exceeding one hundred and fifty miles, 9d., and so in proportion to the bulk.” Carrying letters for hire, or setting up or employing any foot, post, horse or paquet boat for carrying letters or paquets or providing and maintaining horses or furniture for the horsing of any through post, was punishable by a fine of £100 current money for every several offence, one-third to go to the governor, one-third to the use of the colony and the remaining third to the informer. Any ferryman neglecting, delaying or refusing to convey posts forfeited £5. [70] _Pennsylvania Magazine_, Vol. IX., p. 444. [71] Copied from the original. As late as 1791 there were only six post offices in the colony, and none south of Trenton.[72] [72] _Pennsylvania Magazine_, Vol. IX., p. 444. The Maryland archives contain no reference to a post before 1710. In March, 1661/2, the following act[73] was passed by the Virginia assembly: “Whereas the remotenesse of diverse places in the country from James Citty and the necessity of communicating diverse businesses to the utmost lymitts of itt, would (if messengers were purposely prest) put the country to an annuall greate expense for prevention whereof, Be it enacted that all letters superscribed for the service of his Majesty or publique shall be imediately conveyed from plantation to plantation to the place and person they are directed to under the penalty of 350 pounds of tobacco to each defaulter.” [73] Hening’s _Statutes at Large_, Vol. II., p. 109. March 2d, 1692/3,[74] an act was passed for encouraging the erection of a post office in each county of the colony, Thomas Neale and his deputies to settle and establish the post at their own cost. Rates were to vary according to bulk and distance, state letters and public orders of the governor and council were to be sent free, and merchants were not to be prohibited from sending letters by the masters of vessels or others. The act was to be in force during the term granted by their majesties’ letters patent to Thomas Neale. [74] Hening’s _Statutes at Large_, Vol. III., pp. 112, 115. Cooper’s _Statutes at Large of South Carolina_[75] records an enactment regarding the post, of September 10th, 1702, by John Grenville, Esq., Pallatine, and the other lords and proprietors of the province of Carolina with the consent of the other members of the General Assembly. A certain Ed. Bourne was appointed postmaster and ordered to fix an exact list of letters received and dispatched in some public place in his house for thirty days, for each packet or letter receiving one-half royal, and for any neglect of duty forfeiting 40s. July 12th, 1707, an act[76] to erect a general post office was ratified and continued for two years. [75] Cooper’s _Statutes at Large_, Vol. II., pp. 188-89. [76] Cooper’s _Statutes at Large_, Vol. II, p. 308. The first act regarding a post office in North Carolina was in 1787.[77] [77] Iredell, _Laws of North Carolina_.