[159] Joyce, p. 146.

[160] Cal. T. B. & P., 1731-34, p. 539; W. Thornbury, Old and New London, ii, p. 209; W. Lewins, Her Majesty's Mails, ed. 1865, pp. 104-12.

[161] Joyce, pp. 155, 162.

[162] Cal. T. B. & P., 1730-41, pp. 449-450.

[163] Country letters were those sent through London. Cal. T. B. & P., 1739-41, p. 450.

[164] Cal. T. B. & P., 1734-41, pp. 445, 450; W. Thornbury, Old and New London, ii, p. 209.

[165] He is the man to whom Pope alluded in the couplet,

"Let humble Allen, with an honest shame,
Do good by stealth and blush to find it fame."

Allen and the poet had a falling out just before the death of the latter. In his will, Pope left his quondam friend £150 to pay a "few little debts." Allen is said to have remarked that if Pope had added another figure, it would have represented better the "few little debts." W. Lewins, Her Majesty's Mails, pp. 104-12.

[166] Cal. T. B. & P., 1742-45, pp. 102-235; Maitland, Survey of London, p. 998; Noorthouck, Hist. of London, 1773, p. 658.

[167] J. Latimer, Annals of Bristol, 1893, p. 235; London and its Environs, 1761, v, pp. 209-222.

[168] Cal. T. B., 1697-1702, lxiv, 17; ibid., 1702-07, lxxxvi, 134.

[169] E. Green, Bibliotheca Somersetensis, 1902, i, p. 108; Joyce, pp. 107-108; Latimer, Annals of Bristol, p. 416.

[170] D. N. B., xliii, p. 140; Knight, London, 1842, iii, p. 280.

[171] Parl. Papers, 1812-13, Rep. Com., ii, pp. 4, 36, 37, 98; Fin. Rep., 1797, no. 7, p. 114; D. N. B., xliii, p. 140.

[172] Fin. Rep., 1797, no. 7, pp. 82-83; Joyce, pp. 251, 275.

[173] Fin. Rep., 1797, no. 7, p. 127; Jo. H. C., 1796-97, p. 581.

[174] Cal. T. B. & P., 1739-41, p. 234; 5 Geo. III, c. 25. The Post Office occasionally made good the loss of valuables from theft or robbery, but as a rule refused to do so. Cal. T. P., 1729-30, p. 75; Cal. T. B. & P., 1731-34, p. 74.

[175] Jo. H. C., 1787, p. 800.

[176] Ibid., 1787, p. 800.

[177] Jo. H. C., 1787, p. 800.

[178] Fin. Rep., 1797, no. 7, pp. 82-83; Jo. H. C., 1787, p. 817.

[179] Fin. Rep., 1797, no. 7, pp. 3, 66-83.

[180] Ibid., no. 7, pp. 52-65.

[181] Ibid., no. 7, pp. 52-65.

[182] Ibid., no. 7, pp. 8, 52-65.

[183] Fin. Rep., no. 7, p. 130.

[184] Rep. Com., 1844, xiv, pp. 9-11; app., p. 105 (78); app., p. 107 (79); app., p. 111 (83).

[185] Rep. Com., 1844, xiv, app., p. 112 (84); Cal. T. B. & P., 1742-45, p. 669.

[186] Rep. Com., 1844, xiv, app., p. 112 (85); Howell, State Trials, xix, col. 1369. This was in 1758.

[187] Joyce is of opinion that such practices were very common. So also is May (T. E. May, Constitutional History of England, 1882, iii, pp. 44-49; D. B. Eaton, Civil Service in Great Britain, New York, 1880, p. 115).

[188] 35 Geo. III, c. 62.

[189] Rep. Commrs., 1829, xi, pp. 215-222.

[190] London Times, 1829, Oct. 6, p. 2; ibid., 1832, March 14, p. 1.

[191] Parl. Deb., 3d ser., xxiv, col. 875.

[192] Acc. & P., 1817, pp. 4-16; Rep. Commrs., 1837, xxxiv, 8th rep. app., nos. 12, 13, 14.

[193] Ibid., 1837, xxxiv, 8th rep., app., no. 12.

[194] Acc. & P., 1837-38, xlv, 265, p. 5.

[195] Rep. Commrs., 1837, xxxiv, 8th rep., app., no. 3.

[196] Rep. Commrs., 1829, xi, p. 214.

[197] Parl. Papers, 1812-13, Rep. Com., ii, p. 87.

[198] Fin. Rep., 1797, no. 7, pp. 82-83.

[199] W. Thornbury, Old and New London, ii, p. 212.

[200] Rep. Commrs., 1837, xxxiv, 8th rep., app., no. 3.

[201] London Times, 1832, Apr. 27, p. 3; 5 and 6 Wm. IV, c. 25; 3 and 4 Vict., c. 96.

[202] London Times, 1837, Jan. 26, p. 5; Dec. 13, p. 4; Acc. & P., 1841, xxvi, 221, no. 6.

[203] Joyce, p. 302; Fin. Rep., 1797, no. 7, p. 83.

[204] 34 Geo. III, c. 17.

[205] Parl. Papers, 1812-13, Rep. Com., ii, p. 94.

[206] Joyce, pp. 196, 300.

[207] 41 Geo. III, c. 7.

[208] 45 Geo. III, c. 11.

[209] Acc. & P., 1817, pp. 15, 16; Rep. Commrs., 1829, xi, pp. 10, 136.

[210] Rep. Commrs., 1837, xxxiv, 9th rep., app., no. 1; ibid., 1829, xi, pp. 310-311; London Times, 1825, Dec. 6, p. 2.

[211] London Times, 1835, Jan. 24, p. 3.

[212] Rep. Commrs., 1837, xxxiv, 9th rep., app., nos. 30, 63, 64.

[213] Ibid., 1837, xxxiv, 9th rep., app., no. 1; London Times, 1835, Jan. 24, p. 3.

[214] Rep. Commrs., 1829, xi, p. 50; Parl. Deb., 1st ser., xxxi, col. 943; Acc. & P., 1826-27, xx, p. 397.

[215] Ibid., 1837-38, xlv, 265, p. 6.

[216] Rep. Commrs., 1837, xxxiv, 9th rep., app., no. 1.

[217] Ibid., 1829, xii, p. 73; 7 Wm. IV, and 1 Vict., c. 34.

[218] Rep. Com., 1837-38, xx, 2d rep., app. E, no. 31.

[219] Rep. Commrs., 1837, xxxiv, 9th rep., app., no. 14.

[220] Ibid., 1837, xxxiv, 7th rep., p. 7, and app., nos. 46, 47, 48.

[221] Acc. & P., 1837, l. 316.

[222] Ibid., 1837, xlvi, 176.

[223] Parl. Deb., 1st ser., xlvi, coll. 206, 332.

[224] London Times, 1839, June 1, p. 7.

[225] Parl. Papers, 1811, Rep. Com., p. 9; Rep. Commrs., 1837, xxxiv, 7th rep., apps. 5, 7, 26, p. 71; London Times, 1832, Apr. 27, p. 2; Acc. & P., 1837-38, xlv, 265, p. 3: 265, p. 4; Rep. Commrs., 1829, xi, p. 294.

[226] Parl. Papers, 1811, Rep. Com., pp. 10, 32, 50, 51.

[227] Ibid., 1811, Rep. Com., p. 1; Parl. Deb., 1st ser., xix, col. 683; Wm. IV and I Vict., c. 33.

[228] Rep. Commrs., 1829, xi, p. 34; ibid., 1837, xxxiv, 7th rep., app., nos. 30, 31.

[229] Parl. Papers, 1811, Rep. Com., p. 1; 43 Geo. III, c. 28; Rep. Com., 1831-32, xvii, pp. 336, 338, 339; Rep. Commrs., 1837, xxxiv, 7th rep., app., no. 31.

[230] Ibid., 1837, xxxiv, 7th rep., app., nos. 12, 13. The first day coach left London in 1837, connecting at Birmingham with the railway to Hartford, Cheshire. (London Times, 1837, Sept. 5, p. 4; Rep. Com., 1837-38, xx, pts. 1 and 2, 2d rep., app. E, No. 48; pt. 1, p. 469, no. 17.)

[231] Acc. & P., 1841, xxvi, 221, no. 5.

[232] Parl. Papers, 1813-14, Rep. Com., p. 35; Acc. & P., 1817, pp. 4-16; Rep. Commrs., 1829, xi, p. 137.

[233] Parl. Papers, 1813-14, Rep. Com., pp. 11-16.

[234] 24 Geo. III, c. 6.

[235] Rep. Commrs., 1829, xii, 253, pp. 7, 8, 15-84; ibid., 1837, 7th rep., app. nos. 22, 68; 7 and 8 Geo. IV, c. 21.

[236] Rep. Commrs., 1829, xii, 253, pp. 7, 8; 1831-32, xvii, p. 325.

[237] 48 Geo. III, c. 48; Parl. Papers, 1821, xix, 286.

[238] Rep. Commrs., 1829, xii, 353, p. 8; Parl. Papers, 1821, xxi, 423.

[239] Rep. Com., 1837-38, xx, pts. 1 and 2, 2d rep., app. E, no. 42; 4 and 5 Wm. IV, c. 7.

[240] Since 1823 there had been only one Postmaster-General, as the dual system was abolished in that year.

[241] Rep. Com., 1837-38, xx, pt. 1, 3d rep., 708, p. 3.

[242] Ibid., 1837-38, xx, pt. 1, p. 13; xx, questions 113, 128, 129, 548.

[243] Ibid., 1837-38, xx, pt. 1, p. 13; ibid., xx, qs. 113, 128, 129, 548.

[244] Ibid., 1837-38, xx, qs. 750-59, 890-92.

[245] Ibid., 1837-38, xx, qs. 114, 11092-97; pt. 1, 3d rep., 708, p. 5; pts. 1 and 2, 2d rep., app. E, no. 58.

[246] Ibid., 1837-38, xx, qs. 3116, 4599, 8137, 9770; 3d rep., p. 44.

[247] Ibid., 1837-38, xx, 3d rep., pp. 35, 38; qs. 113, 620, 621.

[248] Ibid., 1837-38, xx, pt. 1, pp. 48, 59, 424; pts. 1 and 2, 1st rep., no. 25, p. 508.

[249] Rep. Com., 1837-38, xx, qs. 6682, 7093.

[250] Ibid., q. 7668.

[251] Ibid., qs. 7671, 7721.

[252] Ibid., q. 10,059.

[253] Ibid., qs. 6951, 10,305.

[254] Ibid., qs. 2923, 5522-54, 5443-54, 6703, 7961.

[255] Ibid., qs. 7991, 9840-42.

[256] Ibid., qs. 8126, 8130 (Lord Ashburton).

[257] Ibid., pt. 1, pp. 9, 434; ibid., pt. 2, pp. 59, 658; app., p. 58; ibid., pts. 1 and 2, 3d rep., p. 19.

[258] Ibid., 1837-38, xx, pt. 1, 3d rep., p. 10.

[259] Rep. Com., 1837-38, xx, 2d rep., app., p. 3; Parl. Deb., 3d series, xlvii, col. 1231.

[260] Ibid., 3d series, xlvii, coll. 278-84, 293.

[261] Acc. & P., 1841, xxvi, p. 53; 1839, xlvi, p. 568.

[262] Parl. Deb., 3d series, li, col. 227; 3 and 4 Vict., c. 96.

[263] The Rt. Hon. Thomas Spring Rice.

[264] Joyce, pp. 427-28.

[265] Rep. P. G., 1855, p. 65; 1881, app., p. 11; 1891, app., p. 16; 1901, app., p. 25.

[266] Colonial legislatures were given the power in 1849 to establish posts of their own and to fix the inland postal rates (12 and 13 Vict., c. 26).

[267] Rep. P. G., 1892, p. 7.

[268] Ibid., 1899, pp. 4, 6-7.

[269] 10 and 11 Vict., c. 85; Rep. Com., 1852, xv, 386, p. 150; Rep. P. G., 1859, p. 25.

[270] Rep. Com., 1852, xv, 386, pp. iii-iv.

[271] 4 Edw. VII, c. 14.

[272] Established by agreements between the Postmaster-General and the inhabitants of small towns and villages.

[273] Rep. P. G., 1898, pp. 32-39; 1860, pp. 9 f.; 1864, p. 15.

[274] Their extended licence will expire in 1922 (Rep. P. G., 1901, p. 2).

[275] Parl. Deb., 3d series, cccli, col. 1751; Rep. P. G., 1901, p. 2; 1892, p. 7; 1891, pp. 4 f.; 1893, p. 7; 1894, p. 6; 1899, pp. 2, 3.

[276] Ibid., 1894, p. 5.

[277] Ibid., 1891, p. 5.

[278] Rep. P. G., 1893, p. 10; 1897, p. 3; 1901, app., p. 28.

[279] Free newspapers also included those coming from abroad on which no charge was made in the United Kingdom.

[280] Rep. P. G., 1896, p. 2; 1859, pp. 28 f.; 1881, app., p. 12; 1891, app., p. 17; 1901, app., p. 27.

[281] Rep. P. G., 1896, p. 2; 1903, p. 5; 1904, p. 5; 1881, app., p. 12; 1891, app., p. 17; 1901, app., p. 27.

[282] Ibid., 1864, p. 29; 1896, p. 2; Acct. & P., 1871, xxxvii (pp. 1-2).

[283] Charge on unpaid inland post cards reduced to 1d. each in 1896.

[284] They increased from 248 millions for the postal year 1893-94 to 312 millions during the ensuing year.

[285] Rep. P. G., 1896, p. 2; 1882, p. 4; 1895, p. 18; 1900, p. 1.

[286] Rep. P. G., 1897, p. 5.

[287] Ibid., 1881, app., p. 12; 1891, app., p. 17; 1901, app., p. 27.

[288] Ibid., 1881, p. 4; 1885, p. 4; 1886, p. 5; 1895, p. 21; 1905, p. 7; The Economist, 1881, Nov. 5, p. 1369; 1882, July 29, p. 939.

[289] Rep. P. G., 1904, pp. 4-5.

[290] Ibid., 1855, p. 12; 1856, p. 9; 1860, p. 8.

[291] Ibid., 1855, p. 21.

[292] Ibid., 1855-59.

[293] Rep. Commrs., 1829, ii, p. 137; Rep. P. G., 1855, p. 20; 1881, app., p. 16; 1891, app., pp. 34-35; 1901, app., p. 50.

[294] Rep. P. G., 1896, pp. 28-32; 1897, pp. 10-11; 1881, app., p. 37; 1891, app., p. 53; 1901, app., p. 69; 1907, p. 74.

[295] Rep. P. G., 1891, app., p. 59; 1901, app., p. 77; 1907, p. 84.

[296] Ibid., 1891, app., pp. 52-53; 1892, p. 12.

[297] 24 Vict., c. 14.

[298] Rep. P. G., 1897, app., pp. 32-36.

[299] Rep. P. G., 1897, app., pp. 32-38. The insurance and annuity business of the Post Office has been described by the Economist as a practical failure because of the government's refusal to solicit business (Economist 1881, Nov. 5, p. 1369).

[300] Rep. P. G., 1897, app., pp. 32-36; 1906, pp. 12-13; 56 and 57 Vict., c. 59.

[301] Ibid., 1881, app., pp. 32-33; 1891, app., p. 46; 1901, p. 60; 1907, p. 67.

[302] Ibid., 1891, app., p. 47; 1901, app., p. 62.

[303] Rep. P. G., 1891, app., p. 48; 1901, app., p. 63.

[304] Rep. Com., 1854, xi, 411, pp. 370-371.

[305] Ibid., 411, p. 14.

[306] Rep. Com., 411, p. 280; 1 and 2 Vict., c. 98.

[307] 56 and 57 Vict., c. 38.

[308] 56 and 57 Vict., c. 38; Rep. P. G., 1898, pp. 9 f.; 1907, p. 3.

[309] Parl. Papers, 1852-53, xcv, p. 3; Rep. P. G., 1861, p. 20; 1872, pp. 26-27; 1884, p. 56; 1893, p. 78; 1896, p. 86; 1906, p. 92.

[310] Less than £120 in England, less than £100 in Scotland and Ireland.

[311] D. B. Eaton, Civil Service in Great Britain, New York, 1880, pp. 75, 307, 308; Parl. Deb., 3d ser., ccxxxix, col. 211; cclv, col. 1575; ibid., 4th ser., clix, col. 397; clxx, col. 641.

[312] Acct. & P., 1872, xxxvi, 337, pp. 1-2; Rep. Commrs., 1872, xviii [c. 485], pp. 1-5; Rep. P. G., 1872, p. 6; Parl. Deb., 4th ser., xciv, coll. 1358-60, 1364-65.

[313] Rep. P. G., 1859, pp. 40-43; Parl. Deb., 3d ser., clix, coll. 211-214; clxviii, coll. 675-82.

[314] Rep. P. G., 1895, pp. 9-11; 1891, p. 3; Parl. Deb., 3d ser., cccxviii, coll. 537, 1549; cccxlix, col. 213.