not amount to halfe so
much as the Postage of Prints now sent by the severall Clarkes yet we
cannot say his Majesty will be a gainer thereby for it must be
considered y^{t} many persons who are now furnished with them from the
Clarkes for Two pence a peice will scarce have them if they must pay a
groat or six pence a peice beside the troubling some friend in Towne to
send them and whether they may not find out some otherways of being
furnished with them then by the Post as by Flyeing Coaches &c^{t}. or
whether those officers or persons who have the privelidge of franking
their letters may not hereafter supply those with such Prints as they
are now furnished with from this office.

Whereas the business of the office is soe much increased that for the
regular and due dispatch of the letters wee have been forced to appoint
a Sortor to each Clarke of the Road for an assistant whereby their
trouble and attendance is very much greater then it was and being taken
from sorting the burden and trouble of the rest is proportianably
increased as there are fuer hands to perform it nether they or the
assistant having any other advantage or perquisites besides theire bare
sallary of forty pounds a yeare which is soe poor a subsistance that
such as have dyed since wee came into the office have scarce left enough
to bury them wee are humbly of opinion this may deserve your Lordshipps
Consideration and soe upon the whole matter though we must acknowledge
it an unseasonable time to propose an increase of Sallaryes which has
made us defer it thus long we could not omit this oppertunity of doeing
it and humbly hope if your Lordshipps shall think fitt to give these
poor men the Incouragement proposed it will tend very much to his
Majesty Service in this office.

No. 2.

The Right Honorable Lord Walsingham, and the Earl of Chesterfield,
His Majesty's Post Master General.

The undersigned the Clerks of the Roads gratefully considering the
Report made by your Lordships to Government which recommends for them a
Salary of Three Hundred Pounds p. Annum with their present privilege of
franking Newspapers unimpaired ask permission to submit to your
Lordships Notice the following plan for increasing the circulation of
Newspapers and in consequence the Revenue arising from the Stamp duty
probably to the Amount of Eight thousand pounds p. Annum though attended
by no additional expence to Government but entirely at their own risque
and