the Post Office, James
Hickes, the names of all his correspondents.[258] The plan was eminently
successful, and on the 16th November 1665 the _Oxford Gazette_ appeared,
to be transformed a few months later, with its twenty-fourth issue (5th
February 1665-6), into the _London Gazette_. Muddiman, however, gained
knowledge of Williamson's designs regarding his correspondents, and on
the 8th February 1666 left the _Gazette_. Williamson thereupon took
control of its publication, and, with the assistance of Hickes,
continued its issue. He appointed correspondents in all the leading
seaports, and in a few other English towns, and also in continental
cities, who were required to furnish accounts of passing events. In
return for their services the correspondents received regularly copies
of the _Gazette_. Both the letters from correspondents and the
_Gazettes_ which were their reward passed free of postage.[259] The
regular supply of a copy of the _Gazette_ was so great a privilege that
it was often regarded as sufficient wages for a post-messenger or even a
deputy-postmaster.[260]

This became a recognized practice before the end of the seventeenth
century, and the privilege was regarded as forming part of the ordinary
emoluments of the deputy-postmasters.[261] The _Gazettes_ were sent out
from London by officers known as Clerks of the Road, under the frank of
these officers; and the privilege of franking these _Gazettes_ became
extended so that the Clerks of the Road ultimately became entitled to
frank any newspaper to whomsoever addressed.[262] In the eighteenth
century the Clerks of the Road developed the exercise of their
privilege. They accepted subscriptions and undertook the supply of
newspapers generally throughout the country. They became, in fact,
newsagents. Their newspaper business was something quite apart from
their duties as officers of the Post Office. It was conducted in a
separate building, by a separate staff, and they found it very
lucrative.[263] The postage on newspapers at the letter rate would have
been prohibitive. Hence newspapers either went under frank or did not go
by post at all, and the whole business of distribution through the post
fell into the hands of the Clerks of the Road. Their profits were in
part applied to the discharge of certain payments--the salaries of some
of the inferior clerks and some charitable payments--in connection with
the Post Office.[264]

In 1764 the privilege was expl