ABOLITION OF THE DUTY 29 



The following year, however, Mr. Gladstone 

 abolished the post-horse duty, substituting therefor 

 an annual tax on all horses let for hire, and on post- 

 carriiiges, in lieu of it. A few years afterwards Sir 

 Stafford Northcote repealed the duties on horses, 

 and thus that most obnoxious tax upon horses 

 and posting disappeared for ever. This duty, I 

 believe, had brought into the Exchequer about 

 500,000/. per annum, but the amount exacted from 

 the public was considerably more, as the cost of 

 collection was enormous, and the profits made by 

 the farmers correspondingly large. The post- 

 masters opened a subscription for Mr. Shillibeer, and 

 presented him with a handsome service of plate, 

 and a cheque for 800/., and so ended the post- 

 horse duties. I have written this statement that 

 men of the present day may know what certain 

 trades had to put up with, in the memory of many 

 still living. The introduction of railways gave the 

 coup de gr-dce to the old posting trade. 



