dampness, and many were allowed, in addition to the half-guinea per week wages, a further half-guinea, as, on account of their having no passengers to carry, they received no "vails." All their doctors' bills were paid, and the following are but a few of the many guards who received rewards for the manner in which they performed their duty. John Rees, guard from Swansea to Bristol, who, in consequence of the waters being so rapid, was obliged to proceed by horse, when near Bridgend, was up to his shoulders, and in that condition, in the night, did not wait to change his clothes, but proceeded on his duty; was awarded one guinea. Thomas Sweatman, guard to the Chester mail, was obliged to alight from his mail box at Hockliffe to fix the bars and put on some traces, up to his hips in water in the middle of the night, after which it froze severely, and he came in that condition to London; awarded half a guinea. John Jelfs rode all the way from Cirencester to Oxford, and Oxford to Cirencester through snow and water, the coach not being able to proceed; awarded five shillings. To our modern notions, the post-office authorities hardly erred on the side of liberality, but half a guinea was thought much more of in those days. CHAPTER II. THE ROYAL MAILS (_continued_). By the beginning of the new century the mail coach system appears to have begun to settle into its place pretty well. Mr. Vidler had the contract for the coaches, which he continued to hold for at least a quarter of a century, and appears to have brought much spirit to bear upon the work. In the year 1820 he was evidently engaged in making experiments with the view of making the coaches run lighter after the horses, and also to test their stability. He writes to Mr. Johnson, the Superintendent of mail coaches, May 15, saying, "As below, I send you the particulars of an experiment made this morning with a mail coach with the five hundredweight in the three different positions," and he accompanied this letter with cards, of which I give an exact copy. POST COACH. MAIL. 77 lbs. to remove with 5 cwt. on | 70 lbs. to remove with 5 front wheels. | cwt. on front wheels. | 74 lbs. to remove with 5 cwt. on | 65 lbs. to remove with 5 hind wheels. | cwt. on hind wheels. | 68 lbs. to remove with 5 cwt. in | 61 lbs. to remove with 5 centre of the coach. | cwt. in centre of coach. MAIL. BALLOON.