"Upon the whole it appears impracticable upon a general System to convey
the Mails by Machine."--Observations on Mr. Palmer's Plan by Mr. Allen,
District Surveyor. Ibid.

[58] "In 1797 there were forty-two mail-coach routes established,
connecting sixty of the most important towns in the kingdom, as well as
intermediate places. These coaches cost the Government [L]12,416 a year,
only half the sum paid for post-horses and riders under the old system.
The coaches made daily journeys over nearly two-thirds of the total
distance traversed and tri-weekly journeys over something less than
one-third the total distance. The remainder travelled one, two, four,
and six times a week."--J. C. Hemmeon, _History of the British Post
Office_, Cambridge, Mass., 1912, p. 40.

[59] 24 Geo. III, sess. 2, cap. 37.

[60] H. Joyce, _History of the Post Office_, p. 215.

[61] H. Joyce, _History of the Post Office_, pp. 317-18.

[62] 41 Geo. III, cap. 7.

[63] 45 Geo. III, cap. 11.

[64] 52 Geo. III, cap. 88. For details of the changes in the rates
during this period see Appendix, pp. 338-9.

[65] "Von epochemachender Bedeutung war die ber[:u]hmte von _Rowland
Hill_ angeregte Portoreform bei Briefen (sogenanntes Pennyporto) in
GROSSBRITANNIEN 1839."--A. Wagner, _Finanzwissenschaft_, Leipzig, 1890,
vol. ii. p. 152.

[66] Sir Rowland Hill and G. Birkbeck Hill, _Life of Sir Rowland Hill
and History of Penny Postage_, London, 1880.

[67] "They were all full of high aims--all bent on 'the accomplishment
of things permanently great and good.' There was no room in their minds
for the petty thoughts of jealous spirits. Each had that breadth of view
which enables a man to rise above all selfish considerations. Each had
been brought up to consider the good of his family rather than his own
peculiar good, and to look upon the good of mankind as still higher than
the good of his family. Each was deeply convinced of the great truth
which Priestly had discovered, and Bentham had advocated--that the
object of all government, and of all social institutions, should be the
greatest happiness of the greatest number for the greatest length of
time. In their youth their aims were often visionary; but they were
always high and noble."--Ibid., vol. i. p. 193.

[68] "Early in the 'thirties there had been some reduction in certain
departments of taxation. It occurred to me that probably some ease might
be given to the people by lowering the postal rate....