The
possibility of obtaining an increased revenue from increased rates of
postage was not overlooked. In 1871 the Government presented a Bill for
the purpose, solely as a fiscal measure.[202]

New rates as follows were established:--

Letters not exceeding 10 grammes 25 centimes
From 10 to 20 grammes 40 "
" 20 to 50 " 70 "
Over 50 grammes 50 " for each
50 grammes, or fraction
of 50 grammes

For local letters not exceeding 15 grammes the rate of 15 centimes was
continued.

The results of this increase of rates are somewhat difficult to
determine with any degree of precision. Other circumstances affected the
number of letters, such as the loss of Alsace-Lorraine (an industrial
province), the establishment of postcards in 1873, and the reduced means
of the people by reason of increased taxation. The number of letters,
which in 1869 was 313,360,723, was in 1872 only 292,466,678, and the
figures for 1869 were not regained until 1877. If the numbers are
adjusted by reckoning the loss of Alsace-Lorraine to have resulted in a
decrease in numbers proportionate to the numbers of its population, that
is, one twenty-third of the total population of France, and adding the
normal increase of 9 millions a year, the number in 1872 would have been
325 millions, whereas it was in point of fact 292 millions. The
reduction was even greater in the following years. In 1873 the total
number fell to 285,350,341.

The financial result was no more satisfactory. The revenue in 1869 was
60,989,454 fr. In 1872 it had risen to 72,615,276 fr., an increase of 20
per cent. only, while the rates had been raised 25 per cent. for letters
from office to office and 50 per cent. for local letters. In 1873 the
yield was less. It was, indeed, little more than would have resulted
from the old rates if the normal increase of numbers under those rates
had continued, although it may be doubted whether this would have been
the case in view of the heavy financial strain imposed by the war of
1870. In any case, the financial result of the increase of rates, which
pressed heavily on commercial and social intercourse, was extremely
small.[203]

But if the rates were higher in France than in other countries, there
were yet some aspects in which the French service was in advance.[204]
Compared with E