Appointment of Second Postmaster-General abolished--Other Economies-- Transfer of the Falmouth Packets to the Admiralty--Speed of Mail-coaches--Mail-coaches the Disseminators of News--Newspapers--Sir Henry Parnell--Royal Commission--General Review--Gerrard Street-- Headquarters of the General Post Office removed to St. Martin's-le-Grand--Branch Offices--Morning Delivery expedited--First Mail sent by Railway--Duke of Richmond--Incorporation of the Irish Post Office with the Post Office of Great Britain--Lord Althorp-- Limits of the General Post Delivery--Packet Service put up to public Competition--Abolition of the Newspaper Privilege--Dissatisfaction with the Post Office--Money Order Office--Unsatisfactory Returns to the House of Commons--Indisposition to carry out Reforms--More unsatisfactory Returns--New Contract for Mail-coaches--Freeling's Despondency--and Death 396 APPENDIX 429 INDEX 439 ERRATA [see Transcriber's note at the end of the book.] Page 324, sixth line from bottom, _for_ 1713 _read_ 1703. " 339, first line, _for_ 1892 _read_ 1802. HISTORY OF THE POST OFFICE CHAPTER I EARLY POSTS 1533-1609 The early history of the posts is involved in some obscurity. What little is known on the subject is touched upon in the first Annual Report of the Post Office, the Report for 1854; but the historical summary there given is, as it purports to be, a summary only. The object of the following pages is nothing more than to fill up the gaps and to supply some particulars for which, though not perhaps without interest, an official report would be no fitting place. The origin and progress of an institution which has so interwoven itself with the social life of the people as to have become one of the most remarkable developments of modern civilisation can hardly, we think, be considered a subject unworthy of study. It seems almost certain that until the reign of Henry the Eighth, or perhaps a little earlier, no regular system of posts existed in England, and that then and for some considerable time afterwards the few posts that were established were for the exclusive use of the Sovereign. "Sir," writes Sir Brian Tuke to Thomas Cromwell in 1533, "it may like you to understonde the Kinges Grace hathe no moo ordinary postes, ne of many days hathe had, but bitwene London and Calais ... and sens October last, the postes northewarde.... For, Sir, ye knowe well that, except the hakney horses bitwene Gravesende and Dovour, there is no suche usual conveyance in post for men in this realme as is in the accustumed places of France and other parties." Sir Brian Tuke held the appointment of Master of the Posts, and he had received the King's commands to set up posts "in al places most expedient."