APPENDIXES (continued 2)
Reading edition
All which is humbly submitted to your Lordshipps Judgment & direction. Tho: Neale.
No. 1 (b).
To the Right Honourable the Lords Comrs, of his Majesty's Treasury.
The Memoriall of Andrew Hamilton Esqr. Deputed by the Postmr. Generall of England, to mannage the Post Office in North America, humbly offered.
The Post Office in North America produces these good Effects.
It encreases Trade and Correspondence betwixt the Colonys there.
It affords Merchts. more frequent opertunitys of Corresponding with Europe.
It contributes much towards putting the Kings subjects in security in time of Warr by ye. frequent Conveyance of Intelligence when allarms happen, for want of wch. many familys have been cutt off before the settling of the Post.
And it readily conveys Court Packets from the Colony, where they are delivered to those whither they are addressed without any expence to the Crowne, or said Coliny, besides many other advantages.
But not withstanding these Publick and private benefits arising by it and the unspeakable Loss to those Collonys and England should the Post fall Yet the Undertaker besides a Considerable sume he hath been out of pocket already (above the Produce in carrying it on) must still be in disburse for support of it or must let it fall.
To prevent which it is humbly offered that a postage upon all letters as well those that come from beyond sea to North America as what go's from Colony to Colony may be ascertained by an act of Parliament in England.
That no Masters of ships or sailers bound to America shall receive any letters but at the Post Office to be appointed for that purpose.
That in like manner no Masters of shipps shall receive letters in America that are directed to Europe or from one part of America to another but from the respective Post Offices in the ports where they load or from whence they saile which said Post Offices shall put the letters in a Maile and take a Receipt of the Master that he shall deliver them in to the first Post Office where he shall arive free of charge, for which he shall be allowed in America a penny a letter for his Care excepting such letters as concerne the ship or cargoe which the freightors or owners if they think fit may commit to the care or charge of the Master or friend.
Excepting also such letters of Merchants as may Contain Bulky accounts which no Master is intended to be hindered of carrying as also excepting such letters which the agents or proprietary governments may send to the Respective Governors whose agents they are. It being only hereby intended that the bulke of letters wch hitherto have gone very loosely, to the great Loss of Merchants may for the future be conveyed in Mailes to prevent frauds or inconveniencys which have often hitherto happened.
That the said Master shall under a Penalty be obliged to call at the respective post offices where he shall load for the Maile and if none be ready to be sent that he bring with him a Certificate for his Justification that he called.
The method at present used to get letters transported to America is this—
The Masters bound thither put up bags in Coffee houses wherein the letters are put and for which one penny a letter is usually paid and 2d. if it exceeds a single letter.
This is Lyable to several abuses.
First any one under pretence that he wants to have his letters up again may come to those bags and take out other mens letters and thereby discover the secrets of Merchants and tis in their power intirely to wthdraw them.
2dly. Severall Masters upon their arrivall often keep up letters till they have disposed of their Loading and are ready to saile again, and then Drop them to the great hurt of those that are concerned, which inconveniencys would be prevented if letters were delivered from the Post Offices in Mailes and likewise delivered by them in Mailes into the Post Office where they arrive. Offices may be erected in London and other sea Port Townes in England that Trade with America and so they may be in Ireland and the same penny a letter which is paid into the Coffee houses would support such offices in England and Ireland to receive such letters.
Such offices will be a great convenience to lodge such letters as may concerne his Majestys affairs in America.
If Masters were obliged to receive letters to and from America from the Post Office only, in Mailes and delivered them so at the first post office they arrive at; there would be saved to the King a penny a letter, which now Masters of shipps and passengers Receive, for every American letter they deliver at the respective Offices and whereas now many letters are delivered by Masters and passengers themselves to the persons concerned, all those letters would then be brought into the Post Office to the encrease of that Revenue.
That it be provided that the Post and his horse shall go fferry ffree.
That the rates following may be set upon letters—
To or from Europe or to the West Indies to North America six pence p. single letter 12d. p. double 18d. for a packet if a packet contain nothing but Invoices, accts. Gazetts &ca. to be accounted but as a single letter.
Upon Inland letters as followes—
d.
Where the distance from New Yorke to Boston is within 80 miles the postage6
Where the distance exceeds 80 miles and within 1509
Postage to and from Boston to New Yorke being 300 miles12
To and from Boston to Jersey 370 miles18
To and from Boston to Philadelphia 390 miles20
To and from Boston to Annapolis in Maryland 550 miles36
To and from Boston to James Towne in Virginia 680 miles42
To and from New Yorke to Annapolis 250 miles24
To and from New Yorke to James Towne 380 miles and many broad and dangerous Bays and Rivers to be Ferryed over30
If it be objected yt. there is no reason to grant a postage upon forrensic letters where the Postmaster is at no charge of Conveyance,
It is answered first that it remidies the evills that letters are subject to by the present Method of Conveyance.
2dly. It encreases the Revenue of the Post Office in England.
3dly. That those Colonys having but little Correspondence with an other if the Reale Expence of Conveying letters from Coliny to Colony were charged upon Inland letters it would discourage all Correspondence.
Exa: The Charge of a letter from New Yorke to Boston at present is after ye rate of 12d. a letter and considering the fewness of ym. and the extraordinary charge and trouble of keeping up the Post in time of Wintor taking it one Post with an other a single letter would not be Carryed for 5d.
The Charges of settling a Post throughout Virginia and Maryland will cost at least 500d. p. ann. & 100 letters in a year will not come from those Collonys to the neighbouring Colonys their Correspondence being chiefly wth. Europe. All which is humbly submitted by
May it please your Lordshipps Your Lordpps most obedient servant And: Hamilton.
I humbly beg leave of your Lordspps to add yt. wn. his Majesty shall at any time be inclinable to take this Post Office under his Immediate direction I humbly make a proffer to make a Surrendor of ye. pattent upon payment of 5000d or 1000d. p. ann. for life for the remaining Tearme of ye. Pattent.
Tho: Neale.
A Calculation what Charge will carry ye Post from Newcastle in Pensilvania to James City in Virginia about 400 Miles.
There being a great many broad & dangerous rivers to be Crossed makes it difficult to procure men to Ryde ye Stages and will cost at least to carry ye Post from Newcastle through Maryland to James City in Virginia 300l. P Ann. I Reckon yt in 2 or 3 yeares & may be less this Charge will be defrayed by what may Arise by Postage upon letters. The Post from Newcastle to New England now at last defraying att last its own Charge there will remain only ye Sallery to be allowed to ye Deputy Postmaster Generall which by ye Increase of ye Post will in 2 yeares more in probobility alsoe be defrayed.
As I have laid ye first foundation of ye American Post soe if ye King think fitt to continue me on this trust I will take upon me ye managemt of ye whole from Piscatway 70 Miles eastward of Boston to James City in Virginia wch is 800 & odd miles for 300l. p Annum and will keep exact Accts. of ye produce.
Soe yt 1200l. will in all probability be ye utmost Charge ye King will be att to bring ye American Post to support it Self vizt. 600l. for two yeares Carrying it through Maryland & Virginia and 600l. more for 2 yeares salery to ye Manager or Deputy Postmaster Genll and will thereafter bring in A Revenue All which is most humbly Submitted.
And: Hamilton, Dept Postmr of North America. Aprill 26th 99
No. 1 (c).
Cock Pit Treasury Chambers.
The Lds. Comrs. of his Majties Treary are pleased to refer this petition and ye account annexed to Sr. Robt. Cotton Knt. & Sr. Tho. Frankland Barrt. his Majties Postmrs. Generall who are desired to examine ye particulars and report to their Lopps a true state thereof together wth. their opinion what is fit to be done therein.
Wm Lowndes.
The account annex'd to ye petition makes ye charges of Erecting ye post in North America from May 1693 to May 973817611¾
The produce of sd post1456183¼
Mr. Neale out of pocket at May 97236088½
3817611¾
No. 1 (d).
To the right Honble the Lords Comrs. of his Majtys. Treary.
May it please your Lordspps.
In obedience to yor. Ld.spps. Order of Refference upon ye Memoriall of Thomas Neale and Andrew Hamilton Esqrs. Wee have Considered the same and do find that the said A: Hamilton hath Established a regular Post to pass weekly from Boston to New Yorke in New England and from New York to Newcastle in Pensilvania which must undoubtedly be of great benefit and advantage to the People and tend to the encreasing of Trade in those Plantations; Wee have likewise examined the accounts given in by the said Hamilton of the Proffit and charge arising by this Post and do find that the Proffits have every yeare encreased, so as to defray all charges, excepting the sallary paid to the said Andrew Hamilton for his care in managing and settling the Posts in North America and it may be hoped that upon the severall Governors giving all reasonable encouragement to this usefull undertaking, and a due care in the management thereof, It may in some years bring in a Considerable proffit.
Wee have Consulted his Majestys Attorney and Solliciter Generall whether his Majesty can settle the rates and Postage between England and any of the Ports in America, and for the port of letters to and from New Yorke to or from any part of the said plantations; and they are of opinion his Majesty May settle such rates in both respects as shall be thought reasonable (regard being had to the proportions and rates settled by the Act), for letters carried beyond sea, so yt it doth not seeme necessary there should be any additionall Act of Parliamt. for the settling of rates upon all such letters.
To prevent any Collections of letters that may be made by any Masters of Ships or Seamen Wee are humbly of opinion it may be proper to appoint an Officer here whose business it should be to take Care of all letters directed to any of his Majestys Plantations, and upon going off of ships to those parts to put them up in severall and distinct bags, sealed with the Seale of the Office and sent to ye Mar. of such Vessell who shall deliver ym. to ye Deputy Postmr. in the first Port where he shall arrive such Deputy paying him one penny for each letter Contained in ye said bag as a recompence for his Care: and ye same method may likewise be observed in England for all such letters as shall come from America: and upon such Officers being Established it may be fit to give Publick Notice that no other person presume to make Collection of letters for those parts.
Wee have Considered of the severall rates mentioned in Mr. Hamiltons Memoriall for the Inland Post of letters between one place & an other in America and are humbly of opinion some of them are too high. It having been found by Experience in this Office That ye easy and cheap Corresponding doth encourage people to write letters and that this Revenue was but little in proportion to what it now is till the postage was reduced from sixpence to 3d.
Wee have advised with Mr. Hamilton who hath settled and managed this Post under Mr. Neale and is recomended to Us by the Governor of Virginia to be well acquainted with that Country about enlarging the Post through Virginia & Maryland and by his Competation hereunto annexed do find that it will require 1200d. further Charge than wt has already been expended to Establish and bring the whole to perfection there.
Upon the whole it appears to Us that as the Establishing this American Post whereby the several Colonys have a regular way of Corresponding with each other is of great advantage to the Trade of his Majtys. Subjects in those parts so it may in few years bring in a cleare proffit over and above what may be required to defray ye necessary Charges but it is to be apprehended that considering the same is in the hands of a private person the severall Governors will not give that encouragemt. to it they would do if the profit and advantage arrising thereby were to accrew to his Majty. All which is humbly submitted to your Lordsps. Consideration. Genl. Post Office 27th April 1699.
R: Cotton Tho: Frankland.
No. 1 (e).
To the Right Honble &ca. The humble Memoriall of Tho: Neale Esqr. May it please your Lordsps.
Though after Strugling with many difficultys in the first settling the American Post I have now at last at a great Charge made it a regular Post and brought it to such a pass that where settled it supports it self and will in a very few yeares bring in a fair Revenue, Yet since the Postmr. Genl. in their Report to your Lordsps Conserning ye Post have declared their opinion that it will not receive so due encouragement nor so soon attain to perfection in the hands of a private person for the good of the publick, as it would, were it in the hands of the King; I humbly offer to lay my Pattent of that Post office at his Majestys feet rather then an undertaking so usefull & beneficiall to his Majestys subjects in America and to those that trade thither should want the least advantage for its support and to leave my selfe to his Majtys Justice and goodness for a Recompence of my risque and disbursments by a yearly Pention or otherwise.
And Whereas in ye Memoriall annexed to the Report, the abuses hitherto practiced in Conveying letters to America and the method for preventing them for the future are set forth I humbly beseech yor Lordsps. yt the said Method if approved of by your Lordps. or such other as your Lordsps. shall think more proper may be put in Execusion for the benefit of the Publick and mine till his Majty. shall declare his pleasure conserning the surrender of my Patent.
All which is most humbly submitted to yor. Lordsps. Great Wisdom &ca. by My Lords Your ever obedient Tho: Neale.
April 28, 1699.
No. 1 (f).
To the Kings most Excellent Maty. The humble Petition of Andrew Hamilton, and Robert West.
Sheweth
That your Majtie. and the late Queen of Blessed Memory in the fourth Year of your Raigne, by Letters Patent granted to Thomas Neale Esqr. full power and Authority to Erect a Post, and Post office in North America, To hold for one and Twenty yeares without any Account, And by the same Letters Patent directed the Post Master Generall of England to Issue Deputations from time to time to such Persons as Mr. Neale or his Assignes should Nominate, to Execute the same power.
In pursuance of which Grant, the Post Master Generall at Mr. Neales nomination, Deputed Your Peticoner Hamilton, who hath Setled a Post from New Yorke Southward as far as Virginia, and Eastward Seventy Miles beyond Boston in New England, which proves of great Advantage to the Trade of those Coloneys, and of no lesse Service to your Majtys. Governmt. there.
In the Setling and Supporting wch Post, your Petr. West, above seven yeares agoe upon the request and Credit of Mr. Neale, advanced Two hundred pounds, and your Petitioner Hamilton hath since disbursed Eleven Hundred Pounds more, and brought it to such Perfection, that it allready defrays Its own Charge, and will in time be a Considerable Revenue.
That Mr. Neale being unable to pay your Petrs. or to give them other Satisfaction, in August 1699 Assigned all his Interest in the said Post to your Petitioner West for secureing all the Monys due to both your Petitioners and all such other sumes as your Petr. Hamilton should expend in further enlarging the said Post, with Common Interest for the whole Moneys.
That Mr. Neale Dying before payment of any part of the said Debts, and all persons declining to Act either as his Executor, or Administrator, Your Petrs. will be necessitated to dispose of the said Post for Satisfaction of their Debts, but being Sensible It is more for your Majties. Interest and Service, to have such Post Under the management and Controll of some Officer to be appointed by your Matys. than of any Private Person.
Your Petitioners humbly tender the same to your Majtie. and if your Majtie. shall not thinke fit to Accept It, They humbly pray that your Majtie. will Gratiously encourage the Continuance and Enlargement of the said Post, by granting them a further terme of years therein, and such additional Priviledges as are necessary for the Improvement of it.
And your Petitioners shall ever pray &ca.
At the Court.
No. 2.
London Febry. 8th 1779.
Sir,
My present disagreable Situation as an Officer under the Crown without Employment, and without a Salary, occasioned by the Rebellion in America, induces me to give you the Trouble of this Adress, and to request your advice and Assistance in procuring that Relief which my present Circumstances require.
You are not a Stranger to my Appointment to the Office of Deputy Postmaster of Philadelphia in the year 1776 by the Deputy postmasters General of North America, and that I continued to act in that Office, and as I trust to the entire Satisfaction of all concerned, until the Confusion and Sedition in that Country rendered it impossible for me to be of any kind of service.
In the Spring 1775 having good Reason to believe from a variety of Information that there was a Danger of breaking up the Post Office at Philadelphia under the Crown, and seizing upon all the Monies in my Custody, I immediately made up my Accounts, and remitted the Balance in my Hands to the Comptroller in New York up to the 5th April of the same year.
About this time the disaffected Merchants in Philadelphia set up by Subscription a post Office in opposition to Government, appointed William Bradford Postmaster and compelled many of the well effected Merchants and others to send their Letters to it for Conveyance; and in May following the Mail was seized in New England under a public Avowel of the Rebels.
Under these Circumstances finding not only my person was in danger, but that I could be of no further service to the Crown by my continuing in Philadelphia, I left it and came into New York where my Conduct being approved, I procured leave of Absence, and returned to London in order to represent the true State of the Offices in America, which on my arrival I did. You will also recollect that as soon as possible after hearing that the City of Philadelphia was in possession of the Kings Troops I again embarked under an Expectation that the War would be settled by the Commissioners, and to take care of the post Office Affairs in that City. But on my arrival finding that All Letters by the packets &ca. were taken up by the Commander in Chief, and delivered not only to the Army and Navy but even to the Merchants, the City being evacuated soon after, I was obliged to return again to this place for safety. When in the Execution of my Office my Salary amounted to Two Hundred and Twenty five pounds Sterlg. p. Ann. out of which I paid Clerks Wages and Office Rent. This I received up to the 5 of April 1775. Since that time I have subsisted on my own means (except Two Hundred pounds at the Post Office by Warrant from the Treasury) without receiving any other part of my Salary from Government.
In these Circumstances it is with reluctance I find myself under the necessity of applying for the same Allowance from the Crown, which has been made to other persons in Office under it, in the like Situation.
I am Sir &ca. Thos. Foxcroft.
Anth. Todd, Esqr.
Treasury authorized £100 a year from 5th April, 1775, "until he may be reinstated in the office or otherwise provided for."
No. 3.
General Post Office, February 15th, 1793. Sir,
In your letter dated the 1st instant which we did not receive till the 8th, We have the honor to inform you that after much difficulty We have but lately obtained Mr. Finlay's accounts as Deputy Post Master General in America the first Statement of which was for the period between the 5th of April 1786 and the 10th of October 1790 and exhibited a balance due to the Office up to that date of £1809.19.4 Sterling but the Account was inadmissible in point of form for reasons hereafter mentioned.
We are satisfied Sir that you will form no Opinion without having read the full state of the question on both sides and the proofs and documents by which Our Conduct towards Mr. Finlay may be judged and that you will form no hasty conclusion from his statement of his own case, which you will find to be greatly misrepresented.
In support of this assertion We have ordered Copies of the letters that We have lately written to Mr. Finlay upon the Subject of his Debt to be laid before you, And We shall if you will permit us Order our Deputy Accountant General and desire Mr. Callender to wait upon you and to explain the particulars of all that have passed.
Mr. Callender is Mr. Finlay's Agent without whose knowledge and concurrence, We have taken no one step of late in this business, nor sent out any dispatch to Mr. Finlay that Mr. Callender has not previously seen and approved.
He will be able to satisfy you Sir, whether our conduct towards Mr. Finlay has been grounded upon severity or upon forbearance, more than perhaps our duty strictly speaking, would justify.
In the mean time that we may do away any erroneous impression, which Mr. Finlay's letters may have made upon your mind, as well as upon Govr: Clarke's, We shall shortly put together the points which Our correspondence will prove, and We shall rely upon your justice to transmit copy of that correspondence to Govr: Clarke, that He may have full and correct information upon the subject.
There is and has long been a considerable balance due from Mr. Finlay, to this Revenue, for the payment of which he has given no security, which balance We have repeatedly but in Vain called upon him to pay.
He is in possession from us not as He tells Governor Clarke, of a Salary of £300 per Annum, but of a Pension of £150 p. Annum, a Salary of £150 more, and a Commission of £20 per Cent on the net produce of letters within the province of Canada, which he assured us in May 1789 produced to Him a nett receipt of £130 p. Annum, but previous to his receiving any net produce, all charges, dead letters, under Deputies Salaries, and other allowances are by the Words of his Commission, to be first deducted.
Instead of this he has charged the Office £20 per Cent upon the Gross, the dead letters only deducted, and not upon the net produce and claimed to be allowed for sundry of those Articles of Management, which by His Commission on the Articles which are to be deducted before the Net Produce is paid to him.
He also charges his Pension for several quarters, which he must know, was paid to his Agent in this Country during a part of the time he claims it in Canada.
In an account amounting to several Thousand Pounds and for several Years, He has sent us home the particulars of no one Article of expenditure whatever, & one Voucher only which is but for £27.
His accounts from the length of time and the manner in which they have at different periods been stated, are in a confused and contradictory state, and radically wrong, from his having taken considerable credit for Money received by his Agent here on Account of his Pension, and the whole of the Articles of his disbursements being destitute of Vouchers, up to the Period of the 10th of October 1792, without which they cannot pass this, or the Auditors' Office, together with his having taken a Credit for his £20 p. Cent on false principles, and contrary to the words of His Commission, which says it shall be on the Net and not on the Gross Produce. The Accountant General therefore thought it more adviseable, and Mr. Finlay's own Agent strongly recommended the measure, of Mr. Finlay's coming to England to adjust in person, the whole, and render an Account capable of being incorporated in the Annual Accounts of this Office, for the Auditors in which the true balance must be ascertained.
As far as depends upon us We have given him the option to come or not, just as He pleases, provided We have an intelligible Account and his Balance paid.
His letter to Governor Clarke of 28th October contains one misrepresentation which is too strong not to be observed upon; For He says We are about to reduce his Income from £500 a year to £200, though We have often told him that We would allow him, and our proposal for doing so is now before the Privy Council, an income of £400 p. Annum net, besides £50 per Annum for his Clerk. He will also receive £100 p. Year from the Province as Maître des Postes, but which in fact is paid ultimately by this Country, being allowed in the Governor General's Accounts: however independent of that £100 p. Annum, he will then be in the receipt of £400 p. Annum from us net Money, free of all deductions for managing an Internal Revenue in America which will not produce to this Country at the end of the Year a single shilling after paying the expence of the Post between Halifax, through the King's Colonies, and Quebec, besides which this Office pays the expence of four Packet boats which cost upon the present Peace Establishment about £8000 p. Annum, though the correspondence between Great Britain and America does not yield above £3000 per Annum.
The Commissioners of Enquiry recommend that Mr. Finlay's pension of £150 a Year should cease, which however We have continued to Him, And that his Salary only of £150 p. Annum should remain and they do not appear to have known that exclusive of this Pension and Salary he enjoyed a former Commission from the Year 1774 of £20 per Cent upon the net postage of all Money received in Canada, for which however in our calculation We had allowed Him £150 per Annum though He in his own dispatches assured us it produced him only £130 per Annum.
We have shewn this letter to Mr. Church and Mr. Callender before it was copied out fair, they have altered and approved of it, So that We are now Sir communicating to you, not only our own sentiments, but those of the deputy Accountant General and Mr. Finlay's own Agent.
We are, Sir, Walsingham, Chesterfield.
The Right Honle. Henry Dundass.
(viii) The Clerks of the Road and the Transmission of Newspapers.[762]
No. 1.
To the Rt. Honoble. the Lord Comrs. of his Majtie. Treasury.
May it please your Lordshipps
The Postmaster Generall Representation for Increasing the Clarks Salaries.
Wee humbly lay before your Lorpps that upon some Information given the last summer to the then Lords Justices as if his Majesties Revenue of the Post office was lessened by a practice which had been long used of the Clarks of the Roads sending great quantitys of Gazetts and other Prints free of postage. Their Exellancyes thought fitt to lay the same before his Majtie. who was thereupon pleased to signifie his pleasure to us by the Lord Keeper (now Lord Chancellor) in a Comittee of Councell that his Majestie. did not think it reasonable that Practice should for the future be continued but we acquainting their Lordshipps that this having been a perquisite constantly allowed to the six Clarks of the Roades on consideration of the smalness of their Sallarys it would be reasonable upon the taking of it away to allow them a compensation for the same whereupon they told us wee should lay that matter before your Lordshipps of the Treasury as wee now doe and upon the strictest enquiry wee can make the Case appears to be as followes.
Upon the first Establishing of the Post office England was divided into six Roades and a Clark appointed to each Road and their Sallaryes being but small they were constantly allowed even by the farmers themselves the privilidge of sending Gazetts and some other prints free, as the business and Revenue of the office increased by petting up new posts soe likewise did their perquisites In soe much that complaint was made thereof to the late King James when Duke of York who upon a full examination into the matter thought it more adviseable to continue it as an Incouragement to them than to compensate them by an addition of Sallary and besides that the office hath considerably increased since wee came into it the present Juncture of affairs by the frequent and long sessions of Parliament and the War wherein the greatest part of this side of the world is engaged hath occationed peoples being more desirous of News then formerly soe as wee believe the postage of prints sent by the six Clarkes may now amount to about ... tho att the same time the Clarkes does not receive soe great an advantage by them they paying the first cost for them and susteyne frequent losses by their Customers failing in their paymt. Now upon the takeing this perquisite from them wee are humbly of opinion it will be reasonable to give them such an equivolent as is conteyned in the skeme hereonto annexed for wee must observe to your Lordshipps that not only the improvement of the Revenue but all the letters being duely accounted for doth in a great measure depend upon those officers they being the persons who make the charges upon all the Postmasters of England and the very nature of the office requires such despatch that its scarce possible to contrive such Cheque but yt these officers being in combination with the Postmasters may defraud his Majestie and therefore it does not seem adviseable that men should be under such a temtation for want of a due Incouragement.
The attendance is alsoe soe great and at those unseasonable times and houres as renders them uncapable of applyeing themselves to any other business whereby to helpe to support themselves and familys though the Addition of Sallary which we have proposed doth not amount to halfe so much as the Postage of Prints now sent by the severall Clarkes yet we cannot say his Majesty will be a gainer thereby for it must be considered yt many persons who are now furnished with them from the Clarkes for Two pence a peice will scarce have them if they must pay a groat or six pence a peice beside the troubling some friend in Towne to send them and whether they may not find out some otherways of being furnished with them then by the Post as by Flyeing Coaches &ct. or whether those officers or persons who have the privelidge of franking their letters may not hereafter supply those with such Prints as they are now furnished with from this office.
Whereas the business of the office is soe much increased that for the regular and due dispatch of the letters wee have been forced to appoint a Sortor to each Clarke of the Road for an assistant whereby their trouble and attendance is very much greater then it was and being taken from sorting the burden and trouble of the rest is proportianably increased as there are fuer hands to perform it nether they or the assistant having any other advantage or perquisites besides theire bare sallary of forty pounds a yeare which is soe poor a subsistance that such as have dyed since wee came into the office have scarce left enough to bury them wee are humbly of opinion this may deserve your Lordshipps Consideration and soe upon the whole matter though we must acknowledge it an unseasonable time to propose an increase of Sallaryes which has made us defer it thus long we could not omit this oppertunity of doeing it and humbly hope if your Lordshipps shall think fitt to give these poor men the Incouragement proposed it will tend very much to his Majesty Service in this office.
No. 2.
The Right Honorable Lord Walsingham, and the Earl of Chesterfield, His Majesty's Post Master General.
The undersigned the Clerks of the Roads gratefully considering the Report made by your Lordships to Government which recommends for them a Salary of Three Hundred Pounds p. Annum with their present privilege of franking Newspapers unimpaired ask permission to submit to your Lordships Notice the following plan for increasing the circulation of Newspapers and in consequence the Revenue arising from the Stamp duty probably to the Amount of Eight thousand pounds p. Annum though attended by no additional expence to Government but entirely at their own risque and which they have determined immediately to execute should your Lordships arrangement take place.
They would first premise that when they were relieved by your Lordships from the payment they formerly made to the officers in this Department and from the Office which was filled by Mr. Tamineau, they reduced their charge from forty Pounds per Centum to Twenty & Twenty five Pounds per Centum on the prime cost of the papers which latter sum is the additional charge now made on the prime cost by all the Stationers Printers & Dealers who serve the Country with papers, and if in some cases it be less, it is on account of payment being made in advance.
They now propose upon the Establishment of your Lordships Arrangement to reduce the general charge on the prime cost from twenty and twenty five per Centum to ten and fifteen pounds per Centum, and as all the circulators of Newspapers will now regulate their charge for Newspapers sold in the Country by that of the Clerks of the Roads, the charge fixed by the Clerks will be the general one in the course of Six Months from its commencement.
This reduction will cause a greater demand for Newspapers in the Country many who now take a Weekly paper will then take a three day paper & many who now take a three day paper will then take a six day paper and two Persons who now join the expence of a Weekly or a three day paper may be induced by the reasonable charge to take each a paper or increase the number as above, and as the reduction becomes generally known which by the means of their Agents the Post Masters and other correspondents throughout Great Britain & Ireland it can be in fourteen days, the Stationers Printers and Dealers must likewise lessen their charge or risk the loss of their Customers.
By abolishing the monopoly once enjoyed by the Clerks in the Offices of the Secretaries of State, and the Clerks of the Roads in this Office, permitting the Public to send and receive Newspapers free, the number increased as this circumstance became known from—20,967 to 78,217 weekly and it is by confirming this liberty to the Public and by a reduction in the charge that the circulation of Newspapers and consequently the increase of Revenue is intended to be promoted. The probable increase in the number of Newspapers circulated in the Country through the above reduced price may be stated at the lowest computation at one half penny each upon one hundred Newspapers each Clerk of the Road, one hundred each of the twenty principal Stationers & Dealers and for the more inconsiderable Dealers which are very numerous fifty of whom are known Four hundred papers by every poste, which together will make the additional number circulated every Post three thousand.
By preserving the privelege of franking to the Clerks of the Roads a competition will be occasioned between them & the other Dealers, the Public will be supplied on more moderate terms, and an increase of consumption will be promoted but should this competition be destroyed by the abolition of the privelege of the Clerks of the Roads, the principal Dealers purchasing the business carried on by less extensive circulation might thereby occasion a monopoly and then fix the price as it might suit their private interest and diminish the number of Newspapers circulated thereby greatly injuring the Revenue as formerly by the monopoly of the Clerks of the Secretaries of State and the Clerks of the Roads for it would be the interest of the Stationers and other Dealers as it was that of the Clerks under Government to sell a less number at an advanced price, the Capital employed would not be so large nor the trouble nor the risk so great.
The Clerks of the Roads here beg your Lordships attention to a proposal which there is no doubt will occasion a yet further increase of circulation of Newspapers, it has been before stated to your Lordships in the Report upon the Plan proposed by the Commissioners relative to a Tax on Newspapers that before the duty of one penny postage was laid on all Newspapers sent by Post to Ireland, the Weekly number remitted to that Kingdom was upon an Average 8,000, and that the Weekly number now sent upon an average is only 1,380, should Government consent to repeal this duty it is evident from the above statement that they would gain a considerable Sum the Clerks of the Roads will with pleasure make a considerable reduction in their charge to Ireland, as in the case of home consumption which will be a means of still further extending of circulation.
1764 and 1790 compared. { Number of Newspapers which passed through the General Post Office London between the 5th April 1764, and the 5th of April 1765, with the amount at two pence each Stamp duty,
London Newspapers 1,090,289 £9,085. 14. 10
Number of Newspapers which passed through the General Post Office London between the 5th of January 1790 and the 5th of January 1791, with the amount at two pence each Stamp duty,
London Newspapers 3,944,093
Country Newspapers 123,200
Total No. 4,067,293 £33,894. 2. 2
Probable gain by this plan. { Six Clerks of the Roads at 100 each night 600
Twenty Principal dealers at 100 do. 2,000
Fifty less Dealers at 8 each night 400
No. 3,000
3,000 each night at two pence each Stamp duty £7,800 p. ann.
1780 and 1790 to Ireland compared. { To Ireland before the Tax.
Number of Newspapers which passed through the General Post Office to Ireland between the 5th January 1780 and the 5th January 1781 at two pence each Stamp duty,
416,000 £3,466. 13. 4
To Ireland since the Tax.
Number of Newspapers which passed through the General Post Office to Ireland between the 5th January 1790 and the 5th of January 1791 at two pence each Stamp duty and one penny each Postage,
71,766 £897. 1. 6
Edmund Barnes Isaac Henry Cabanes William Ogilvy Charles Coltson Saml Ardron Charles Evans.
No. 3.
To The Right Honorable Lord Walsingham and The Earl of Chesterfield, His Majesty's Post Master General.
The paper from the Post Master General relative to the Tax proposed by the Commissioners having been communicated to the Clerks of the Roads and the Inspector of Franks they beg permission to offer the subsequent observations.
That the proposal by the Commissioners for Government to receive a Tax of a penny for the postage of each Newspaper passing through the Post Office, however eligible it might appear at the time it was first proposed, will not they believe at this period, be productive of that expected advantage to the public the encrease of Revenue, as the reasons annexed among others may probably prove.
Because since the proposal was made to the Commissioners, and they made their Report an additional Stamp has been imposed of one halfpenny a paper, and another halfpenny on each has been added by the Printers, so that the Public now pay one penny more than they did at that time.
Because the proposed Tax would be a means of compelling the Stationers, Printers and Dealers to send their papers by Coach the same day at the customary charge of one farthing each paper instead of sending them by post on Government Account at a penny the second day. And it cannot be supposed that a number of persons many of them of considerable property would quietly submit to have the circulation of their papers confined to post conveyance at one penny each paper, without those serious efforts to oppose and prevent it which the prospect of certain and total ruin to their business and consequently to their Families must excite.
But allowing it were possible to confine the whole of the papers sold in the Country to post conveyance and a recompence made to those Stationers and Printers employed in the distribution at present would not the encreased price occasioned by this Tax very much diminish the Number of Newspapers now printed to the great injury of the Stamp duty? probably to a greater Amount than would be gained by the plan proposed. For were the Stage Coaches prohibited conveying Newspapers all the Morning Papers now conveyed by them to many parts of the Kingdom would be lost to the Stamp Revenue, and all the Morning Papers read at the Coffee Houses and other public Houses, would be collected by the Newsmen at a small sum each paper in the Afternoon and sent into the Country by the post in the Evening without the least trouble to themselves, it being their daily business to go round their London district, early in the Morning, and in the Afternoon before the dispatch of the Papers by the post.
Before the Penny postage was laid on all papers sent by post to Ireland the Weekly number remitted to that Kingdom was upon an Average 8,000: the Number now sent upon an Average is only 1,380 Weekly.
Because when the Tax was recommended by the Commissioners the first cost of a London Newspaper was threepence only, the first cost is now fourpence, to which add the Tax for postage it will be fivepence to any Post Town in England, which is one halfpenny more than the highest charge now made by any Dealer in the Country for a London Newspaper. But should this Tax take place the people who live at a distance from any Post Town must pay an additional halfpenny a Paper and some twopence on the receipt of each Paper which will bring the cost to fivepence halfpenny, some sixpence, and some as high as sevenpence each London Newspaper. This high price the Clerks of the Roads well know by experience would induce many people to take only a three day paper who now take a Six day paper and many who now take a three day paper only a weekly paper, and as the Salaries of the Clerks of the Roads employed in the business would be certain and no way answerable for any loss on the papers would there not be a great many people Customers no way able to pay for their Newspapers many of whom this mode of business would certainly introduce? consequently Government would be subject to several deficiencies in payment for Newspapers sent into the Country whether paid for half yearly, yearly, or each paper on delivery, the Receiver in the latter case would not feel himself obliged to give notice for his paper to be discontinued but would refuse it when offered, the cost of the paper would then be lost to Government. This latter mode of payment would give an opportunity to the Deputy Post Masters or their Clerks to Order more papers than actually required which after being read would be returned with the Quarterly Dead Letters to be allowed as refused or gone away.
Because the proposed Tax would cause a decided preference of Country Newspapers to those of London encrease the sale of the former and diminish that of the latter for as very few of the Country Newspapers pass through the Post Office, the Country Printers would be enabled to undersell the London Printers a penny a paper. The usual method with a Country Printer is immediately upon the arrival of his London paper to print his own with the London News and disperse them to Runners from ten to fifteen miles around the Town he resides in; these Runners not only disperse a considerable quantity of Newspapers but carry also letters which must materially injure the Revenue.
Because notwithstanding the Revenue to be raised by this Tax is very uncertain the conduct and management of it will be attended with much expence taken out of the hands of those deeply interested in its success the greater Burden will fall upon the Deputy Post Masters in the Country; the Country Newspapers when they arrive cannot be dispersed without a direction being numerous, the Deputies will no doubt expect an increase of Salary adequate to the business imposed on them; this it is conceived will bring a fresh expence upon Government. In most large Towns two additional Assistants to the Post Master will be necessary one at £30 and the other at £20 per Annum, it will also materially delay (in most of the Post Towns) the delivery of the letters by the time it will necessarily take in selecting folding and directing the Papers; allowing the same time to a Post Master and his Assistants as it takes herewith the same number of hands to dispatch them in the Post Office, the delay in many large Towns will be from one to two hours.
The Clerks of the Roads not having received any recompence whatever for the losses sustained by the Act of 1764 which abolished their then privelege of franking letters and gave to the Public liberty to send and receive Newspapers etc. free by a permit from Peers and Members of Parliament to the great diminution of their Sale of Papers; and by the further extension of this liberty to the Public to send and receive them free under the Sanction of a Peer or Member's name without the usual permit; and by the Separation of the Irish from the English Office, would certainly consider themselves intitled by Justice to a sufficient recompence for their Lives were the privelege now remaining to them taken away.
The rest of the Officers in the Inland department who have always been told to look up to a Clerkship of the Road as a reward for their long Services would also consider themselves entitled to larger salaries were the privelege of Franking Newspapers by the Six Clerks of the Roads further restricted or abolished.
Number of News Papers which passed through the General Post Office London between the 5th January 1790 and the 5th January 1791 with the amount at one penny each—
London Newspapers3,944,093£16,433.14.5.
Country Newspapers123,200£513.6.8.
4,067,293£16,947.1.1.
Edmund Barnes Isaac Henry Cabanes William Ogilvy Charles Coltson Saml Ardron Charles Evans.
APPENDIX C LIST OF AUTHORITIES
UNITED KINGDOM
Allen, Ralph. A Narrative of Mr. Allen's Transactions with the Government for the Better Management of the Bye, Way, and Cross Road Posts. 1761 (pub. London, 1897. Vide infra, Ogilvie, A. M. J.).
Andrews, Alexander. The History of British Journalism. London, 1859.
Baines, F. E. Forty Years at the Post Office. London, 1895.
Beadon, R. J. Uniform Imperial Postage. London, 1891.
Bennett, Edward. The Post Office and its Story. London, 1912.
Bowie, A. G. The Romance of the British Post Office. London, 1897.
Bruce, Sir Robert, C.B. Postal Organisation, with special reference to the London Postal Service. London, 1912.
Cole, Sir Henry. Fifty Years of Public Work. London, 1884.
Collet, C. D. History of the Taxes on Knowledge. London, 1899.
Corrie, John M. The Dumfries Post Office, 1642-1910. Dumfries, 1912.
D'Avenant, William. Discourses on the Publick Revenues and on the Trade of England. London, 1698.
De-Laune, Tho. The Present State of London. London, 1681.
Harris, Stanley. Old Coaching Days. London, 1882.
Heaton, J. Henniker. Postal and Telegraphic Communications of the Empire. London, 1888.
Postal Reform. London, 1890.
Hemmeon, J. C., Ph.D. The History of the British Post Office. Harvard Economic Studies, vol. vii. Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., 1912.
Hendy, J. G. The History of the Early Postmarks of the British Isles. London, 1905.
Hill, Frederick. An Autobiography of Fifty Years in Times of Reform. London, 1893.
Hill, John. A Penny Post: or a Vindication of the Liberty and Birthright of every Englishman in Carrying Merchants and other Men's Letters, against any restraint of Farmers of such Employments. London, 1659.
Hill, Pearson. The Origin of Postage Stamps. London, 1890.
Hill, Sir Rowland. Post Office Reform: Its Importance and Practicability. London, 1837.
On the Collection of Postage by Means of Stamps. London, 1839.
The State and Prospects of Penny Postage. London, 1844.
Results of Postal Reform. London, 1864.
Life of Sir Rowland Hill, K.C.B., etc., and History of Penny Postage, by Sir Rowland Hill and his Nephew, George Birkbeck Hill, D.C.L. 2 vols. London, 1880.
Horne, L. T. Postal Communications of the Empire. British Empire Series, vol. v. London, 1902.
Hunt, F. Knight. The Fourth Estate: Contributions towards a History of Newspapers and of the Liberty of the Press. London, 1850.
Hurcomb, C. W. The Posts under the Tudors. The Antiquary, 1914.
Hyde, J. W. The Royal Mail: Its Curiosities and Romance. London, 1889.
The Early History of the Post in Grant and Farm. London, 1894.
Joyce, Herbert, C.B. The History of the Post Office from its Establishment down to 1836. London, 1893.
Lang, T. B. Historical Summary of the Post Office in Scotland. Edinburgh, 1856.
Lewins, W. Her Majesty's Mails. London, 1864.
Macpherson, David. Annals of Commerce. London, 1805.
Murch, Jerom. Ralph Allen, John Palmer, and the English Post Office. London, 1880.
Norway, A. H. The Post Office Packet Service. London, 1895.
Ogilvie, A. M. J. Ralph Allen's Bye, Way, and Cross Road Posts. London, 1897.
Article on the "Post Office" in Dictionary of Political Economy. London, 1908.
Peach, R. E. M. The Life and Times of Ralph Allen. London, 1895.
Raikes, H. St. J. Life and Letters of H. C. Raikes. London, 1898.
Smyth, Eleanor C. Sir Rowland Hill: The Story of a Great Reform. London, 1907.
Stephen, Leslie. Life of Henry Fawcett. London, 1885.
Stow, John. A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster. London, 1720.
Swift, H. G. A History of Postal Agitation. London, 1900.
Symon, J. D. The Press and its Story. London, 1914.
Tegg, William, F.R.H.S. Posts and Telegraphs. Past and Present. London, 1878.
Tombs, R. C. The King's Post. Bristol, 1905.
The Bristol Royal Mail. Bristol (undated).
Webb, Sidney and Beatrice. The Story of the King's Highway. London, 1913.
Williams, J. B. A History of English Journalism. London, 1908.
Wilson, John. History of the Birmingham Post Office. Birmingham Weekly Mercury, October, 1899.
The Practical Method of the Penny Post. London, 1681.
The Administration of the Post Office from the Introduction of
Mr. Rowland Hill's Plan of Penny Postage up to the Present Time. London, 1844.
The Post Office of Fifty Years Ago. London, 1890.
Celebration of the Jubilee of Uniform Inland Penny Postage. London, 1891.
Records of the Life of S. A. Blackwood. London, 1896.
Periodicals.
Notes and Queries, 1st series, vol. iii; 10th series, No. 141.
Quarterly Review, 1839.
Edinburgh Review, 1840.
Chambers's Journal, vol. vii.
The Postmen's Gazette. London.
The Postal Clerks' Herald. Wolverhampton.
The Telegraph Chronicle. London.
The Postal and Telegraph Record. Manchester.
Telephone Journal. London.
St. Martin's-le-Grand Magazine. London.
Parliamentary and Official Papers.
Tenth Report of the Commissioners appointed by Act of Parliament to inquire into the Fees, Gratuities, Perquisites, and Emoluments, which are or have been lately received in the several Public Offices therein mentioned. 1788.
Report of the Committee on Mr. Palmer's Agreement. 1797.
Twentieth and Twenty-first Reports of the Commissioners of Inquiry into the Collection and Management of the Revenue arising in Ireland and Great Britain. 1830.
The Ten Reports of the Commissioners for Inquiry into the Mode of Conducting the Business of the Post Office Department. 1834-38.
The Three Reports from the Select Committee on Postage. 1838. Report from Committee on the Conveyance of Mails by Railway. 1838.
Report from Select Committee on Postage. 1843.
Report from Secret Committee of House of Commons on the Post Office. 1844.
Report from Secret Committee of House of Lords on the Post Office. 1844.
Report from the Select Committee on Newspaper Stamps. 18th July, 1851.
Report of the Select Committee on Contract Packets, 1853.
Report of the Royal Commission on Railways, 7th May, 1867.
Report from Select Committee on Railway Amalgamations, etc. 1873.
Report of the Select Committee on Estimates of the Revenue Departments. 1888.
Post Office Wages. Report of Tweedmouth Committee, 1896.
Post Office Wages. Report of Bradford Committee, 1904.
Report of Select Committee on Post Office Servants (Hobhouse Committee), 1907.
The Post Office: An Historical Summary. London, 1911.
Report of Select Committee on Post Office Servants (Holt Committee), 1914.
Statement showing the Proposed Increases in Postal, Telegraph, and Telephone Charges, 1915 (Cd. 8,067).
First Report of the Committee on Retrenchment in the Public Expenditure, 1915 (Cd. 8,068).
Reports of the Postmaster-General on the Post Office. Annually (from 1854-5).
Official Records of the British Post Office.
Cobbett, William. The Parliamentary History of England, from the Earliest Years to 1803.
Scobell, Henry. A Collection of Acts and Ordinances. London, 1658.
Calendars of State Papers.
Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts.—Reports.
Hansard's Parliamentary Debates.
CANADA
Report of the Special Committee of the House of Assembly on the Post Office Department of the Province of Lower Canada. February 11, 1832.
Lower Canada. Report of the Special Committee of the House of Assembly on the Present Condition of the Post Office Department. March 8, 1836.
Report of the Special Committee of the Legislative Council of Lower Canada on the Bill intitled "An Act to establish a Post Office in this Province, etc." March 15, 1836.
Report of a Select Committee of the Legislative Council of the Province of Upper Canada upon the Post Office. February 17, 1837.
Report on Affairs in British North America, by the Earl of Durham. 1840.
Report of the Commissioners appointed to Inquire into the Affairs of the Post Office in British North America. December 31, 1841.
Report of a Committee of the Executive Council of Canada on the Post Office. June 10, 1848.
Correspondence on the Subject of the Establishment of a General Post Office System in the British Provinces of North America. Montreal, February 27, 1849. (Appendix B.B.B., 8th volume of Journals of the Legislative Assembly of Canada.)
Report of the Railway Service Commissioners. Quebec, March 29, 1865.
Canada Official Postal Guide.
Debates and Proceedings in Dominion Parliament, reported in Ottawa Times.
Hansard. Official Reports of the Debates of the House of Commons and of the Senate of the Dominion of Canada.
Kingsford, William. The History of Canada. London, 1890.
Hendy, J. G. Early Posts in Canada. Empire Review, London, 1903-4, vols. iv. and vi.
UNITED STATES
Bancroft, George. History of the United States of America. New York, 1883-5.
Burrows, Charles William. One-Cent Letter Postage, Second-Class Mail Rates, and Parcels Post. Cleveland, Ohio, 1911.
Franklin, Benjamin. Autobiography. London, 1908.
Leavitt, Joshua (Corresponding Secretary, Cheap Postage Association). Cheap Postage. Boston, Mass., 1848.
Leech, D. D. T., and Nicholson, W. L. The Post Office Department of the United States of America; its History, Organization, and Working. Washington, D.C., 1879.
Newcomb, H. T. The Postal Deficit. Washington, D.C., 1900.
Nicholson, W. L. Vide Leech, D. D. T.
Norvell, S. Parcel Post. Address at Atlantic City, N.J., November 16, 1911.
Phelps, E. M. Selected Articles on the Parcels Post. Minneapolis, 1911.
Seitz, Don C. (Chairman, American Newspaper Publishers' Association). Statement before Commission on Second-Class Mail Matter. New York, 1911.
Slack, Stanley I. (Curator of the Postal Museum). A Brief History of the Postal Service. Omaha (undated).
Williams, Nathan B. The American Post Office. A Discussion of its History, Development, and Present-Day Relation to Express Companies. Washington, D.C., 1910.
Woolley, Mary E. The Early History of the Colonial Post Office. Providence, R.I., 1894.
History of the Railway Mail Service. Columbia Correspondence College. Washington, D.C., 1903.
International Parcels Post. Some Serious Errors Corrected, 1912. Document H.E. 6171.I.6, Library of Congress.
Report to Members of the American Weekly Publishers' Association of Proceedings before the Postal Commission on Second-Class Mail Matter. New York, 1906.
The Private Profit Railway versus The Public Service Post Office. Postal Progress League (1908).
An Argument on Second-Class Postal Rates from the Business Side Alone. Submitted to the Postal Commission on behalf of the Periodical Publishers' Association of America. New York, 1911.
An Answer to the Statement of the Post Office Department showing the estimates by which the cost of transporting and handling the several classes of Mail was obtained. The Periodical Publishers' Association of America. New York, 1911.
The Answer of the Magazines and their Demand. New York, 1911.
Progress of the Contest for a Free, Untrammelled, Independent Public Press in the United States. Address delivered before the Periodical Publishers' Association of America (April 17, 1912).
Mail-Carrying Railways Underpaid. A Statement by the Committee on Railway Mail Pay. New York, 1912.
Congressional and Official Papers.
Report of Committee on Rates of Pay for Carrying the Mails on Railroad Routes (1884).
Orders and Decisions relative to Railroad Mail Matter (1897).
A Brief Comparison of the Postal Facilities of Great Britain and the United States (1899).
Report of the Postal Committee of the National Board of Trade (1900).
Railway Mail Pay. Report of Joint Commission to Investigate the Postal Service (1901).
Record of Weight (July 1-December 31, 1906) of Second-Class Mail Matter (1907).
Report of Postal Commission on Second-Class Mail Matter (1907).
Report of Special Weighings of the Mails of 1907 (1908).
Preliminary Report of Joint Commission on Business Method of Post Office Department and Postal Service (1908).
Data relative to Proposed Extension of Parcel Post (1908).
Cost of Transporting and Handling the Several Classes of Mail Matter (1909).
Hearings before the Committee on the Post-Office and Post-Roads of the House of Representatives on Second-Class Mail (1910).
1911.
Instructions to Publishers in the Preparation of Second-Class Matter for Mailing and Dispatch (May 1).
Information issued by the Second Assistant Postmaster-General relative to the Transportation of Mails by Railroad.
Letter from Postmaster-General submitting a Report giving Results of the Inquiry as to the Operation Receipts and Expenditures of Railroad Companies Transporting the Mails, and recommending Legislation on the Subject (August 15).
Hearings of the Commission on Second-Class Mail Matter:—
Statements on behalf of the Post Office Department (August 1).
Supplemental Statement on behalf of the Post Office Department (September 14).
Supplemental Statement on behalf of the Post Office Department (October 20 and 21).
Memorandum filed on behalf of the Publishers of Certain Magazines.
Memorandum on behalf of the Post Office Department in Reply to "Memorandum filed on behalf of the Publishers of Certain Magazines" (October 28).
Supplemental Memorandum filed on behalf of the Publishers of Certain Magazines.
Memorandum on behalf of the Post Office Department in Reply to "Supplemental Memorandum filed on behalf of the Publishers of Certain Magazines" (November 27).
1912.
Hearings before the Sub-Committee on Parcel Post of the Senate Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads.
Parcel Post in Foreign Countries (prepared under the direction of Hon. Jonathan Bourne, Jun., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads).
Hearings before the Committee on Expenditure in the Post Office Department—Rural Delivery Service.
Parcel Post. Speech of Hon. David J. Lewis, of Maryland, in the House of Representatives (February 2).
Message of President transmitting Annual Report of the Postmaster-General and Report of the Commission on Second-Class Mail Matter (February 22).
Postal Express as a Solution of the Parcel Post and High Cost of Living Problems, by Hon. David J. Lewis, Member of Congress (March 5).
The Parcel Post and Postal Express Situation in Congress. Letter to the People of the United States by Hon. Obadiah Gardner, United States Senator from the State of Maine (April 4).
Postal Express: Report from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce (April 25).
Alphabetical Scheme of New York for use of Publishers in the Distribution of Second-Class Mail (May).
Hearings before Senate Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads re Transportation of Periodical Second-Class Mail Matter by Freight (June 5-11).
Report on Post Office Appropriation Bill from Senate Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads (July 23).
Parcel Post Bill. Speech by Hon. David J. Lewis in House of Representatives (August 19).
Post Office Appropriations Act (containing authority for establishment of Inland Parcel Post).
The Postal Laws and Regulations pertaining to the Second Class of Mail Matter (October.)
The Lewis Publishing Company v. The Post Office Department. Brief for the Post Office Department (November 19).
1913.
Parcel Post Regulations.
Interstate Commerce Commission: In the Matter of Express Rates, Practices, Accounts, and Revenues. Opinion No. 1967.
Reports of the Postmaster-General on the Post Office. Annually.
Abstract of Laws passed between 1792 and 1910, fixing the Rates of Postage on Newspapers and other Periodical Publications when sent in the Domestic Mails.
Abstract of Laws passed between 1792 and 1910 fixing Rates of Postage on Domestic Mail Matter.
Journals of Congress. Philadelphia, 1781-2.
Journals of the Continental Congress. Philadelphia, 1774-89 (pub. Washington, D.C., 1904).
Gales and Seaton's Register of Debates in Congress. Washington, D.C., 1825.
The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States. Gales and Seaton, Washington, D.C., 1849.
Abridgement of Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856. New York, 1861.
Congressional Globe. Washington, D.C.
Congressional Record. Washington, D.C.
The Postal Laws and Regulations of the United States of America. Washington, D.C., 1912.
FRANCE
Belloc, A. Les Postes françaises. Paris, 1886.
Bernede, Charles. Des Postes en générale, et particulièrement en France. Nantes, 1826.
Bonnet, Edgar. Importance des Postes et Télégraphes au point de vue social et économique. Paris, 1891.
Cazes, Léon. Le Monopole postale. Paris, 1900.
Delmas, Albert. Les Agents des Postes et le Parlement Républicain. Paris, 1902.
Gallois, E. La Poste et les Moyens de Communication des Peuples à travers les Siècles. Paris, 1894.
Gouin, M. (Administrateur des Postes). Essai historique sur l'établissement des Postes en France. Paris, 1823.
Jaccottey, Paul (Professeur Adjoint à l'Ecole Professionnelle supérieure des Postes et des Télégraphes). Traité de Législation et d'Exploitation postales. Paris, 1891.
Maury, Lucien. Les Postes romaines. Paris, 1890.
Mercier, René. La Franchise postale. Librairie nouvelle de Droit et de Jurisprudence. Paris, 1904.
Paulhan, L. La Poste aux Lettres.
Rothschild, A. de. Histoire de la Poste aux Lettres. Paris, 1879.
Les Services postaux français. Paris, 1905.
Répertoire du Droit administratif. Paris, 1905.
Official Papers.
Rapport au Président de la République sur les Conditions du Fonctionnement de l'Administration des Postes et des Télégraphes, par A. Millerand, le Ministre du Commerce, de l'Industrie, des Postes, et des Télégraphes. May 12, 1900.
Proceedings in National Assembly. Reported in Moniteur Universel.
Proceedings in Parliament. Reported in Journal Officiel.
Chambre des Députés. Rapport fait au nom de la Commission du Budget chargée d'examiner le projet de loi portant fixation du Budget général, Postes, Télégraphes, et Téléphones. (Annually.)
Sénat. Rapport fait au nom de la Commission du Budget chargée d'examiner le projet de loi portant fixation du Budget général, Postes, Télégraphes, et Téléphones. (Annually.)
GERMANY
Crole, B. E. Geschichte der deutschen Post von ihren Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart. Eisenach, 1889.
Dambach, Otto. Das Gesetz über das Postwesen des deutschen Reiches vom 28. Oktober 1871. Berlin, 1890.
Dieckmann, Carl. Postgeschichte deutscher Staaten seit einem halben Jahrtausend. Leipsic, 1896.
Faulhaber, B. Geschichte des Postwesens in Frankfurt am Main. Frankfurt a. M., 1883.
Grosse, Oskar. Die Beseitigung des Thurn und Taxis'schen Postwesens in Deutschland durch Heinrich Stephan. Minden in Westf., 1898.
Grunow, F. W. Zur Reform des Paketportos in Deutschland und Österreich-Ungarn. Leipsic, 1898.
Haass, Friedrich. Die Post und der Charakter ihrer Einkünfte, mit einem Anhang über die Packetpost. Stuttgart, 1890.
Holzamer, J. Zur Geschichte der Briefportoreform in den Culturstaaten. Tübingen, 1879.
Hull, C. H. "Die deutsche Reichs-Packetpost." Sammlung nationalökonomischer und statistischer Abhandlungen des staatswissenschaftlichen Seminars zu Halle (Saale) von Prof. Dr. Conrad. Jena, 1892.
Jung, J. Entwickelung des deutschen Post- und Telegraphenwesen in den letzten 25 Jahren. Leipsic, 1893.
Köhler, B. Die Reichs-Post- und Telegraphentarife in ihren Rechtlichen Formen. Berlin, 1907.
Meyer, A. Die deutsche Post im Weltpostverein und im Wechselverkehr. Berlin, 1902.
Müller, C. F. Die Fürstlich Thurn und Taxis'schen Posten und Posttaxen. Jena, 1845.
Posten und Posttaxen. Freiburg im Breisgau, 1864.
Nickau, P. J. Wettbewerb in der Kleingewerbeförderung innerhalb des Reichspostgebiets. Würzburg, 1909.
Ohmann, F. Die Anfänge des Postwesens und die Taxis. Leipzig, 1909.
Perrot, F. Die Anwendung des Penny-Porto-Systems auf den Eisenbahntarif und das Packet-Porto. Rostock, 1872.
Portas, K. Deutsche Postzeitungsgebührentarif. Königsberg, 1914.
Rübsam, Joseph. Francis von Taxis, the Founder of the Modern Post, and Johann Baptista von Taxis, his Nephew, 1491-1541. L'Union Postale, Berne, 1892.
Schmid, K. A. H. Zur Geschichte der Briefporto-Reform in Deutschland. Jena, 1864.
Schmidt, Artur. Die Tarife der deutschen Reichs-Post- und Telegraphenverwaltung. Finanz-Archiv, Berlin, 1905-6.
von Stephan, Heinrich. Geschichte der preussischen Post. Berlin, 1859.
Ullrich, P. Die Finanzen der Reichs-Post- und Telegraphenverwaltung. Stettin, 1913.
Die Brieftaxe in Deutschland. Freiburg im Breisgau, 1862.
Die Uebernahme der Privat-Beförderungsbetriebe durch die Reichs-Postverwaltung. Deutsche Verkehrs-Zeitung, Berlin, March 1901.
Handwörterbuch der Staatswissenschaften. Jena, 1901 and 1910.
Allgemeine Dienstanweisung für Post und Telegraphie. Berlin, 1901.
Archiv für Post und Telegraphie. Beihefte zum Amtsblatt des Reichs-Postamts. Fortnightly. Berlin.
Blätter für Post und Telegraphie. Zeitschrift der höheren Post- und Telegraphen-Beamten. Berlin.
Stenographische Berichte über die Verhandlungen des Reichstags. Berlin. (Cited Reichstag, Official Reports.)
GENERAL
Acworth, W. M. Elements of Railway Economics. Oxford, 1905.
Adams, H. C. Science of Finance. New York, 1909.
Alexander, E. Porter. Railway Practice. New York, 1887.
Baines, F. E. Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones, and their Relation to Trade. London, 1896.
Bastable, C. F. Public Finance. London, 1903.
Bennett, A. R. The Telephone Systems of the Continent of Europe. London, 1895.
Burritt, Elihu. Ocean Penny Postage. London, 1849.
Cohn, G. The Science of Finance. Translated by T. B. Veblen. Chicago, 1895.
Colson, C. Railway Rates and Traffic. London, 1914.
Darwin, Leonard. Municipal Trade. London, 1903.
Ely, R. T. Taxation in American States and Cities. New York, 1888.
Farrer, Lord. The State in its Relation to Trade. London, 1902.
Fischer, P. D. Post und Telegraphie im Weltverkehr. Berlin, 1879.
Giffen, Sir R. Essays in Finance. London, 1890.
Grierson, J. Railway Rates, English and Foreign. London, 1886.
Haass, Dr. Friedrich. Weltpostverein und Einheits-Porto (Welt-Penny Porto). Heidenheim (Brenz), 1914.
Hadley, A. T. Railroad Transportation. Its History and its Laws. New York, 1886.
Hamilton, I. G. J. An Outline of Postal History and Practice, with a History of the Post Office in India. Calcutta, 1910.
Jevons, W. S. A State Parcel Post. Contemporary Review, January 1879.
Methods of Social Reform. London, 1883.
Jones, R. The Nature and First Principle of Taxation. London, 1914.
Jürgensohn, Arved. Weltportoreform. Berlin, 1910.
Knoop, D. Outlines of Railway Economics. London, 1913.
Lee, John. Economics of Telegraphs and Telephones. London, 1913.
Leroy-Beaulieu, P. Traité de la Science des Finances. Paris, 1899.
McCulloch, J. R. Taxation and the Funding System. London, 1863.
Merritt, A. N. Scope of Government Functions. Journal of Political Economy, Chicago, July 1908.
Meyer, H. R. Public Ownership and the Telephone in Great Britain. New York, 1907.
Northcote, Stafford. Twenty Years of Financial Policy. London, 1862.
Parnell, Sir H. On Financial Reform. London, 1832.
Plehn, C. C. Introduction to Public Finance. New York, 1909.
Ripley, W. Z. Railway Problems. Boston, U.S.A., 1907.
Say, L. Dictionnaire des Finances. Paris, 1889.
Seligman, E. R. A. Essays in Taxation. New York, 1913.
Spencer, Herbert. The Man versus the State. London, 1884.
Stein, L. von. Lehrbuch der Finanzwissenschaft. Leipsic, 1885.
Terra, Otto de. Im Zeichen des Verkehrs. Berlin, 1899.
Wagner, Adolph. Finanzwissenschaft. Leipsic, 1890.
Wilhelm, Julius. Frachtporto. Vienna, 1900.
Memoranda, chiefly relating to the Classification and Incidence of Imperial and Local Taxes. Bluebook C. 9528, 1899.
Ruffy, M. E. L'Union postale universelle. Sa fondation et son développement. Lausanne, 1900.
Official Documents of the International Postal Congresses. Published by the International Bureau, Berne.
Statistique générale des postes. (Annually.) Berne.
L'Union postale. (Monthly.) Berne.
Note.—The foregoing list includes particulars of the chief works consulted, but is not in any sense a complete bibliography.