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1
435
Her Majesty's Mails
·
William Lewins
86
6.
The
weight
of
any
packet
or
letter
to
be
sent
by
the
London
penny-post,
or
any
of
the
new
penny-posts
to
be
established
under
this
improved
Act,
must
not
now
exceed
four
ounces.
In
1749,
the
Act
restraining
any
other
but
officers
of
the
Post-Office
from
letting
out
horses
to
hire
for
the
purpose
of
riding
post,
is
stated
not
to
refer
to
cases
where
chaises,
"calashes,"
or
any
other
vehicles,
are
furnished.
Vehicles
to
drive
may
be
provided
on
either
post-roads
or
elsewhere
by
any
person
choosing
to
engage
in
the
trade.
In
1779,
all
Acts
giving
exclusive
privileges
to
the
Postmaster-General
and
his
deputies
as
to
the
letting
of
post-horses
for
hire
are
henceforth
repealed.
In
the
year
1766
the
first
penny-post
was
established
in
Edinburgh
by
one
Peter
Williamson,
a
native
of
Aberdeen.
He
kept
a
coffee-shop
in
the
hall
of
the
Parliament
House,
and
as
he
was
frequently
employed
by
gentlemen
attending
the
courts
in
sending
letters
to
different
parts
of
the
city,
and
as
he
had
doubtless
heard
something
of
the
English
penny-posts,
he
began
a
regular
post
with
hourly
deliveries,
and
established
agents
at
different
parts
of
the
city
to
collect
letters.
He
employed
four
carriers,
who
appeared
in
uniform,
to
take
the
letters
from
the
different
agents,
and
then
to
deliver
them
as
addressed.
For
both
these
purposes
they
were
accustomed
to
ring
a
bell
as
they
proceeded,
in
order
to
give
due
notice
of
their
approach.
The
undertaking
was
so
successful,
that
other
speculators
were
induced
to
set
up
rival
establishments,
which,
of
course,
led
to
great
confusion.
The
authorities
saw
the
success
of
the
undertaking,
and,
aware
of
its
importance,
they
succeeded
in
inducing
Williamson
to
take
a
pension
for
the
good-will
of
his
concern,
and
then
merged
it
in
the
general
establishment.
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