The Bristol Royal Mail: Post, Telegraph, and TelephoneTombs, Robert Charles
History
The Bristol Royal Mail: Post, Telegraph, and Telephone
Tombs, Robert Charles
Postal service -- England -- Bristol
"In favour of Bristol it may be fairly stated that, at a comparatively
trifling expense, the port may be made commodious for a packet station;
that the present strength of the establishment at Milford would serve,
with some addition, for that of Bristol; that the difference in price of
coal at Portishead would reduce the expense of sailing the packets from
that station; that Bristol affords every prospect of increase of
receipt, whilst at Milford it must, for the reasons before stated,
necessarily decrease; that the demands of a large commercial city, with
its populous adjoining and connected districts, will create a traffic
for boats making quick and regular voyages, which Milford, from its
position, never can acquire--the conveyance of fish and provisions alone
could be made to yield a revenue of consequence. Numerous other sources
of receipt would arise from the conveniency of its regularity and
expedition. Indeed, so much are the Board impressed with the belief that
the traffic would be extensive and productive that they venture to
anticipate it may, at no very distant period, relieve the Government
from any further charge than a comparatively nominal sum for the
transport of the mails. The Board are induced also to put the
proposition in a national point of view. They feel that the more closely
Ireland can be brought into direct and active communication with this
country, the more rapid will be its course of improvement. The
introduction of steam navigation has, at this port, given an energy and
extension to the Irish trade that far exceeds any previous expectations;
each succeeding month brings a vast increase of import and a
corresponding export, to the material benefit of each kingdom, and the
more complete the intercourse can be established the more important will
the trade become.
"The port of Bristol, from its position, possesses numerous capabilities
for a mail packet station. Its contiguity and means of land and water
communication with the capital; its being the principal shipping port
for the manufacturing districts of the South-west part of the kingdom;
its close connection and water communication with Birmingham, Worcester,
and other large towns in the centre of the kingdom; the convenience of
its floating harbour; the reduced scale of its local tolls--all these
circumstances combine to give Bristol a superiority over other places on
the coast, whether the subject he viewed as regards the economy of the
Post Office Department or the accommodation of the public.
"The Board have placed the subject of the Commissioners' enquiry in the
several points of view which appear to them fairly to arise upon the
investigation and consideration it has received, and they shall feel
sincere gratification if, on this or any future occasion, they should in
the least degree prove of assistance to a department of Government, or
should otherwise by their exertions conduce to the advancement of the
public interests.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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