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1
435
Her Majesty's Mails
·
William Lewins
161
The
country,
generally,
was
greatly
dissatisfied.
Mr.
Hill's
measure
was
what
was
required,
and
the
fourpenny
rate
was
in
no
respect
his
plan,
nor
did
it
even
touch
the
question
of
the
practicability
of
the
uniform
postage
proposed
by
the
reformer.
This
quarter
measure
of
the
Government
did
not
even
suffice
to
exhibit
the
benefits
of
a
low
rate
of
postage;
was
consequently
a
most
improper
test,
and
likely
to
be
prejudicial
to
the
interest
of
the
penny
post.
The
increase
of
letters
was
in
no
place
more
than
fifty
per
cent.,
whilst
the
decrease
in
the
Post-Office
revenue
was
at
the
rate
of
forty
per
cent.
In
London,
for
instance,
the
diminution
of
receipts
was
at
the
lowest
computation,
450l.
a
day,
and
the
number
of
letters
were
only
just
doubled.
The
plan
did
not
abolish
the
franking
system.
It
did
not
abolish
smuggling,
inasmuch
as
a
letter
might
be
sent
illicitly
for
a
penny.
How,
therefore,
it
was
argued,
can
it
be
expected
that
in
the
interior
of
the
country,
at
any
rate,
and
without
Custom
House
officers,
or
any
other
responsible
officers,
a
duty
of
300
per
cent.
can
be
levied
on
the
carriage
of
an
article
so
easily
transported
as
a
letter?
For
a
few
weeks
all
was
dissatisfaction.
More
than
that,
business
men
trembled
for
the
success
of
the
whole
scheme,
and
lest
the
Government
should
return
to
the
old
régime.
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