CHAPTER I. =The Scheme.= Page 17. =All Railways= to be purchased by State and amalgamated with General Post Office. Trains of two kinds only, viz.:-- (1) =Main Line Trains=, _i.e._, non-stop for at least 30 miles. (2) =Local Trains=, _i.e._, all trains other than Main Line. =Passenger tickets= vary according to above fares only--no reference to stations or distance. =Goods rates=, payable by stamps vary only according to weight or size of goods, whether carried in bulk, in open or closed trucks, or with special packing, but irrespective of any other difference in nature or value of goods, or of distance, as now with parcel post. =All Railway Stations to be Post Offices.= All Post Offices to sell Railway Tickets, and, where required, to be Railway Receiving Offices. =Steamers= to be regarded as trains. CHAPTER II. =Advantages of Scheme.= Page 20. 1. =Cheapness= and regularity of transport. 2. =Economy= of service;--by unification of railways;--abolition of Railway Clearing House, of expenses of varying rates and fares, of multiplication of receiving offices, stations, &c.,--and by amalgamation with Post Office;--all railway land and buildings available for Government purposes--Postal, Civil, Military and Naval. 3. =Progressive increase always follows= adoption of small uniform fares (_e.g._, in Post Office); hence progressive increase of revenue available for working expenses, purchase money, extensions, improvements, and adoption of new safety appliances. CHAPTER III. =Principles of Scheme.= Page 27. =Present system= founded on two principles, both mistaken and illogical, viz.:--(=1=) According to distance travelled. (=2=) According to “what the traffic will bear.” (1) Although cost of building 200 miles, and hauling train that distance is more than for two miles, yet because regular train service required for whole distance, say, A to Z and back, passing intermediate places, therefore cost of travelling from A to B, or to N, identical with A to Z. For goods, cost of loading and unloading twice only, whether sent from A to B, or A to Z. (2) Cost of hauling ton of coal exactly same as of bricks, sand, loaded van, in open truck, yet now different rates for each, according to “what the traffic will bear.” =True principle= advocated by Sir Rowland Hill in Penny Post--whole country suffers by neglect or expense of transport to distant parts, and gains by including small districts with same rates as populous parts. =For a flat rate, three rules necessary.= (_a_) Must not exceed lowest in use prior to adoption. (_b_) Increased traffic resulting must produce at least same net revenue. (_c_) Variations of rate to be according to speed, not distance. Hence: (_a_) =1d.= now lowest fare, fixed for Local Lines.