Prior—Single and Double Letters—Change

of Postmasters-General—Disagreements with Merchants—Twopenny Post—Comparative Statement of Revenue—Gross and Net Revenue confounded 117   CHAPTER X Allen's Contract—General Review—The Secretary's Dismissal—Earl of Abercorn's Complaint—Sketch of Allen's Plan—His Qualifications for carrying it into effect—His local Knowledge—His Difficulties with Postmasters—Post-boys—Illegal Conveyance of Letters—Contrast between Allen's Mode of Procedure and that of the Post Office—Posts increased in Frequency—Opening of Letters—Falmouth Packets—Late Delivery of Foreign Letters—Erection of Milestones—Letters containing Patterns and Writs—Apertures to Letter-boxes—Expresses—Highwaymen—Bank Notes—Decadence—Allen's Death 146   CHAPTER XI Penny Post—Franking—Newspapers—Clerks of the Roads—Numbering of Houses—Scotch and Irish Posts—Receiving Offices—Gratuities on Delivery—Appeal to the Courts—Appointment of Letter-carriers—Attempt to curtail the Limits of the Penny Post frustrated—Benjamin Franklin—Post Office Monopoly in matter of Horses abolished—Disfranchising Act—Causes of Disquietude 187   CHAPTER XII Palmer's Plan—Objections—First Mail-coach—Post-coach—Increase in Rates of Postage—Restrictions upon Franking—Obstruction alleged—Anthony Todd—Transitional Period—Stages—Earlier Closing of the General Post Office—Emoluments from Bell Ringing—Internal Dissensions—Tankerville's Dismissal—Corruption—Surveyors—Conditions of Palmer's Appointment—Abuses—Fees and Perquisites—Expresses—Registration—Palmer's Improvements—Packet Service—Smuggling—Flagitious Expenditure—Todd's Emoluments—Pitt's Indisposition to expose Abuses—Lord Walsingham—Daniel Braithwaite—Essays in Cause of Economy—Milford Haven and Waterford Packets—Pitiable Condition of the Clerks of the Roads—The King's Coach—His Illness and Prayer for his Recovery—Strange Treatment of Official Papers—George Chalmers—Palmer's Jealousy—Mail Guards—Creation of a Newspaper Office—Walsingham attempts to check Irregularities—His inveterate Habit of Scribbling—Exposes an Attempt at Imposition—Curious Practice as regards the Delivery of Foreign Letters—Earl of Chesterfield—Insubordination on Palmer's Part—Appeal to Pitt—Charles Bonnor—Palmer's Suspension—Chesterfield's Letter—Interview with Pitt—A Second Interview—Palmer's Dismissal—Bonnor's Promotion 208   CHAPTER XIII Model of Mail coach—Patent Coaches—Thomas Hasker—His pithy Instructions—Roof-loading—The King's Interest in his Coach—General Result of Palmer's Plan—Condition of the country Post Offices—Francis Freeling—Enlargement of the General Post Office—Communication with France—Bank Notes cut in half—Letter-carriers put into Uniform—Grant to Post Office Servants—Development of the Penny Post—Edward Johnson—Excessive Absence among the Letter-carriers—By the Penny Post prepayment ceases to be compulsory—The Ten-mile Limit—Origin of the Twopenny Post—Dead Letter Office—American and West Indian Correspondence—Correspondence for the India House—Post with the Channel Islands—Further Restrictions on Franking—Bankers' Franks—Patterns and Samples—Metropolitan Cart Service—Horse and Cross Posts—Rates of Postage increased—Mysterious doings of the Packets—Brilliant Engagements—Post Office Usage—Counsels' Fees—New Years' Gifts—Todd's Indifference to Censure—His Death 281   CHAPTER XIV Ship-letter Office—Increase in Rates of Postage—Abolition of the Penny Post—Invoices and Bills of Lading—Convention Posts—Prosecutions—Auckland's Pleasantries—Repressive Powers—Guarding the Horse-mails—Recovery of stolen Mail Bag—Troubles with Contractors—Surveyors deprived of their Post Offices—Rates of Postage again increased—Threepenny Post—Post Office Revenue—William Cobbett—Early or Preferential Delivery—Treatment of Foreign Newspapers—Newspaper Summaries—The Times—Olney Post—-Death-blow to Convention Posts—Turnpike Trusts—Exemption from Toll—Roads discoached—Yet further Increase in Rates of Postage—Bewildering Complications—Want of Publicity—Exemption from Toll abolished in Scotland—Returned-letter Office—New Ship-letter Act—Mail Service to India and the Cape—Generosity of the East India Company—Eulogistic Letter 328   CHAPTER XV The