] | [L]
Dover and Calais } | 18,600 | 4,100 | 79,000 | + 56,300
Dover and Ostend } | | | |
Peninsular | 5,000 | 800 | 4,000 | - 1,800
North American | 189,500 | 400 | 112,000 | - 77,900
West Indian } | | | |
Pacific } | 293,500 | 8,900 | 103,600 | -198,800
Brazilian } | | | |
West Coast of Africa | 30,000 | -- | 4,500 | - 25,500
Cape of Good Hope | 38,000 | -- | 9,300 | - 28,700
Australian | 90,200 | 4,300 | 30,300 | - 64,200
East Indian | 163,000 | 17,300 | 111,000 | - 69,300
| | | |
On the whole service } | 827,800 | 35,800 | 453,700 | -409,900
the figures were } | | | |
------------------------+-----------+-----------+------------+----------

--_Annual Report of the Postmaster-General_, 1860, Appx. H, pp. 34-7.

[656] In 1860, when the total number of foreign letters was very much
less than at present, the cost of the British foreign packet service was
some [L]860,000, and in 1913 the cost had fallen to some
[L]700,000.--_Annual Reports of the Postmaster-General_, 1860, pp. 34-7;
1913-14, p. 51.

[657] _Vide supra_, Chapter VI.

[658] E.g., parcel mails are not forwarded by the train between Calais
and Brindisi run specially for the Indian mails. Parcels are, it is
true, forwarded to America by the Cunard packets which carry the letter
mails, but this arrangement is due to special circumstances. The Cunard
line, being heavily subsidized (with other than Post Office ends in
view), is required to carry all mails tendered. Otherwise it might be
found economical to send parcels by slower cargo boats.

[659] _Wealth of Nations_, ed. 1904, vol. ii., p. 303.

[660] "The business being one which both can and ought to be conducted
on fixed rules, is one of the few businesses which it is not unsuitable
to a Government to conduct."--J. S. Mill, _Principles of Political
Economy_, London, 1871, vol. ii. bk. v. chap. v. [S] 2.

"It is clear that the restriction put upon the liberty of trade by
forbidding private letter-carrying establishments is a breach of State
duty. It is also clear that were that res