any, the family lost control of all their posts to the
west of the Rhine. They were, however, compensated for the loss of the
revenues of those posts by a grant of territory
(Reichs-Deputationshauptschluss of 25 February 1803).

In the following years the Prince of Taxis strengthened his position by
a series of agreements with the German States, but with the
establishment in 1806 of the Confederation of the Rhine and the
abdication of the Emperor, the Holy Roman Empire and the Imperial posts
fell together. In 1814 Prince Charles Anselm of Thurn and Taxis
attempted unsuccessfully to regain possession of the posts in the Low
Countries. The territorial posts were not, however, altogether
satisfactory, and the rights of the Taxis family were restored by the
Agreement of 1815, establishing the German Confederation; in pursuance
of which the family recovered the posts in Electoral Hesse in 1816, in
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Oldenburg, and Saxe-Coburg in 1817,
Hesse-Darmstadt in 1818, and W[:u]rtemberg in 1819. The posts in other
States were recovered in subsequent years, and in 1848 the Taxis posts
comprised an area of 2,675 square (German) miles, with a yearly income
of a million Marks.[723] In most cases a rent was paid to the State for
the privilege of conducting the posts. Thus, W[:u]rtemberg received a
yearly payment of 70,000 florins, the Grand Duchy of Hesse of 25,000
florins, and Electoral Hesse of 40,000 thalers.[724] In addition, the
Governments of the respective States were given considerable privileges
in regard to free transmission of State correspondence, etc. The rates
of postage charged compared favourably with those charged in the States
in which territorial posts were established.[725] In 1850 the rates were
simplified by the introduction of a scale based on three distance zones:
not exceeding 15 miles, 4 kr. (1 sgr.); from 15 to 30 miles, 7 kr. (2
sgr.); and for distances exceeding 30 miles, 10 kr. (3 sgr.). In 1861
these rates were reduced to 3, 6, and 9 kr. respectively for the three
zones.[726] In addition there was a local rate of 2 kr. (1/2 sgr.) for
letters delivered within a distance of 3 miles. In some of the towns a
still lower local rate, 1 kr. (1/4 sgr.) was in operation.[727]

The Taxis posts were, however, still regarded with a good deal of
jealousy, although it was recognized that in some ways the system was
advantageous in providing a unified postal service for a large part of
Germany at a tim