n postmasters, of which there is
hardly a recollection remaining among the officials carrying on the work
of the post to-day. The duty is mentioned in an order of May 1824, to
the following effect: "An old instruction was renewed in 1812, that all
postmasters should transmit to me (the Secretary), for the information
of His Majesty's Postmaster-General, an immediate account of all
remarkable occurrences within their districts, that the same may be
communicated, if necessary, to His Majesty's principal Secretaries of
State. This has not been invariably attended to, and I am commanded by
His Lordship to say, that henceforward it will be expected of every
Deputy." This gathering of news from all quarters is now adequately
provided for by the _Daily Press_, and no incident of any importance
occurs which is not immediately distributed through that channel, or
flashed by the telegraph, to every corner of the kingdom.

A custom, which would now be looked upon as a curiosity, and the origin
of which would have to be sought for in the remote past, was in
operation in the larger towns of the kingdom until about the year 1859.
The custom was that of ringing the town for letters to be despatched;
certain of the postmen being authorised to go over apportioned
districts, after the ordinary collections of letters from the receiving
offices had been made, to gather in late letters for the mail. Until the
year above mentioned the arrangement was thus carried out in Dublin. The
letter-box at the chief office, and those at the receiving offices,
closed two hours before the despatch of the night mail. Half an hour
after this closing eleven postmen started to scour the town, collecting
on their way letters and newspapers. Each man carried a locked leather
wallet, into which, through an opening, letters and other articles were
placed, the postmen receiving a fee of a penny on every letter, and a
halfpenny on every newspaper. This was a personal fee to the men over
and above the ordinary postage. To warn the public of the postman's
approach each man carried a large bell, which he rang vigorously as he
went his rounds. These men, besides taking up letters for the public,
called also at the receiving offices for any letters left for them upon
which the special fee had been paid, and the "ringers" had to reach the
chief office one hour before the despatch of the night mail. This custom
seems to have yielded considerable emolument to the men conce