nd Palmer estimated that the change could be carried out
without involving any increase of cost, especially if, as he proposed,
the coaches carrying the mails should be exempted from toll. The
proposal was severely criticized by the district surveyors of the Post
Office, who reported on it.[57] At the Treasury, however, the proposal
met with a more favourable reception. Pitt called a conference on the
21st June 1784, and after hearing the explanations of Palmer and the
criticisms of the representatives of the Post Office, decided that the
plan should be given a trial. Accordingly, on the 2nd August 1784 the
first mail-coach ran. The experiment, which was conducted on the Bath
Road, proved successful, and the plan was rapidly extended throughout
the kingdom. The first coach cost 3d. a mile, the same rate as the
riding post; but ultimately the coaches proved to be cheaper than the
horse posts. In 1797 the rate was no more than a penny a mile.[58]

Almost simultaneously with the introduction of mail-coaches there was an
increase in the rates of postage, made solely with a view to increased
revenue.[59] The alteration was more or less fortuitous. In his Budget
of 1784 Pitt had proposed a tax on coals which had not been well
received, and the increased postage was substituted. Palmer is said to
have claimed the credit of suggesting the substitution.[60] If so, his
faith in his plan was abundantly justified. Notwithstanding the handicap
of increased rates, it was an unqualified success, and the effect on
the revenue was immediate and considerable.

At about this time several horse and cross post mails had been molested,
and it was desired, in response to a considerable public agitation, to
establish mail-coaches on the minor posts. This would have involved
heavy cost, and as an alternative Freeling (Secretary to the Post
Office, afterwards Sir Francis) suggested that only responsible persons
should be employed--at this time the post riders, in fact as well as
name, were in many instances mere boys--and that the riders should be
armed. In order to obtain funds to meet the cost of this scheme, the
rates of postage were again increased in 1797.[61] A further increase
was made in 1801 in order to-provide an additional contribution of
[L]150,000 a year to the Exchequer.[62] The new rates were elaborate and
complicated, comprising no less than thirteen rates for each class of
letter, according to the distance of transmission. Anoth