The postmaster general concurred, and Howe was duly instructed. As it appeared at the end of the first year's operations, that the revenue derived from the posts set up by the legislature amounted to L268, while the expenses were L383, the postmaster general decided to leave the service in the charge of the legislature, with instructions to Howe to keep his attention alive to the subject in case a change in the financial results might make it desirable for the postmaster general to assert his authority. The outcome of the negotiations was that the revenue collected by the post office in its internal system was passed over to the provincial treasury, which defrayed the cost of maintaining the couriers. The situation remained unchanged until 1851, when the control of the post office was formally transferred to the colonial legislature. The financial results of the system were at no time of any considerable magnitude, and the expenses constantly outran the revenue, though not sufficiently to make the post office a serious burden on the provincial revenues. In the year 1850, the total net receipts were L1441, and the expenditure was L1528. FOOTNOTES: [269] Howe to Lawrence, September 2, 1839 (Br. P.O. Transcripts). [270] _Report of Committee of Assembly_, February 25, 1842 (enclosure in Howe to Maberly, April 4, 1842, Br. P.O. Transcripts). [271] Falkland to colonial office, April 30, 1841 (Br. P.O. Transcripts). [272] _Journals of Assembly_, Canada, 1846, App. F. (E). [273] Howe's death took place on January 18, 1843. [274] Watson to secretary, G.P.O., July 17, 1844 (Br. P.O. Transcripts). [275] _Journals of Assembly_, 1844. [276] _Journals of Assembly_, 1846, and Br. P.O. Transcripts for 1845 and 1846. [277] _Journals of Assembly_, N.B., 1841, p. 266. [278] Page's _Inquiry_, II. 72 (Br. P.O. Transcripts). [279] _Journals of Assembly_, N.B., 1841, p. 266. [280] _Journals of Assembly_, N.B., 1843, p. 285. [281] _Ibid._, 1845, p. 334. [282] _Ibid._, 1846, p. 54. [283] Howe to Freeling, June 10 and September 29, 1827 (Br. P.O. Transcripts). CHAPTER XV Reversal of attitude of British government on post office control--Instructions to Lord Elgin--Provincial postal conference--Control of post office relinquished to colonies. The ministry formed by Lord John Russell, which took office on July 6, 1846, gave its immediate attention to the condition of the post office in the North American colonies, and a few weeks after taking office, Lord Clanricarde, the postmaster general, laid a proposition before the treasury[284] which had for its object the severance of the relations between the colonial system and the general post office and the withdrawal of the latter from all responsibility respecting the service in the provinces.