3l8 ON THE TRACK OF THE MAIL-COACH 



exactly they express, a row of ten numerals being 

 somewhat beyond ordinary comprehension. At any 

 rate, 2,632 millions of bits of paper are stamped, 

 gummed, and sent annually to the post-offices of the 

 United Kingdom, under the supervision of the Con- 

 troller of Stamps, Mr. J. S. Purcell, C.B. 



The penny postage and receipt label absorbs more 

 than two-thirds of the total ; and halfpenny equal 

 now, as nearly as possible, half the number of penny 

 stamps. Only seven million fourpenny, but nearly 

 fifteen million of fourpence halfpenny, as also only 

 two million tenpenny stamps are used in a year ; 

 of shilling stamps, ten million are issued. These 

 singular disproportions are largely explained by 

 parcel-post requirements. I print in the appendix 

 a full statement of the issue under each rate of 

 postage. 



Speaking of postage-stamps, it is known that the 

 blank margin is useful in many ways. Once, at a 

 Midland post-office, a little girl came to the counter 

 and asked for some 'plaister' from the postage-stamps. 

 * What do you want it for ?' the postmaster asked. 

 The girl replied, ' Please, sir, we want it for mending 

 feyther's nose.' 



It is not a little surprising that the intuitive genius 

 of Sir Kowland did not at once catch at the idea of 

 freely employing pillar letter-boxes as cheap and 

 powerful incentives to letter-writing. But although 

 he inclined to their use, I doubt if at first he was 

 warmly disposed in their favour. Perhaps to work out 



