The following was the Post Office announcement respecting the service:--"General Post Office, July 24, 1784. His Majesty's Postmaster-General being inclined to make an experiment for the more expeditious conveyance of the mails of letters by stage-coaches, machines, etc., have (_sic_) been pleased to order that a trial shall be made upon the road between London and Bristol, to commence at each place on Monday, August 2 next, and that the mails should be made up at this office every evening (Sundays excepted) at 7 o'clock, and at Bristol, in return, at 3 in the afternoon (Saturdays excepted), to contain the bags for the following post towns and their districts--viz.: Hounslow--between 9 and 10 at night from London; between 6 and 7 in the morning from Bristol. Maidenhead--between 11 and 12 at night from London; between 4 and 5 in the morning from Bristol. Reading--about 1 in the morning from London; between 2 and 3 in the morning from Bristol. Newbury--about 3 in the morning from London; between 12 and 1 at night from Bristol. Hungerford--between 4 and 5 in the morning from London; about 11 at night from Bristol. Marlborough--about 6 in the morning from London; between 9 and 10 at night from Bristol. Chippenham--between 8 and 9 in the morning from London; about 7 in the evening from Bristol. Bath--between 10 and 11 in the morning from London; between 5 and 6 in the afternoon from Bristol. Bristol--about 12 at noon from London. [Illustration: THE LETTER WOMAN. _(From an old print.)_ THIS SIMPLE BOY HAS LOST HIS PENNY, AND SHE WITHOUT IT WON'T TAKE ANY; WHAT CAN HE DO IN SUCH A PLIGHT? THIS LETTER CANNOT GO TO-NIGHT. _Printed by Carrington Bowles, 69, St. Paul's Churchyard, London._] "All persons are therefore to take notice that the letters put into any receiving house in London before 6 in the evening, or before 7 at this office, will be forwarded by this new conveyance; all others for the said post-towns and their districts put in afterwards, or given to the bell-men, must remain until the following post, at the same hour of 7 o'clock. [At this period there were Post Office bell-women as well as bell-men. See illustration.] "Letters also for Colnbrooke, Windsor, Calne, and Ramsbury will be forwarded by this conveyance every day; and for Devizes, Melksham, Trowbridge, and Bradford on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; and for Henley, Nettlebed, Wallingford, Wells, Bridgwater, Taunton, Wellington, Tiverton, Frome, and Warminster, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. "Letters from all the before-mentioned post-towns and their districts will be sorted and delivered as soon as possible after their arrival in London, and are not to wait for the general delivery.