Note 266 — II THE RATE FOR NEWSPAPERS

"The Produce of this Privilege has long been decreasing, and is now reduced to one-third the above sum from the operation of an Act of 1764 by which members of both Houses were empowered to have Newspapers, Votes, and all other printed Parliamentary Papers, sent by post in their Names, free from Postage, upon a written Notice of the Direction of such Papers being sent to the Postmaster-General by the respective Members, whose names were to be used instead of the former Mode of franking Newspapers the same as Letters. The Printers, News Sellers, and others, availing themselves of this Privilege, have obtained numerous Orders, readily granted, under the Persuasion of increasing the Stamp Revenue. The present Number of Orders in the Office is 6,751, and the Number of Newspapers sent weekly by the Post in Consequence thereof is 47,017; these Dealers are enabled to supply their Customers in the Country at a cheaper Rate than the Clerks in the Office can, who are loaded with Out Payments from their Profits, and are obliged to purchase their Papers at an advanced Price from an Officer appointed by the Postmaster-General to supply them."—Tenth Report of the Commissioners on Fees and Emoluments, 1788, p. 29.