JOHN PALMER AND THE MAIL COACH SYSTEM. 27 



ing London in sixteen hours. The same day Mr. 

 Palmer was installed at the Post Office under the title of 

 Controller General. Coaches were applied for without 

 loss of time by the municipal authorities of many of our 

 largest towns, Liverpool being the first among them to 

 petition. In most cases they appear to have been 

 granted at once. They were started at the rate of six 

 miles an hour, but this official rate of speed was subse- 

 quently increased to eight, to nine, and at length to ten 

 miles an hour. 



Soon after the introduction of the mail coaches, public 

 appreciation of the benefits derived from them and of the 

 great importance of the change was marked by the pro- 

 duction of a copper medal, called the ' mail coach half- 

 penny.' On one side it bore a representation of the 

 coach and its team of horses at full speed, with the legend 

 — ' To trade expedition and to property protection ' ; and 

 on the reverse side a dedication as follows : — ' To J. 

 Palmer, Esq. This is inscribed as a token of gratitude 

 for benefits received from the establishment of mail 

 coaches.' 



The mails under the new system travelled with great 

 security. For many years after their introduction, not a 

 single attempt was made in England to rob them. In 

 Ireland, however, the new system did not conduce to the 

 greater security of the mails. The first coach was intro- 

 duced in that country in 1790, and was placed on the 

 Cork and Belfast road ; and was soon followed by others 

 on the main lines of road. Though occasionally accom- 

 panied by as many as four armed guards the mail coaches 



