304 TlMEHRl. 
Government of Trinidad, he intimated to the Postal 
authorities that he was prepared to take up the question 
of Sixpenny Telegrams. In a consultation he held with 
the Postmaster General and the Superintendent of the 
Telegraph, at the Government Secretary's Office, he put 
the question whether addresses should be charged for or 
not, when he was urged to make them free ; and, other 
details having been determined, the change of Tariff 
was then submitted to the Legislature, and, upon being 
adopted came into force on the ist of September 1S81. 
To appreciate readily the effect of the reduction of the 
Tariff from the Shilling to the Sixpenny rate, it is neces- 
sary to take the figures from 1880, as the higher charge 
prevailed throughout the whole of that year, down to 
those of 1884. They are the following: — 
Paid Telegrams. Cash Receipts. 
1880 23,289 $ 7,285 58 
1881 34,603 9,606 15* 
1882 52,697 11,452 06 
1883 63,676 12,874 18 
1884 68,240 13,342 92 
The severity of the depression in 1885 will, no doubt, 
be found to have extended to the business done in Tele- 
grams, but the fa6l remains that the colony did well to 
bring the comfort and convenience of speedy commu- 
nication within the reach of the poorest. 
Telegrams are sent now by all classes of the people, 
within whose reach the sixpenny rate has brought the 
power of corresponding with despatch upon the ordinary 
* From ist January to 31st August, when the shilling rate prevailed, 
the receipts were $5,775 26. 
From ist September to 31st December, when the sixpenny rate pre- 
vailed, the receipts were $3,830 89. 
