[From Porter’s Progress of the British Nation.]
Owing to the great craving of the people for information upon political
subjects during the agitation that accompanied the introduction and
passing of the bill “to amend the representation of the people,” commonly
known as “The Reform Bill,” a great temptation was offered for the illegal
publication of newspapers upon unstamped paper, many of which were sold in
large numbers in defiance of all the preventive efforts made by the
officers of government. The stamp duty of fourpence per sheet was
therefore taken off in 1836, leaving a stamp of 1_d_., as an equivalent
for free postage.
IX. Table showing the Number of Newspapers at different periods, and the
Revenue derived from the same.
Years. Newspapers. Revenue.
1801 16,085,085 £185,806
1811 24,421,713 298,547
1821 24,862,186 335,753
1826 27,004,802 451,676
1830 30,158,741 505,439
1831 35,198,160 483,153
1835 33,191,820 453,130
1836 35,576,056 359,826
1837 53,496,207 218,042
1838 53,347,231 221,164
1839 55,891,003 238,394
1840 60,922,151 244,416
1841 59,936,897
1842 61,495,503
1843
1844
X. Table showing the Increase of Expense in the British Post Office,
consequent upon the Increase of the Number of Letters under the new
System; the Rate per Letter of the Cost of additional Letters, and the
Profits realized from such Increase, expressed in decimals of a penny.
Years. Increase of Increase of Additional Additional
Letters. Cost. Cost. Profit.
1840 93,000,000 £70,231 _d_. 0.181 _d_. 0.819
1841 27,500,000 101,678 0.887 0.113
1842 12,000,000 72,256 1.445 (12)
1843 12,000,000 35,826 0.716 0.284
1844 21,500,000 (13) — 1.004
1845 29,500,000 6,870 0.055 0.945
1846 28,000,000 140,576 1.205 (14)
1847 2,2500,000 23,879 0.257 0.746
N. B. The increase of letters since 1839 is 246 millions, and cost of the
increase is .347 of a penny; so that every letter now added to the
circulation yields a net profit to the government of .625_d_., or nearly
two thirds of the penny postage.