Chapter XXIV

SOLE SECRETARYSHIP--FIRST ANNUAL REPORT, 1854.

PROGRESS OF IMPROVEMENT (1855-9).

Lord Canning, 263--Arrangement of Secretarial Duties, 264--The
Staff of Officers, 266--Annual Reports. Monthly Report of
Improvements in hand, 267--Post Office _versus_ Board of Works,
268--Free Delivery, 270--London District Offices, 271--Scotch
and Irish Mails, 273--Need of Railway Legislation, 276--Sir
G. C. Lewis, 277--Government Loans to Railway Companies,
278--Government Purchase of Railways. Royal Commission on Railways,
283--Arbitration, 284--True Interests of the Companies, 285--Money
Orders. Contract Work, 286--Post Office _versus_ Admiralty. Mr.
Trollope, 288--Panama Route, 290--Indian Mutiny, 292--Acceleration
of News, 294--Revenue and Expenditure, 295--Predictions Fulfilled,
297--Promotion by Merit. Sir W. Hayter, 298--Civil Service
Examination, 300--Letter from Sir C. Trevelyan, 301--Health
of Officers, 302--Life Insurance, 304--Mutual Guarantees,
307--Libraries, 308.

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER XXIV.

FIRST ANNUAL REPORT (1854).

Soldiers' Letters. Colonial and Foreign Posts, 310--Street
Nomenclature and House Numbering, 311--Early History of the
Post Office, 312--Improvement in Accounts. Number of Offices,
313--Number of Letters. Returned Letters, 314--Registration,
315--Soldiers' Remittances. Extension of Money Order System
to Colonies, 316--Transference of Management of Colonial Post
Offices. Foreign Posts, 317--United States, 318--Mr. Pliny Miles,
319--Treaties made easily Terminable, 320.

CHAPTER XXV.

DISCONTENTS IN THE OFFICE (1855-9).

Demands for higher Wages, 321--"Civil Service Gazette,"
322--Letter-carriers--Eligibility of their Position,
324--Christmas-boxes, 325--Mutinous Meeting, 326--Threats of
Assassination, 327--A familiar Acquaintance, 328.

CHAPTER XXVI.

MISCELLANEOUS PROCEEDINGS FROM 1855 TO 1859.

Postal Guide and Postal Official Circular, 329--Date Stamps. Mr.
Pearson Hill's Stamping Machine, 330--Mr. C. W. Sikes and the
Post Office Savings Banks, 331--Salaries, 333--Volunteer Corps,
334--Compulsory Prepayment, 335--Parcels Post. Tubular Conveyance,
336--Inventors, 339--Telegraph Tube Service, 340--Mr. R.
Stephenson, 341--Postage on Newspapers, 342--The _Times_, 344--Mr.
Gladstone, 345--Serious Illness, 346--Plan for distributing
Newspapers, 347--Wreck of the "Violet" Mail-packet, 349--The Bey of
Tunis. Number of Letters posted in Russia and Manchester. The last
Attack on Penny Postage, 350--Government Franking, 351.

CHAPTER XXVII.

POSTMASTERS-GENERAL (1855-60).

Lord Canning, 353--Indian Mutiny. "Edinburgh Review," 354--Duke of
Argyll, 355--Lord Colchester, 356--Lord Elgin, 357--Health failing,
358--Royal Society. K.C.B., 359--Vigorous and harmonious Action
in the Office, 360--Dangerous Illness. Lord Stanley of Alderley,
361--Fourth Cabal. Mr. Gladstone's Support, 362.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

PROGRESS AFTER 1859.

Post Office Savings Banks--their Costliness, 364--Registration,
367--Pattern Post, 368--Packet Service. Transference from
Admiralty. Mr. Frederic Hill's Reforms, 369--Tenders. Surveys
of Mail-packets, 370--Readjustment of Transmarine Rates,
371--Punctuality, 372--Large Expenditure prevented, 373--Reward for
faithful Services, 374--Free-trade and subsidised Mail-packets, 375.