n consequence was the
continuance of the office, and recommending that definite rates of
postage for the whole territory be fixed by statute. Other regulations
for the conduct of the system were also suggested, as the existing
arrangement, involving such serious loss to the patentee, could not be
continued indefinitely. Neale contented himself with a brief remark to
the effect that whenever his Majesty should see fit to take the conduct
of the posts into his own hands, he (Neale) would be glad to surrender
his patent--of course, for a consideration.[141]

The Postmasters-General opposed the suggested increase of rates on
general grounds, their experience having taught them that "the easy and
cheap corresponding doth encourage people to write letters, and that
this revenue was but little in proportion to what it is now, till the
postage of letters was reduced from sixpence to threepence."

Neale died shortly afterwards, and his rights in the patent were
transferred to his creditors, who were Hamilton himself and an
Englishman named West. Hamilton died in 1703, and his widow carried on
the posts for some two or three years. In 1706 she and West endeavoured
to obtain an extension of the term of the patent; so that, although the
posts had been conducted for some years at heavy loss, both by Hamilton
and by his widow, the conditions had improved, and there was now
reasonable anticipation of a profit from the office. The view of the
Postmasters-General, however, ultimately prevailed, and in 1707 the
patent was bought back for the Crown for the sum of [L]1,664. When, a few
years later, a general Act of Parliament was found necessary, the
opportunity was taken to place the American posts on a definite
statutory footing.[142]

The preamble recites that posts had at great charges been established on
the mainland of North America through most of her Majesty's plantations
and colonies, and the Postmasters-General were authorized to establish a
"Chief Letter Office" in New York, and other chief offices at some
convenient place or places in each of the colonies in America, and to
appoint deputies for the "better managing, ordering, collecting, and
improving the Revenue" granted by the Act. Rates for the transmission of
letters between England and America were fixed, and detailed rates for
transmission between specific towns within the North American colonies.
The rates between London and America were 1s. for a single letter, 2s.
f