Chapter I: Preface

This volume is the first of a contemplated series designed to furnish some account of the history and ordinary working of the revenue departments of the country--to do for the great _Governmental_ industries what Mr. Smiles has so ably done (to compare his great things with our small) for the profession of civil engineering and several _national_ industries. Few attempts have ever been made to trace the rise and progress of the invaluable institution of the Post-Office. We have more than once seen the question asked in _Notes and Queries_--that _sine quâ non_ of the curious and the learned--where a continuous account might be found of English postal history. In each case, the inquirer has been referred to a short summary of the history of the Post-Office, prefixed to the Postmaster-General's _First Report_. Since that, the Messrs. Black, in the eighth edition of the _Encyclopædia Britannica_, have supplied an excellent and more extended notice. Still more recently, however, in an admirable paper on the Post-Office in _Fraser's Magazine_, Mr. Matthew D. Hill has expressed his astonishment that so little study has been given to the subject--that it "has attracted the attention of so small a number of students, and of each, as it would appear, for so short a time." "I have not been able to find," adds Mr. Hill, "that even Germany has produced a single work which affects to furnish more than a sketch or outline of postal history." The first part of the following pages is offered as a _contribution_ to the study of the subject, in the hope that it will be allowed to fill the vacant place, at any rate, until the work is done more worthily. With regard to that most interesting episode in the history of the Post-Office which resulted in the penny-post reform, the materials for our work--scanty though they undoubtedly are in the earlier periods--are here sufficiently abundant. The scope, however, of the present undertaking would not allow of much more than a proportionate amount of space being devoted to that epoch. Besides, the history of that eventful struggle can be properly told but by one hand, and that hand, if spared, intends, we believe, to tell his own story. Mr. Torrens MacCullagh, in his _Life of Sir James Graham_, has thrown much new light on the letter-opening transactions of 1844, and we have been led, on inquiry, to concur in many of his views on the subject.

The greater portion of the second division of this volume, as well as a portion of the first part, appeared originally in the pages of several popular serial publications--principally _Chambers's Journal_ and Mr. Chambers's _Book of Days_; the whole, however, has been thoroughly revised, where it has not been re-written, and otherwise adapted to the purposes of the present work. We are indebted to Mr. Robert Chambers, LL.D., not only for permitting the republication of these papers in this form, but also for kindly indicating to us sources of information from the rich storehouse of his experience, which we have found very useful. On collateral subjects, such as roads and conveyances, besides having, in common with other readers, the benefit of Mr. Smiles's valuable researches in his _Lives of the Engineers_, we are personally indebted to him for kindly advice. We have only to add that, while in no sense an authorized publication, personal acquaintance has been brought to bear on the treatment of different parts of it, and that we have received, in describing the various branches of the Post-Office, much valuable information from Mr. J. Bowker and several gentlemen connected with the London Establishment. It is hoped that the information, now for the first time brought together, may prove interesting to many letter-writers who are ignorant, though not willingly so, of the channels through which their correspondence flows. If our readers think that the Wise Man was right when he likened the receipt of pleasant intelligence from a far country to cold water given to a thirsty soul, surely they will also admit that the _agency_ employed to compass this good service, which has made its influence felt in every social circle, and which has brought manifold blessings in its train, deserves some passing thought and attention.

The Appendix is designed to afford a source of general reference on many important matters relating to the Post-Office, some parts of it having been carefully collated from Parliamentary documents not easily accessible to the public.

_April 16, 1864._

CONTENTS.

PART I.

HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE POST-OFFICE.

CHAPTER I.
PAGE
INTRODUCTORY 1

CHAPTER II.

THE RISE OF THE GENERAL POST-OFFICE 15

CHAPTER III.

ON OLD ROADS AND SLOW COACHES 37

CHAPTER IV.

THE SETTLEMENT OF THE POST-OFFICE 47

CHAPTER V.

PALMER AND THE MAIL-COACH ERA 73

CHAPTER VI.

THE TRANSITION PERIOD AT THE POST-OFFICE 94

CHAPTER VII.

SIR ROWLAND HILL AND PENNY POSTAGE 108

CHAPTER VIII.

EARLY RESULTS OF THE PENNY-POSTAGE SCHEME 132

CHAPTER IX.

THE POST-OFFICE AND LETTER-OPENING 150

CHAPTER X.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POST-OFFICE 165

PART II.

DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNT OF THE POST-OFFICE.

PREFATORY 186

CHAPTER I.

THE ORGANIZATION OF THE POST-OFFICE 187

CHAPTER II.

ON THE CIRCULATION OF LETTERS 199

CHAPTER III.

THE MAIL-PACKET SERVICE 245

CHAPTER IV.

ON POSTAGE-STAMPS 255

CHAPTER V.

POST-OFFICE SAVINGS' BANKS 268

CHAPTER VI.

BEING MISCELLANEOUS AND SUGGESTIVE 279

CHAPTER VII.

CONCERNING SOME OF THE POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS
AND MISREPRESENTATIONS TO WHICH THE POST-OFFICE
IS LIABLE 291

APPENDIX (A).

CHIEF OFFICERS OF THE POST-OFFICE 308

APPENDIX (B).

ABSTRACT OF THE PRINCIPAL REGULATIONS 309

APPENDIX (C).

INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THE APPOINTMENTS IN
THE POST-OFFICE SERVICE 330

APPENDIX (D).

APPOINTMENTS IN THE CHIEF OFFICE IN LONDON 333

PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENTS IN THE CHIEF OFFICES OF
DUBLIN AND EDINBURGH 336

APPOINTMENTS, WITH SALARIES, OF THE FIVE PRINCIPAL
PROVINCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS IN ENGLAND
AND SCOTLAND 337

INFORMATION RESPECTING OTHER PRINCIPAL PROVINCIAL
POST-OFFICES 340

APPENDIX (E).

SALE OF POSTAGE-STAMPS 341

APPENDIX (F).

CONVEYANCE OF MAILS BY RAILWAY 342

APPENDIX (G).

MANUFACTURE OF POSTAGE-LABELS AND ENVELOPES 344

APPENDIX (H).

RESULTS OF POSTAL REFORM 345