Model of Mail coach--Patent Coaches--Thomas Hasker--His pithy Instructions--Roof-loading--The King's Interest in his Coach--General Result of Palmer's Plan--Condition of the country Post Offices--Francis Freeling--Enlargement of the General Post Office--Communication with France--Bank Notes cut in half--Letter-carriers put into Uniform--Grant to Post Office Servants--Development of the Penny Post--Edward Johnson--Excessive Absence among the Letter-carriers--By the Penny Post prepayment ceases to be compulsory--The Ten-mile Limit--Origin of the Twopenny Post--Dead Letter Office--American and West Indian Correspondence--Correspondence for the India House--Post with the Channel Islands--Further Restrictions on Franking--Bankers' Franks-- Patterns and Samples--Metropolitan Cart Service--Horse and Cross Posts--Rates of Postage increased--Mysterious doings of the Packets-- Brilliant Engagements--Post Office Usage--Counsels' Fees--New Years' Gifts--Todd's Indifference to Censure--His Death 281 CHAPTER XIV Ship-letter Office--Increase in Rates of Postage--Abolition of the Penny Post--Invoices and Bills of Lading--Convention Posts--Prosecutions-- Auckland's Pleasantries--Repressive Powers--Guarding the Horse-mails-- Recovery of stolen Mail Bag--Troubles with Contractors--Surveyors deprived of their Post Offices--Rates of Postage again increased-- Threepenny Post--Post Office Revenue--William Cobbett--Early or Preferential Delivery--Treatment of Foreign Newspapers--Newspaper Summaries--The _Times_--Olney Post---Death-blow to Convention Posts-- Turnpike Trusts--Exemption from Toll--Roads discoached--Yet further Increase in Rates of Postage--Bewildering Complications--Want of Publicity--Exemption from Toll abolished in Scotland--Returned-letter Office--New Ship-letter Act--Mail Service to India and the Cape-- Generosity of the East India Company--Eulogistic Letter 328 CHAPTER XV The Irish Post Office--British Mail Office--Earl of Clancarty--Edward Smith Lees--Abuses--Express Clerks and Clerks of the Roads--Alphabet-- Provision for Soldiers' Wives--Thomas Whinnery, Postmaster of Belfast-- Charles Bianconi--Holyhead Packets--Opposition Packets started by Lees--Steam Packets--Competition--Land Communication with Ireland--London and Holyhead Coach--Sir Arthur Wellesley--State of the Roads--Road between Holyhead and Shrewsbury--Thomas Telford--John London Macadam--Road between Shrewsbury and London--Postage over the Conway and Menai Bridges 366 CHAPTER XVI