asure is that postes be better appointed, and laide
in al places most expedient; with commaundement to al townshippes in al
places on payn of lyfe, to be in such redynes, and to make such
provision of horses at al tymes, as no tract or losse of tyme be had in
that behalf "--Ibid., Appx., p. 32.

[9] "A.D. 1572. The Office of the Maister of the Postes. The Accompte of
Thomas Randolphe esquier, Maister of the Postes.... As also of the
yssuyng and defrayment owte of the same, as well for the wages of the
ordinarie postes laide betwene London and Barwicke and elles where
within hir Ma^ts Realme of Englande, As also for the wages of divers
extra ordenarie postes laid in divers places of the Realme in the tyme
of hir Ma^ts severall progresses, and also to divers postes for cariage
of packets of l'res from Sittingbourne, Dartforde Rochester, Canterbury
and Dover for hir Ma^ts service and affayres, as occasion from tyme to
tyme did requier."--Ibid., Appx., p. 34.

[10] In the United Kingdom this system exists to a considerable extent,
chiefly in the south and west of Ireland, and in many parts of Scotland,
more especially among the Western Isles. In remote parts the means of
communication are in general provided for the double purpose, and
economy to the Post Office naturally results from the fact that the
contractors for the mail service have a source of income in addition to
the Post Office payment. Indeed, it is probable that since the days of
the post-boys by far the greater portion of the mails has always been
conveyed by means not exclusively provided for that purpose. The mail
coaches carried passengers and goods, and it was from that traffic that
the income of the proprietor was mainly derived. The payment in respect
of the mails was very small, the real consideration inducing the
proprietors to carry the mail being the fact that the mail coaches were
exempt from tolls. The railway displaced the mail coach, and increased
the dependence of the mail service on means of communication provided
primarily for other purposes. The number of trains run solely for the
conveyance of mails has always been extremely small. The weight of mails
to be conveyed is usually insufficient to warrant the provision of a
special train, and the Post Office is therefore compelled, as far as
possible, to make use of such trains as may be run for other traffic,
endeavouring to obtain such modification in the times and working as
will make them of