THE LATER MAILS 



31 



The " Old Exeter " Mail, coutinued on to 

 Ealmoutli, kept consistently to the main Exeter 

 Road, throuij^h Salisbury, Dorchester and Brid- 

 port. Before 1837 it had jJerformed the journey to 

 Exeter in 20 hours and to Ealmouth in 34f hours, 

 hut was then accelerated one hour as between 

 London and Exeter, and although slightly de- 

 celerated onwards, the gain on the whole distance 

 Avas 49 minutes. 



Eive minutes in advance of this ran the 

 " Quicksilver " Devonport Mail, as far as Salis- 

 bury, where, until 1S37, it branched off, going 

 by Shaftesbury, Sherl)orne and Yeovil, a route 

 5f miles shorter than the other. It was If hours 

 quicker than the " Old Exeter " as far as that 

 city. Here is the time-table of the " Quick- 

 silver " at that period, to Exeter: — 



Leaving General Post Office at 8 p.m. 



Thus 18 hours 14 minutes were allowed for the 

 173 miles. In 1837 the " Quicksilver " was put 

 on the " upper road " by Amesbury and Ilminster, 

 and her pace again accelerated; this time by 



