INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAIL GUARDS. 399 



1 1. The guard is to prevent, if possible, any more passengers 

 being conveyed than the contract allows, and if a guard neglect 

 to give immediate notice of any violation of this article, with an 

 account of the parties who are accessory to it, it will be con- 

 sidered as a very material breach of his duty, and he will be 

 punished accordingly. 



12. It is a very necessary part of his duty to report the 

 earliest intelligence of all accidents, delays, or obstructions, of 

 inattention or want of readiness in horse-keepers, of misconduct 

 in any of the parties concerned in the performance of the duty, 

 and of all occurrences whatever that have a tendency to impede 

 the progress of the mail-coach, or may in any respect be proper 

 to be communicated. He will, if a mail-coach break down, 

 describe what particular part broke, on his bill ; and the next 

 day, as soon as possible, by letter give information how it 

 happened, and what damage was done. 



13. If the mail-coach break down on its way to London, and 

 it cannot be repaired in half-an-hour, or in such time that the 

 mail may arrive at the Post Office by its proper time, the guard 

 is to ride on with it by horse or chaise. The postmasters and 

 contractors have directions to furnish such chaise or horse, which 

 the Postmaster-General will pay for the use of. The guard 

 must do all his business at the different offices, and his road 

 business, and take care that he performs his journey in the same 

 time as if the coach travelled. 



14. If the mail-coach should fail between stage and stage, 

 the guard is to press one of the mail-coach horses, and ride on 

 to the next stage with it. 



15. If in travelling from London an accident happens, he is 

 to use all possible expedition in repairing the coach, and if it 

 cannot be done in an hour or an hour and a half, as the circum- 

 stances of that particular road will allow, the guard must take 

 chaise to forward the mail. 



16. Guards are on no account to carry parcels, whether for 

 private use or for sale ; and are to permit mail-coach con- 



