The History of the Post Office in British North America

The work traces the development of the postal system in the North American colonies that later formed Canada and adjacent provinces from early colonial arrangements through imperial administration and provincial reform, showing how British postal practices were extended into Canadian territories and adjusted amid war, rebellion, and political agitation. It examines administrative structures and disputes involving deputy postmasters, newspaper publishers, and colonial legislatures; the suppression and restoration of services during the Revolution; negotiations over postage rates and ocean mail contracts; and the expansion of railway and transatlantic links. Later chapters describe the transfer of control to provincial authorities and the growth of services in the Maritime provinces, the Northwest, British Columbia, and Newfoundland.