The Post Office in British Guiana. 207 



I may here observe that the postage on papers was soon taken off, and 

 not re-imposed until the local Post Office Ordinance was passed in 

 i860. These stamps were for local letters only ; those for places 

 beyond the limits of the colony were prepaid in money. In May 1858 

 the Postmaster-General conceded to all the West Indian Colonies, except 

 Barbados and Trinidad, the privilege of pre-payment of letters by 

 English Stamps, and sent out for that purpose four different kinds, 

 id., 4d,, 6d, and is. These continued in use until the colony took 

 over the Post Office in May i860, when stamps of equal value, but of 

 different currency, were executed for the service of the Colonial Post 

 Office. The stamps then executed are those now employed, and with 

 the I cent and 4 cent previously used make six kinds. The colours 

 are i cent brown, 2 cents orange, 4 cents blue, 8 cents lake, 12 cents 

 lilac and 24 cents green. Letters for Great Britain must be prepaid, as well 

 those for the Islands. For places beyond Great Britain, not requiring 

 pre-payment, there is no diffe»ence in the postage, whether they are 

 prepaid or not. On local letters howeveri posted unpaid, double is 

 charged." 



The Inland Mail was a very great boon to the 

 colony, but strange to say the members of the Combined 

 Court did not see this. The spirit of opposition to the 

 Government was so strong that everything emanating 

 from that source was attacked inveterately. On the 

 15th of May 1856, when the cost was estimated at 

 $8,706, Mr. Peter Rose said that the mails should be 

 carried on horseback, so as to save the expense of 

 carriages and harness. Mr. SMITH had moved an 

 amendment to the vote that the Inland Mail should 

 be done awav with altogether, except fortnightly to Ber- 

 bice for the English Mails. He said that the roads 

 were very bad, and it was not wise to incur heavy 

 expense for them unless there was sufficient trade to 

 require the communication. The Police Stations were 

 placed in most inconvenient positions, to suit the Mail, 

 but not where they were most wanted, which was in the 



