Her Majesty's Mails

APPENDIX (H). The following important document, published by Sir Rowland Hill on his resignation of the Secretaryship of the Post-Office, and circulated privately, is deserving of careful study, as giving the results of the penny-postage reform up to the latest date:-- RESULTS OF POSTAL REFORM. Before stating the results of postal reform, it may be convenient that I should briefly enumerate the more important organic improvements effected. They are as follows:-- 1. A very large reduction in the rates of postage on all correspondence, whether inland, foreign, or colonial. As instances in point, it may be stated that letters are now conveyed from any part of the United Kingdom to any other part--even from the Channel Islands to the Shetland Isles--at one-fourth of the charge previously levied on letters passing between post towns only a few miles apart;[216] and that the rate formerly charged for this slight distance, viz. fourpence--now suffices to carry a letter from any part of the United Kingdom to any part of France, Algeria included. 2. The adoption of charge by weight, which, by abolishing the charge for mere enclosures, in effect largely extended the reduction of rates. 3. Arrangements which have led to the almost universal resort to prepayment of correspondence, and that by means of stamps. 4. The simplification of the mechanism and accounts of the Department generally by the above and other means. 5. The establishment of the book-post (including in its operation all printed and much MS. matter) at very low rates, and its modified extension to our colonies and to many foreign countries.