SUBSIDIARY PROCEEDINGS.
Concurrently with all these transactions, many and various matters,
some of them of great importance, demanded attention.[302] As letters
multiplied, so also, to my surprise and concern, did complaints relative
to theft; and that in a much greater ratio. This, as I afterwards learnt,
was consequent upon a change at the Post Office, made, unluckily, without
notification to the Treasury. A wholesome practice had previously existed
of registering every letter supposed to contain articles of value; but,
under the pressure caused by the increase of letters, this precaution
had been abandoned. Of course, the remedy was to revive it; but here
difficulties arose. No fee had previously been charged; and now that it
was rightly thought necessary that the trouble of registration should
be paid for, a question arose as to what the charge should be; the
rates proposed by the Post Office, viz., one shilling for general post
letters, and twopence for district post letters, seemed to me doubly
objectionable; first, as to excess in the former of the two charges,
and secondly, as to variety without sufficient reason; my wish being
for a uniform rate, and that on no account higher than sixpence. This
difference of opinion, combined with extreme difficulty of access to
the ever-occupied Chancellor of the Exchequer, delayed the measure; but
at length, thinking it better to obtain what I could, in the hope of
subsequent improvement, I gave way so far as to agree to a uniform rate
of one shilling; and procured for that measure the approbation of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer.
As another means of diminishing theft, I proposed a reduction of the fee
for money orders; and this also was carried into effect; the rates being
reduced from 6_d._ to 3_d._ for any sum not exceeding £2; and from 1_s._
6_d._ to 6_d._ for any higher sum up to £5. This reduction, combined with
the low postage charged on transmission, had the effect of increasing the
number of money-orders in ten years by more than twenty-fold.[303]
The most troublesome and unsatisfactory duty now devolving upon me
was resistance to needless increase of expense. I found, with great
concern, that augmentation was proceeding rapidly; and, indeed, the
addition during the first year of penny postage amounted to something
more than £100,000;[304] that, too, following an increase of £70,000
in the previous year; an amount sufficient to produce a very serious
injury to fiscal results, the whole of which I well knew would be by many
attributed to my reform.
The increase was partly due to what was, in one point of view,
an untoward coincidence, viz., the concurrent extension of the
railway system. For though this tended greatly to the convenience
of correspondents, and therefore to increase in the amount of
correspondence, yet its effect in augmenting postal expenditure was quite
startling. That an improvement which has so prodigiously cheapened the
conveyance of passengers and goods should have greatly raised the cost of
conveying the mails, however paradoxical, is demonstrably true, as indeed
appears by the following simple statement.
The total charge for carrying the inland mails in the year 1835 (that
before the writing of my pamphlet) was £225,920;[305] and it will be
remembered that the mail-coaches were then so lightly loaded as to admit
of a manifold increase in burden without much addition to their number.
By the end of 1840, when the number of chargeable letters had little more
than doubled, while that of free missives must have greatly decreased,
this charge had risen to £333,418,[306] and at the present time (1868) it
appears to be as high as £718,480.[307]
Of course, great benefit to the Post Office is derived from the vast
increase in speed, and greater allowance of space; but while in all
these the public has its full share, it enjoys at the same time that
great reduction in expense, which contrasts so remarkably with the
increased charge to the Post Office. To a limited extent, explanation
is to be found in the loss of that immunity from tolls which in England
all mail-coaches enjoyed on the old roads; but the main augmentation is
attributable to circumstances which could not be considered without a
too-long digression. The increase was and is unquestionable; and the
coincidence, as already implied, was misleading, giving an excellent
handle to the enemies of the reform, and demanding of its friends a
longer explanation than the public had time or inclination to follow.
A far less serious but more harassing increase of expense arose out of
demands for augmented salaries, allowances, &c., which now poured in from
all sides; and which came to the Treasury, backed by recommendation from
the Post Office authorities; the Chief Office seeming never to question
the judgment of the local surveyors, save when there appeared plausible
ground for advising yet further augmentation. The reasons advanced were
sometimes so insufficient that it was impossible for me, knowing the
bitter hostility still entertained towards Penny Postage and its author,
to avoid the suspicion that the care incumbent on such occasions was
willingly set aside; that increased expenditure was almost welcomed as a
means of fulfilling adverse prediction.
Not the least remarkable were two cases afterwards stated in my
evidence before a Parliamentary Committee. Additional allowances to two
postmasters (at Swinford and Ballaghaderin in Ireland) were proposed,
on the ground that the money-order business had become so heavy that
each postmaster was obliged to engage a clerk to attend to that duty
alone. The accounts in the Post Office would of course have supplied a
check to this statement; but it came to the Treasury vouched, first,
by the surveyor of the district; second, by the Dublin office; and
third, by the London office. The Treasury, at my suggestion, however,
called for information as to the actual number of money-orders paid and
issued by each office in a given time; and after the lapse of a year the
information was supplied, when it appeared that the actual number of
money-orders paid and issued, when taken together, was in one office only
three per day, and in the other only two. I advised the rejection of the
proposed allowances; but this question, with many others of a similar
character, remained undecided when my duties were interrupted.[308]
I thus found myself engaged in a constant succession of petty contests,
often unavailing, and always invidious; since, while ever called on to
resist the demands of the undeserving, I was debarred, by my position,
from originating any recommendation in favour of the deserving; a
disadvantage under which I laboured for many years, and which seriously
clogged my efforts for subsequent improvement.
The information, too, for rightly weighing these various claims, though
very accessible to the Post Office, was to me difficult and uncertain
of attainment; since, in the investigation, I had of necessity to act
through those to whom I stood opposed, and who were naturally unwilling
to be found in the wrong. The plan which after some experience I
adopted was as follows. I induced the Treasury to issue an instruction
to the Postmaster-General that every application for increased force
or salary at a provincial office should be accompanied with a detailed
statement (in accordance with a printed form prepared by myself) of
the work and expenditure of such office. By making good use of these,
I gradually arrived at averages which I used as guides in subsequent
cases, and thus became enabled to exercise a salutary control. Doubtless
many applications were altogether prevented by the conviction that the
statement would not justify the demand: in some instances such statement
was withheld on the plea of urgency; a move which was met by a temporary
grant of force, to be made permanent if shown to be needful. Other
modes were tried, but in the end lack of success effectually checked
unwarranted attempts. I may add that the plan is still in use, is found
to save much perplexity at the Post Office, and has operated beneficially
in at once preventing needless expenditure and in enabling the Office to
do prompt justice to well-founded claims.
I have already implied that movements were impeded, and labour increased,
by difficulty of access to the Chancellor of the Exchequer; but it should
be added that this went so far, especially during the parliamentary
session, that pressing affairs were sometimes kept for weeks, and even
months, awaiting his decision. When, at length, the end of the session
came, the exhausted minister felt the imperative demand for rest; and
resolved to take six weeks’ holiday. The reader who has accompanied me
through the last three years will not wonder to find that I had a like
requirement: I, therefore, requested and obtained leave of absence for
the same period. What proportion of this furlough was available for
its purpose to the Chancellor, I, of course, cannot exactly say; it is
sufficient for me to speak for myself. As the difficulties relative
to obliteration were still upon me, I should not have left town but
from absolute necessity; and even in going I was obliged to make such
arrangements as could scarcely fail of producing recall; knowing, too,
all the time, that even while I was away, many papers would of necessity
be referred to me; so that, at best, my days of vacation would be but
half-holidays.
Leaving home on August 14th, I got on pretty well for five days;
when, amongst various papers, came the Postmaster-General’s formal
announcements relative to the failure of obliteration, with a request
from the Chancellor of the Exchequer that I would report upon it. While
I was dealing with this, I received, on the 21st, the notice that Mr.
Parsons’ obliterating ink had proved ineffectual; and my anxiety was so
great, that though but a week of my holiday was gone, I determined on an
almost immediate return to town.
After nine days spent on the matter which had recalled me, and other
business at my office, thinking matters now in tolerable train, I again
left town; going, however, only to Ramsgate, that I might keep within
call, and arranging to receive a daily report of progress. Altogether, I
had this time an interval of twelve days, interrupted only by the daily
receipt of papers which I could deal with where I was; but on September
13th I was again recalled:—
“_Journal, September 13th, Sunday._—Received a note from Mr.
Gordon, stating that Lord Melbourne has applied to him for
information as to the causes of the ‘continued and increasing
deficiency of the Post Office revenue’ (I think these are the
words), and as to the future prospects, and requesting I will
enable him to supply it with as little delay as possible. As
I cannot, while at Ramsgate, give this information, or rather
satisfy Lord Melbourne that the revenue is not decreasing in
reality, ... I decided on returning at once to town, and came
away by the packet at eleven o’clock.”
Four days were now occupied mainly in procuring the information thus
called for, and in drawing up my Report on the subject; in which the
increase in charges for conveyance had to take a conspicuous part; but
on the 18th I again returned to Ramsgate, where fortunately I was able
to remain until the 30th, my term of holiday having been considerately
extended by a week, on account of interruptions. I have already shown
that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was working as hard as myself;
abundant evidence of this might be produced from my Journal, but I will
give only one more extract:—
“_December 24th._—Saw the Chancellor of the Exchequer for
‘three minutes,’ left with him, for Christmas Day reading, a
long report on the new envelopes, a minute thereon, a form to
be filled up in all cases in which application is made for
advancing the expenses of any office, and some other papers.”
I have now little left to complete the history of this year. Among other
expedients I had recommended the introduction of pillar letter-boxes as
they are now usually called; a plan which in its essential part I had
seen in use in France some years before:—
“_November 9th._—A day or two ago there was a letter in
the Times suggesting that a letter-box should be put up in
Westminster Hall, for the convenience of the lawyers. I thought
this a good opportunity to propose an experiment on my plan
for having letter-boxes put up throughout London and other
towns, in the great thoroughfares and other places of resort;
the letters being taken out by the messengers now employed to
collect from the receiving houses. Mr. Baring consents to the
plan being tried in Westminster Hall: if successful it will add
greatly to the public convenience (when extended), and will
save some thousands a-year in London alone.”[309]
Mr. Baring’s consent was, I believe, acted upon; but I had accomplished
little more in this direction when the interruption occurred to which I
have already adverted.
However, as the year of which I am now speaking (1840) advanced, increase
in the number of letters began to show that steady progress which has
never since been interrupted. Before the end of June this was pretty
manifest, and by the middle of November progress was not only steady but
rapid.
I insert here the following extracts from a letter received somewhat
later from Captain Basil Hall:—
“Portsmouth, Dec. 31, 1840.
“MY DEAR SIR,—Many thanks for your agreeable information.
Indeed I have no doubt—nor ever had—that your admirable
invention (for it well deserves that name) will ere long make
up the Post Office revenue to what it was. To say nothing of
the enormous advantages which it brings along with it to all
classes of the community!
* * * * *
“It strikes me, too, that a great convenience might be added to
the envelopes if there were put a small lick of the gum which
is used for the stamps at the angle where the wafer or wax is
put; so that an envelope might be closed without the trouble
of a wafer or the double ‘toil and trouble’ of a seal—implying
lucifer-matches, tapers, and wax. I can easily see how one
hundred, or any number of envelopes, might have this small
touch of gum applied to them at a dash of a brush. But, indeed,
the manufacture of envelopes—supposing Government were to take
it in hand—would be so enormous that a small profit on each
would realise a great sum. Every one now uses envelopes, which
save a world of time; and if you were to furnish the means of
closing the letter by an adhesive corner a still further saving
of time would take place.
* * * * *
“I dare say you are sadly bothered with crude suggestions; but
my heart is so completely in your noble scheme—the greatest of
the day—that I venture to intrude occasionally.
“Ever most truly yours,
“BASIL HALL.”
This is, so far as I am aware, the first mention of that now almost
universal practice, which has nearly made wafers and sealing-wax things
of the past.
On December 15th I first saw, in my brother Edwin’s room at Somerset
House, and in its earliest form that envelope-folding machine which
attracted so much attention at the first International Exhibition, and
is now in constant and extensive use. In the model it already seemed to
do its work very well, but the labour of some years was yet required
to complete its adaptation to its purpose. In this latter part of the
process my brother received important assistance from Mr. Warren De La
Rue, who in the end purchased the patent.
The following passage shows that the close of the year was full of
anxiety for that which was to follow:—
“_December 31st._—The Post Office expenses are increasing at an
enormous rate. As nearly as I can ascertain the present rate of
expenditure is about £900,000 per annum, which is an increase
of more than £200,000 in the last two years: the greater part
of the increase results from the employment of railways, and
cannot perhaps be avoided (though I think much may be done
even there to reduce the charge), but a considerable portion
is owing to the increase of establishments. In the first half
of the present year the expenses of the several establishments
were increased at the rate of about £20,000 per annum, and I
fear that at least an equal increase has taken place in the
last half of the year. Nearly the whole of this increase of
establishments might, I believe, have been avoided.”
Before closing the narrative of this year, I may mention one or two
incidents of an amusing character.
Soon after the issue of the adhesive stamp, a distinguished connoisseur,
reading the direction to affix the stamp “on the right-hand side of the
letter,” felt a doubt as to what this might really mean. Being in the
artistic habit of reversing sides in speaking of pictures, and probably
having done so in the case of Mulready’s beautiful though unacceptable
design, he wished to know whether the term “right” were to be received
in the artistic or the common sense. Accordingly, knocking at the office
window, he modestly requested to be informed which was the right-hand
side of the letter, when he was repulsed with the counter-demand, “Do you
think we have nothing to do but to answer idle questions?” the window at
the same time closing with a bang.
In the same year there was, as may be still remembered, much public
excitement in expectation of Her Majesty’s first accouchement; lively
interest turning upon the question whether the nation would be blessed
with a prince or princess. Amongst other speculation on the subject,
doubtless a good deal went on in the room where the three messengers
passed most of their time, with little else to do than to discuss the
topics of the day, of which they probably supposed every one’s head to
be as full as their own. For myself, as I was during the whole period
engaged in the earnest effort to give my plan that full development
which was essential to its success, I fear I did not give to the great
question all the attention which its importance demanded; and even when
the grand announcement was matter of hourly expectation, I was completely
absorbed in the device of means for overcoming one or other of the
numberless difficulties with which I had to contend. In the midst of
this research the door was suddenly thrown open by my messenger, with a
loud exclamation, “A Princess Royal, Sir!” As the sounds which reached
my ear did not inform my understanding, I merely looked up from my paper
with the inquiry, “Who?” and the announcement, though repeated, still
conveying but half-meaning, the only result was that I started up from my
chair, in surprise and perplexity, with a direction to my messenger that
he should “show the lady upstairs.”
I close the year’s history in a manner very pleasing to myself by
transcribing the following extract from a letter received in the
course of it from one to whose works I felt, in common with many of my
contemporaries, deeply indebted; and whose name I can never mention but
with gratitude and respect:—
“DEAR SIR,—Captain Beaufort[310] told you very truly that
I take a strong interest in the progress of the Penny
Postage—both a public and a private interest; and I truly
think that the British nation, the united empire, owes you
millions of thanks for the improvements that have been made in
social intercourse—in all the intercourse of human creatures
for pleasure or business, affection or profit; including the
profits of literature and science—foreign and domestic.
* * * * *
“I am, dear Sir,
“Your obliged,
“MARIA EDGEWORTH.”