Chapter XLVII: Appendix: N (3)

[117] See p. 184.--ED.

[118] Since the above was written, the error, for such I unhesitatingly pronounce it, has been aggravated by admission into the subjects for competitive examination of some quite foreign to the business of the office--as Latin and Greek.

[119] Sir R. Hill's foreboding has proved only too true. In our high telegraph rate we pay, and shall long pay, for the reckless extravagance with which the purchase of the telegraphs was made.--ED.

[120] Vol. v., p. 1, March 20, 1852.

[121] See Vol. I., p. 417.--ED.

[122] Macaulay's "History of England," Vol. v., p. 16 (edition in eight volumes.)--ED.

[123] "Sixth Report," p. 10.

[124] "Second Report," p. 10.

[125] See Vol. II., p. 100.

[126] "Second Report," p. 10.

[127] "Second Report," pp. 9, 41.

[128] "Fifth Report," p. 9.

[129] "Fourth Report," p. 8.

[130] "Third Report," p. 5; "Fourth Report," p. 9; "Sixth Report," p. 9.

[131] The following extract from the "Industrial History of Birmingham" supplies some evidence on this point:--

"The introduction of penny postage by Rowland Hill operated on this branch of trade materially [Birmingham manufactures in brass]. How it did so is strange but true. Immediately on its coming into effect came the demand for letter-weighing machines, which were made in immense quantities; and letter-box plates were introduced, made, and continue to be made, in very considerable numbers."

[132] "Sixth Report," p. 9.

[133] "Fourth Report," p. 10.

[134] It appears that the district system is now (1869) introduced into Calcutta. See "Greater Britain," by Sir C. Dilke, Vol. II., p. 263. (Second Edition).

[135] "Second Report," p. 12.

[136] "Third Report," p. 7.

[137] "Fifth Report," p. 11.

[138] 1853, No. 747.

[139] "Seventh Annual Report of the Postmaster-General," p. 7.

[140] "Seventh Annual Report of the Postmaster-General," p. 18.

[141] "Fifth Report," p. 12.

[142] Written before 1871.--ED.

[143] "Fourth Annual Report," p. 13. The bill _in extenso_, with explanatory remarks thereon, will be found at p. 46 of the same report.

[144] "Royal Commission on Railways. Report of the Commissioners, 1867."

[145] In 1878-79 the amount was more than twenty-seven millions. This was, however, a decrease on the preceding year, when the amount had been more than twenty-nine millions.--"Twenty-fifth Report," p. 45. The profits for 1878-79 were £39,000. In the preceding year, when a much larger business had been done, they were only £6,400.--"Twenty-fifth Report," p. 21.--ED.

[146] "Sixth Report," p. 17

[147] Mr. Frederic Hill succeeded in the end in getting his plan adopted. It works very well, I am informed, and has reduced the cost of "the window duty" by about one-half.--ED.

[148] "Sixth Report," p. 27.

[149] "Sixth Report," p. 30.

[150] Even with the great assistance of the railway to California, it is doubtful if the Western Route is the better for any colony except New Zealand. The advantage of a bi-monthly mail is of course a distinct question.

It is curious how inveterate is the mistake in question. Columbus expected to reach Cathay more quickly by sailing westward, but was stopped by the American continent. The projectors of the "Darien Scheme" hoped to enrich themselves by making their settlement a great _entrepôt_ between Europe and the East Indies; and Macaulay, in his interesting narrative of the enterprise ("History of England," Vol. v., p. 200), considers their mistake to consist mainly in the assumption that Spain would permit a settlement on its territory; but it seems not to have occurred to him that, in any event, the scheme was intrinsically hopeless, seeing that the old route by the Cape of Good Hope, besides avoiding the cost and delay of transhipment, surpasses the Darien route even in shortness. (October, 1872).

[151] "Fifth Report," p. 17.

[152] "Sixth Report," p. 22.

[153] "Fourth Report," p. 20.

[154] "Fourth Report," p. 22.

[155] "Parliamentary Return, 1868," No. 215.

[156] "First Report," p. 68.

[157] Ibid.

[158] "Fourth Report," p. 44.

[159] "Parliamentary Return, 1868," No. 215.

[160] "Sixth Report," pp. 32, 33.

[161] "Third Report," p. 28.

[162] "Second Report," pp. 27-29; "Third Report," pp. 24-29; "Fifth Report," p. 23; "Sixth Report," pp. 38, 39.

[163] O! si sic omnia.--ED.

[164] "Fifth Report," p. 35.

[165] "Fourth Report," p. 77.

[166] "Fourth Report," p. 32.

[167] "Fourth Report," p. 77.

[168] "Before 1871 the money accruing from unclaimed money orders had, for many years, been used in aiding officers of the department to insure their lives; but in that year the Lords of the Treasury gave directions for the discontinuance of the practice (except in regard to then existing recipients of the aid), and for the payment of this money into the Exchequer. In obedience to this order, the accumulated capital, together with the interest thereon (amounting to £20,707), was paid into the Exchequer. The actual amount of unclaimed money orders for 1871 was £3,390."--"Twenty-fifth Report," p. 65.--ED.

[169] "Fourth Report," p. 33.

[170] "Sixth Report," p. 43.

[171] "Sixth Report," p. 42.

[172] "Fifth Report," p. 25.

[173] "Sixth Report," p. 43.

[174] "Sixth Annual Report," p. 43.

[175] "First Report of the Postmaster-General," p. 7.

[176] See p. 92.--ED.

[177] "April 7, 1849.--Accounts of debts due by late Postmasters not yet discharged by the sureties (some many years old) show that, while the amount of revenue collected in Great Britain is about ten times as great as that collected in Ireland, the debts in Ireland more than double those in Great Britain."--Sir R. Hill's Journal.--ED.

[178] "First Annual Report," p. 71.

[179] "Sixth Annual Report of the Postmaster-General," p. 7.

[180] The number of such receptacles in 1878-79 was more than 25,000, of which nearly 12,000 were pillar-boxes.--"Twenty-fifth Report," p. 7.--ED.

[181] "Sixth Report," p. 9.

[182] "Sixth Report," p. 7.

[183] "First Report," p. 22.

[184] "Sixth Report," p. 14.

[185] For the numbers in 1878-79, see p. 382.--ED.

[186] "Second Report," p. 18.

[187] "Sixth Report," p. 15.

[188] "Fourth Report," p. 17.

[189] "Sixth Report," p. 15.

[190] "Sixth Report," p. 15.

[191] "Macaulay wrote to me at Harrow pretty constantly, sealing his letters with an amorphous mass of red wax, which, in defiance of post-office regulations, not unfrequently concealed a piece of gold."--"The Life and Letters of Lord Macaulay." Second edition. Vol. II., p. 426.--ED.

[192] "Third Report," p. 30.

[193] "Third Report," p. 12.

[194] "Sixth Report," p. 17.

[195] "Sixth Report," p. 18.

[196] "Third Report," p. 15.

[197] "Third Report," p. 17.

[198] "Fifth Report," p. 19.

[199] "Third Report," p. 18.

[200] "Sixth Report," p. 20.

[201] Since the above was written, a passage, though an erroneous one, in an interesting and popular work, has reminded me of another American labourer in the field of postal improvement. One of Miss Mitford's letters would seem to show that as early as 1832, or four years before my pamphlet was written, she went to hear Mr. Elihu Burritt lecture on ocean penny postage. A letter lately received from Mr. Burritt informs me that he never visited England before 1846, and never worked in the cause of postal reform but in sequence to myself. Explanation of the error may easily be found by reference to the difficulty which must have been encountered in piecing together, with even plausible correctness, the scraps of paper on which Miss Mitford's letters were habitually written.

[202] One curious question bearing on the letter-carriers' position, and which occupied some little attention at this time, I must here mention, as it is connected with a popular misconception, sometimes fruitful in trouble, viz., whether public gratuities, such as Christmas-boxes, should be taken into account in estimating a letter-carrier's emoluments or not. These Christmas-boxes, I may observe, average about £13 per letter-carrier, and amount in some cases, I am told, to as much as £50 or £60. At first sight it appears most ungenerous to include them, and yet a short statement will show that to some extent this is unavoidable. A letter-carrier, say, has attained the highest position open to him as such, and is offered admission to the class of sorters, where the minimum pay equals his present maximum, while the maximum is more than double what he is receiving. This offer he declines, because by accepting it he would cease to have direct intercourse with the public, and so lose all opportunity for gratuity. This, of course, he has a perfect right to do; but when he continues, while rejecting the higher rate, to point to the lower as ground of complaint, either the answer must explain the anomaly by referring to the addition to his salary thus made every Christmas, or a complaint really unfounded remains plausible, and obtains inconsiderate support.

[203] "Fifth Report," p. 40. In the admonitory address from which the above quotation is made, and which was afterwards published in the Annual Report, the position of a letter-carrier is distinctly set forth.

[204] Among some "miscellaneous anecdotes" recorded by Sir R. Hill I find the following: "I used at one time to walk to Camden Town, take an omnibus as far as the corner of Gray's Inn Lane and Holborn, and thence walk to St. Martin's Le Grand. One day, while sitting in the omnibus, I overheard one gentleman say to another, 'I understand that Mr. Rowland Hill often travels in these omnibuses.' 'Oh, yes,' replied the other, who chanced to sit nearly opposite me, 'I very often meet him--I know him quite well.' Of course I held my peace, not deeming it necessary to disconcert my familiar acquaintance."--ED.

[205] "Sixth Report," p. 9.

[206] Mr. Gladstone wrote to Mr. Sikes the following letter:--

"14, Downing Street, Whitehall, 30th November, 1859.

"DEAR SIR,--I have read with much interest your tract on Post Office Savings' Banks, and have discussed the subject with Sir A. Spearman, who has also had some communication with the Post Office authorities.

"The difficulties are very serious, chiefly in connection with the question of interest and the mode of account for it. "At the same time there is so much of promise in the plan on the face of it, that we are unwilling to let it drop without a most careful examination.

"If you are likely to be in London, or were disposed to come hither, personal communication on details might be of advantage. Sir A. Spearman would be most ready to see you for the purpose of entering into them fully, and I should be very desirous myself to give any aid in my power at the proper time.

"I remain, Dear Sir, yours very faithfully,
"W. E. GLADSTONE.

"C. W. SIKES, Esq."

--ED.

[207] "Report of Select Committee on Postage (1843)," p. 41.

[208] For further information on this subject, see Appendix M.--"Pneumatic tubes for the conveyance of telegrams are in use," I am informed, "between the Central Telegraph Office in St. Martin's-le-Grand and many branch offices, the longest line of tube being that to the House of Parliament--upwards of two miles. They are also in use in Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Birmingham, Newcastle, and Dublin. In Berlin a costly tube service has been established for the distribution of _letters_ to the various parts of that city."--ED.

[209] More detailed information on this subject will be found in Appendix I.

[210] "Hansard," Vol. CLVIII., p. 1205.

[211] "Third Annual Report," p. 33.

[212] "Fourth Annual Report," p. 17.

[213] "Hansard," Vol. CLXVI., pp. 188, 189.

[214] Some of the old abuses of the franking system have re-appeared. Private letters are often sent under the Government frank; especially is this the case with private letters for the colonies.--ED.

[215] It is important to observe that the amount actually paid by Government for its postage before the abolition of franking was less, in proportion to the amount of its correspondence, than that paid after the abolition.

[216] The following note on Lord Canning was added by Sir Rowland Hill in June, 1876:--"In an able article in the last 'Edinburgh Review,' on Lord Mayo's Indian administration, the writer thus speaks of Lord Canning:--'And then we come to Earl Canning, who, almost without exception among English statesmen, presents the grandest picture of unswerving firmness, courage and magnanimity in the midst of the most appalling dangers; who, without losing hope and strong resolve, saw the fabric of an empire fading away from his vision like an iceberg in the Gulf Stream; who at the same time had to confront a native rebellion, the panic fear and disaffection of his countrymen, and the opinion at home which was the reverberation of the latter. He met the rebellion, and he put it down. He met the panic fear, and he triumphed over it. When blood and punishment and cruelty were preached, he stepped forward as a grand and magnanimous ruler, as the representative of British humanity and civilization, and with mild but absolute accent proclaimed, "This shall not be," and it was not. The greatness of the man who could so speak and so act, at such a time as the crisis of the mutiny and rebellion in India in 1857, is not to be measured by the ordinary deeds of war and peace, however grand in execution the former, however wise and beneficent the latter may be.' That such a man, after acquiring a thorough knowledge of myself, should have selected me for the difficult and responsible post of Secretary to the Post Office, and have continued throughout my attached friend, is to me a source of the highest gratification."--ED.

[217] "The trace of Marlborough's neglected education was seen to the last in his reluctance to write. 'Of all things,' he said to his wife, 'I do not love writing.' To pen a despatch, indeed, was a far greater trouble to him than to plan a campaign. But nature had given him qualities which in other men spring specially from culture. His capacity for business was immense."--"Green's Short History of the English People," p. 691.--ED.

[218] "Sixth Annual Report," pp. 38 and 39.

[219] "I must confess," wrote his eldest brother to one of his friends, "I must confess that the thought of that noble intellect paralyzed and all but extinguished, struck me with a grief of greater intensity than I ever felt before in all the bereavements which have been my lot."--ED.

[220] According to the Postmaster-General's Report for 1879, every transaction costs 7·55_d._ exclusive of postage; while "the Yorkshire Penny Bank (an old-established, widely-spread and very thriving institution) does its work (I am informed) at 2_d._ per transaction."--ED.

[221] The recent large reduction in cost is owing to the non-charge of postage.--Note by Sir R. Hill in October, 1872.

[222] "Eighth Annual Report," pp. 12-14.

[223] "Fifteenth Annual Report," p. 16.

[224] "Eighth Annual Report," p. 14.

[225] "Eighth Annual Report," p. 15. Any of my readers desirous of further information on this subject may refer with advantage to an interesting work on the "History of Savings Banks," by Mr. William Lewins, author of "Her Majesty's Mails." (Sampson Low and Co.)

[226] See Vol. I., p. 459.--ED.

[227] See Vol. II., p. 315.--ED.

[228] "Ninth Annual Report," p. 10.

[229] The following passage from Sir C. W. Dilke's valuable work "Greater Britain," published since the above was written, throws further light on the retrogressive course in question:--

"Writing for the Englishmen of Old England, it is not necessary for me to defend free trade by any arguments. As far as we in our island are concerned, it is so manifestly to the pocket-interest of almost all of us, and, at the same time, on account of the minuteness of our territory, so little dangerous, politically, that for Britain there can be no fear of a deliberate relapse into protection, although we have but little right to talk about free trade so long as we continue our enormous subsidies to the Cunard liners.

"The American argument in favour of prohibition is in the main, it will be seen, political; the economical objection being admitted, but outweighed. Our action in the matter of our postal contracts, and in the case of the Factory Acts, at all events shows that we are not ourselves invariably averse to distinguish between the political and the economical aspect of certain questions."--("Greater Britain," second edition, p. 69.)

[230] See my Letter of Appointment, Vol. II., p. 224.

[231] In a paper drawn up some years after this passage was written, Sir R. Hill has thus expressed himself as regards Mr. Gladstone:--"There are few public men with whom I have been on such intimate terms, from whom I have received so much kindness, and for whom I entertain so high a respect."--ED.

[232] When my plan was published, the lowest General Post rate was fourpence; but while the plan was under the consideration of Government the rate between post towns not more than eight miles asunder was reduced from fourpence to twopence.

[233] In this comparison of revenue, the mode of calculation in use before the adoption of Penny Postage has of course been retained--that is to say, the cost of the packets on the one hand, and the produce of the impressed newspaper stamps on the other, have been excluded. The amounts for 1863 are, to some extent, estimated, the accounts not having as yet been fully made up.

[234] In 1868 the letters had increased more than ten and a-half fold. In 1867 the gross revenue had increased by £2,202,000, and the net revenue by £467,000.

[235] In 1868 the amount transmitted had risen to £19,079,000, or more than sixty fold--("Fifteenth Report of the Postmaster-General," p. 4.) [In 1878-79 it had risen to £27,303,000. In the preceding year, however, it had been as high as £29,153,000. See Vol. II. p. 286.--ED.]

[236] In the _Morning Star_.--ED.

[237] See in correction of this mistake, p. 393 and Appendix N.

[238] In Sir R. Hill's Journal for June 23rd there is the following entry:--"Received a letter from Mr. Joseph Parkes, giving a brief account of the negociations with Government on the subject of the Parliamentary grant, in which he states that a Baronetcy, in lieu of the grant, was offered, but declined by my friends. This is the first intimation I have had of the kind. Wrote to say that I fully confirm the views taken by himself and Mr. Forster as to the Baronetcy."--ED.

[239] "Projectors see no difficulties, and critics see nothing else."--Edmund Burke. "Correspondence of Edmund Burke." Vol. II., p. 332.--ED.

[240] The above report is taken, with abridgments, from the _Times_ of June 15th, 1864.

[241] "June 9th, 1864.--Yesterday, received at Oxford the Honorary Degree of D.C.L. Undergraduates most enthusiastic."--Sir R. Hill's Journal.--ED.

[242] The following year Sir R. Hill dined at Marlborough House:--"The Prince of Wales," he wrote, "reminded me of the pleasure he had had, during the previous year, in presenting me with the Albert Medal, on which I told him that he really presented me with an empty box, and explained the cause, viz., that the successive blows required for obtaining high relief of the medal had broken the die before the work was completed. The interval being too short for the engraving of another die, the Council of the Society had judged it better not to delay matters; consequently the presentation took place 'in dummy.' The Prince laughed heartily at the story."--ED.

[243] See p. 336.

[244] I have lately learnt (1870) with much pleasure, that this improvement has been adopted in the new department of Telegraphy.

[245] In the Postal Union Mr. Frederic Hill's plan was at length brought to effect.--ED.

[246] In 1867, proceedings were taken against the Circular Delivery Company "for delivering letters contrary to the privilege of the Postmaster-General." This Company delivered circulars at a very low rate. "The proper mode of proceeding," Sir Rowland Hill recorded in his Journal, "would have been to adopt a plan which I long ago frequently discussed with the Assistant-Secretaries, and which has, I believe, been recently proposed in writing by my son, viz., to undertake the delivery of circulars at reduced rates (say a halfpenny), on certain conditions made with a view to the convenience of the Post-Office. * * * "_I do not like an enforcement of the monopoly. It covers mismanagement._"--ED.

[247] In Prussia this is effected by means similar to my plan of secondary distribution (see Vol. I., p. 251). The same means might be resorted to here.

[248] Carlyle's "Life of Sterling" (edition of 1857), p. 221.

[249] See Vol. II., p. 389.

[250] See Vol. I., p. 438.

[251] Johnson's "Life of Milton."

[252] See Vol. II., p. 283.

[253] It is foreign to my present purpose to describe the after administration of the Post Office. I would refer my readers to "The Edinburgh Review," Nos. 263 and 291, for articles on the Postal Telegraphs.

[254] The journal closes in the year 1869.

[255] The deputation consisted of Mr. Washington Lyon, mover of the resolution; Sir John Bennett, the seconder; Mr. Peter McKinlay, the Chairman of General Purposes Committee; Mr. Scott, F.R.A.S., the Chamberlain; and Mr. Monckton, F.S.A. (now Sir John Monckton), the Town Clerk.

[256] Before sending this letter Sir R. Hill read it to his eldest brother. "I remember," says one who was present at the time, "Mr. M. D. Hill saying, 'Mind, Rowland, if you send this, and if they do not do what you ask, you must resign.' Sir Rowland answered, 'I know that, and I am ready to resign.'"--ED.

[257] "Eighth Report of Postmaster-General," p. 31.

[258] "Eighth Report of Postmaster-General," p. 20.

[259] The number of free newspapers delivered in the United Kingdom, in 1861, was about 45,700,000.--_Vide_ "Eighth Report of Postmaster-General," p. 28.--But of these about 4-1/2 millions were newspapers from abroad.

[260] "Seventh Report of Postmaster-General," p. 12.

[261] It is true that some few newspapers exceed the limit of weight (4 ozs.) which is carried for one penny, and they are therefore charged higher rates; but, on the other hand, two or more of the lighter newspapers--the aggregate weight of which does not exceed the 4 ozs.--are frequently sent under the same cover, and only one penny is charged on the packet. The average postage of each newspaper, when prepaid with the postage stamp, will therefore, in all probability, not exceed one penny per transmission.

[262] "Report of Select Committee on Postage (1843)," Mr. R. Hill's evidence, p. 46.

[263] "Hansard"--Debate in Lords, June 21, 1842.

[264] Letter to Postmaster-General, 10th January, 1860.

[265] Pp. 20-22.

[266] "Second Report of Select Committee on Postage (1843)," question 11,070.

[267] "Eighth Report of Postmaster-General," p. 31.

[268] "Eighth Report of Postmaster-General," p. 31.

[269] The £45,000 and £110,000 charged for Government postage (exclusive of that of the Post Office itself) for the year 1838 and the present time, do not show the whole amounts received, the charges on the official foreign correspondence being omitted from the first amount, and that for the official bye and cross post letters from both. In the "Second Report of the Select Committee on Postage" (Appendix, p. 115) is a table showing with greater accuracy the amounts received for postage on the official _inland_ correspondence for each year from 1833 to 1837. The amounts given above, however, will suffice for comparison.

[270] "Report of Select Committee of Lords (1847)," question 352.

[271] "Railway Intelligence for the Period," ending 31st December, 1856. Published "under the Sanction of the Committee of the Stock Exchange."

[272] Now (1868) 6-1/2 days.

[273] This caveat is abundantly justified by information published in the "Journal of the Society of Arts" (October 28th, 1870), by which it appears that in North Germany, one of the countries pointed to for our example, newspapers are subject to a regular stamp duty, such as was formerly paid in England, but the amount of which is not easily stated, since it depends upon the size of the paper and other circumstances; and, further, that the compulsory stamp has not the franking power it possessed here, so that the postage constitutes an additional charge; and it is with the sum of these two charges that our postage should in fairness be compared. But the postage alone (2/3_d._ for rather less than 1-1/2 oz., with a proportionate increase for greater weights) is higher than that which was charged in this country on many papers of large circulation, _e.g._, the _Times_ (with its supplement of four pages, or, under the impressed stamp, with its supplement of eight pages), the _Spectator_, the _Economist_, and the _Athenæum_. While, besides exemption from stamp duty, other important advantages were enjoyed by the British, as compared with the North German, papers, _e.g._, under the adhesive stamp, permission to write upon them anything except a letter, and, with the like exception, to enclose with them either one or more additional newspapers, or other printed or written matter, on paying book postage according to the total weight; or again, under the impressed stamp, the power of repeated retransmission. But, above all, the right to resort to other and cheaper means of conveyance, a right barred in North Germany by postal monopoly. In short, all things considered, there can scarcely be a doubt, that even before the reductions of 1870, our much depreciated newspaper arrangements were more favourable, alike to publishers and the public, than those of North Germany, which are held up as our example. Further, that the North German Post Office, instead of having to pay, like the British Post Office, £600,000 a year for the railway conveyance of its mails, has the use of all railways without subjecting itself to any charge whatever, though its operations include parcels up to the individual weight of twenty pounds; lastly, that with all these advantages, and with a higher postage rate on the prevailing class of letters, the North German Post Office, though serving a population about equal to our own, yields in annual net revenue only about £60,000, while the British Post Office, with all its burdens and its lower rate of postage, yields, even if debited with the whole expense of the mail packet service, more than £1,400,000, of course relieving taxpayers to that extent.--_Vide_ Fifteenth Report of the Postmaster-General--the latest issued--p. 14).

[274] Full information of this subject may be found in a minute of mine dated 13th July, 1858, and included in a Parliamentary Return, No. 302, 1860.

[275] This was written at a time when, as yet, there were no halfpenny stamps.--ED.