PILLARS OF THE PAST 311 



Fox-hounds. But the occasion was swiftly passing, 

 and he had rather to arrange for the conversion of 

 mail-conveyance from the road to the rail, the 

 transfer of the money-order system from private to 

 official hands, and the transit of Indian letters by Way 

 of the Mediterranean (thus disestablishing the route 

 by the South Atlantic). He was perhaps at his best 

 in dealing with men, and especially with large bodies 

 of men. He knew how to conciliate and control. 

 His name was widely known long before his retire- 

 ment. 



Colonel Maberly died in February, 1885. His sister. 

 Lady Adean, and his half-brother. General Maberly, 

 survive him. 



In 1854 came into power, as full Secretary, the 

 Great Eeformer. 



A modern Post-Office book naturally includes a 

 page specially devoted to Sir Kowland Hill, and I 

 should be sorry for this volume to be in that respect 

 an exception. 



But, as a matter of fact. Sir Kowland became 

 Secretary of the Post-Office only when mail-coaches 

 had passed out of the region of practical postal 

 politics. The railways, as channels of conveyance, 

 reigned supreme. 



It was in 1837 that the coaches attained the zenith 

 of their success, and it was then, also, that their 

 splendour began to decline. Eowland Hill was still 

 hard at work on his plan of postal reform, which, 



