch the mail, for- 

 ward the letters to their place of destination, receive 

 the postage, and send it at certain periods to the 

 chief post-office. In order to ensure the observance 

 of the different regulations which are connected with 

 this department, and the fulfilment of the contracts 

 for the transmission of the mail by carriages, on 

 horseback, or on foot, seven inspectors travel on 

 horseback through England and two through Scot- 

 land. Each of these has his particular district, in 

 which he must watch over the regulation of the 

 post. They correspond with the heads of the de- 

 partment in London. In England the number of 

 postmasters amounts to 600, who are immediately 

 connected with the chief post-office. In Scotland it 

 is above 200. The regularity with which the post 

 comes and goes, and the letters are received and 

 distributed in Britain, is remarkable. The British 

 have in this particular acquired a promptness wor- 

 thy of being imitated, and which greatly contributes 

 to the certainty and celerity of their commercial in- 

 tercourse. No where is the inviolability of letters 

 more respected than in Britain and the United States 

 of America. Without an accurate acquaintance 

 with the details of the British post system, it is not 

 possible to obtain a conception of its present perfec- 

 tion. Mr Palmer's invention of mail-coaches has 

 been found highly convenient and useful, not only 

 for the safe and expeditious conveyance of letters, 

 but also of passengers. Much praise is due also to 

 ttie auxiliary institutions of the foot and horse posts, 

 which complete the complicated machine. Post- 

 masters are also established in British North Ame- 

 rica and the West Indian colonies, which regularly 

 receive, once or twice a month, packet boats from 

 Falmouth. Even in the seaports of the continent, 

 of the Mediterranean sea, and South America, agents 

 are appointed which receive British packet boats. 

 In London there is the general and the twopenny 

 post: in the first are the principal offices; that of 

 the chief secretaries, receiver-general, accountant- 

 general, &c. Besides these chief offices, there are 

 in the city more than sixty houses where letters for 

 the general post can be delivered. The number of 

 the officers in the institution is 175, messengers and 

 porters 35, letter-carriers 203, guides 270. The 

 mail-coaches travel daily about 13,000 English 

 miles. Twenty-two mail coaches go from London, 

 and forty-five are employed upon the other routes. 



The first mail coach started for Bristol, August 2, 

 1784, and in 1786 they were in general use. In 

 the district of the twopenny post, which includes in 

 its circuit, London and the country within a distance 

 of ten miles, there are 140 houses, where letters 

 are received ; the number of officers amounts to 

 forty-eight ; that of the letter-earners to 359. The 

 revenue from the post-offices throughout Great 

 Britain, of late years, since the restrictions on inter- 

 course with the continent have been removed, has 

 averaged 1 1 milion pounds sterling. Thus, for 

 example, in 1828, the net income was 1,508,000, 

 and, in 1830, 1,466,012 pounds sterling. The ex- 

 penditure in 1828 was 702,418 pounds sterling. In 

 1801, the income was only 858,000 pounds sterling, 

 although Britain possessed, even at that time, the 

 commerce of the world. We perceive, from this 

 comparison, how much the British trade has in- 

 creased since 1815, for this trade is the great sup- 

 port of the post system. The postage in Britain is 

 higher than in any other of the European kingdoms; 

 but it is to be considered that the worth of money 

 is less, and the wealth greater, than in other 

 states. The rates of postage in Britain are, for 

 any distance not exceeding 15 miles, 4d. 



above 15 and not exceeding 20 



20 



30 



50 



80 



120 



170 



230 



300 



30 

 50 

 80 

 120 

 170 

 230 

 300 

 400 



5, 

 6, 

 7, 

 8, 

 9, 

 10, 



11, 

 12, 

 13, 



400, for every 100, or part of it, 1 , 

 The post establishments of the other European 

 states are either still in a very low condition, or are 

 formed more or less upon the models of those already 

 mentioned. The post establishments of Russia have 

 been much improved in later times, compared with 

 her other political institutions. They appear to 

 have been formed on the model of the principal 

 post establishments in North Germany. The post- 

 age is moderate, and has been gradually rather les- 

 sened than increased. By the late rates, a letter 

 of an ounce weight pays two copecks for each 100 

 versts.* This is the rule up to 1500 versts. For 

 any distance between 1500 and 3000 versts, only 

 one copeck additional is paid. For any distance 

 over 3000 versts, not more than fifty copecks are 

 paid. Letters are sent in that immense empire 

 6000 7000 versts. For the sending of powers of 

 attorney, exchange, and money documents, the 

 postage is double that of an ordinary letter. For 

 money and packets of value, which are transported 

 badly, and generally upon baggage waggons, the 

 insurance is, for a distance of 500 versts, half per 

 cent., over 500, one per cent. For letters sent 

 abroad the Russian postage is also very moderate. 

 Although Russia is twice as large as all Europe, 

 and numbers more than fifty million inhabitants, 

 yet the revenue of the postage cannot be reckoned 

 at more than between 5600,000 dollars. There 

 are five post routes: those of Moscow, Riga, Viborg, 

 Archangel, and Poland. Post carriages, or dili- 

 gences, are not to be found in Russia. The extra 

 posts, however, are no where cheaper and more 

 expeditious. An extra post-horse costs, for a 

 verst, not more than two copecks. A journey of 

 4580 versts, for which eight weeks are employed, 

 costs, including the expense of living, only about 

 220 dollars. He who wishes to make use of the 



* The amount of two copecks, or of the double copeck, in 

 weight of copper, is a little more than a halfpenny. A verst 

 is about two thirds of an English mile. 





