enjoyed since, unless the
privileges of the postcard and the halfpenny post, that is, of a rate
half the minimum (and only) rate of the penny post, can be set against
the cheap transmission of considerable packages by the old service.

A further Act of 1794[544] empowered the Postmasters-General at their
discretion to extend the limits of the post beyond the 10-mile circle
prescribed by the Act of 1711. No additional postage was imposed on
letters delivered beyond the 10-mile circle. Under the Act of 1730 the
charge would be 2d. An additional rate of 1d. was, however, imposed on
all letters posted within the extended limits and beyond the 10-mile
circle; and also on all letters posted without the original limits of
the penny post and delivered within those limits, i.e. the cities of
London and Westminster, and the borough of Southwark, with their
suburbs. By this Act prepayment of postage, hitherto compulsory in the
penny post, was made optional.

An Act of 1801[545] raised to 2d. the rate for letters passing by the
penny post, whether or not they were to pass by the General Post, within
the original limits of the penny post. For letters passing by the penny
post, posted or delivered outside the original limits, no additional
rate was prescribed. The charge was already 2d.; and the rate of
postage on letters passing by the London local post therefore now became
uniformly 2d. Henceforward the service was known as the "twopenny post."

The Act of 1801 contained an important clause (clause 5) of general
application, providing that the Postmasters-General might at discretion
undertake the conveyance and delivery of letters "directed to persons
abiding in towns, villages, and places (not being post-towns)," for such
sums as might be agreed upon between the Postmasters-General and the
inhabitants. Under this provision it was found possible to extend the
service to a considerable number of places.[546]

An Act of 1805[547] imposed an additional charge of 1d., making 3d. in
all, on letters sent by the twopenny post and not passing by the General
Post, directed to or sent from places beyond the limits of the General
Post delivery; and on every letter passing by the General Post and
directed to places beyond the limits of the General Post delivery, and
delivered by the twopenny post, an additional charge of 2d.[548] There
were now, in reality, two local posts in the London area--the twopenny
post, for letters transmitted betw