338 ON THE TRACK OF THE MAIL-COACH 



purposes, domestic purposes, and even the details of 

 a labouring man's daily avocations, we should reach 

 the imposing, but still moderate, figure of 7,300 

 millions. 



' As it is, in Great Britain,' testifies a high authorit}^, 

 ' there is only one subscriber to the telephone service 

 out of every 520 people. Everywhere ' [meaning 

 abroad] , he adds, ' competition is giving way to one 

 system.' Such, in my judgment, should be, without 

 exception, the case in England also. 



Here I will stop, having demonstrated sufficiently 

 the present comparatively limited use of the telephone 

 and its future possibilities. 



What is now^ wanted is a bold politician w^ho, with 

 firm hand, shall enforce by his eloquence and influence 

 the acceptance of a complete scheme such as is broadly 

 indicated here — one that, with the assent of the 

 country, can be developed by degrees, and ultimately 

 carried into general effect. 



Bo the Post-Office, having in the past helped to 

 enlarge the boundaries of commerce and encourage 

 thrift, may, if the nation please, speedily enter on its 

 next beneficent departure — viz., the restoration of 

 prosperity to hamlet and homestead. 



If it succeed (as if allowed to embark on the 

 enterprise, the department is certain to do), landed 

 proprietors may once more take heart of grace, the 

 field-labourer return from the alley of the town to 

 the village- green — from the tainted air of the factory 



