_Increased Honesty._ I need not say that I made the following record with great satisfaction:-- "_July 8th, 1853._--A recent return to Parliament of the number and cost of prosecutions [for Post Office offences] from 1848 to 1852 inclusive shows an enormous decrease, nearly, I think, in the ratio of three to one; this very satisfactory result is, I believe, mainly owing to the improved arrangements in the Money Order Office." _Titus Oates._ One of my letters of this period refers to a curious document, discovered some time before amongst the records of the Post Office, by which it appears that the infamous Titus Oates received, after the Revolution, by way of recompense, it may be supposed, for the tremendous flagellation he had undergone a few years before, and certainly on recommendation from the House of Commons, a pension of £300 per annum, charged on the revenues of the Post Office. Of this document, when first discovered, I had sent a copy to Lord Macaulay, by whom it is noticed, though slightly, in his account of the period.[122] The document, curious in itself, is too long for insertion, but the following are extracts:-- "We [William the Third] for divers good causes and consideracons Us hereunto moveing.... Have given and granted by these presents ... unto Titus Oates Doctor in Divinity his Executors Administrators and Assignes one Annuity or yearly pencon of Three hundred pounds of lawfull English money ... payable out of Our Revenues ... of the General Letter Office or Post office ... for the term of ninety-nine years ... if he the said Titus Oates and Rebecah his wife or either of them shall soe long live." _Funeral of the Duke of Wellington._ "_November 22nd, 1852._--The returns for the last week show that the funeral of the Duke of Wellington on the 18th reduced the letters despatched from London by the evening mails of that day by about 100,000. The next day's mails were probably increased by about 10,000." CHAPTER XXIV. SOLE SECRETARYSHIP--FIRST ANNUAL REPORT 1854. PROGRESS OF IMPROVEMENT, 1855-59.