MY DEAR LORD DUKE,--Mr. Gladstone is of opinion that the Post Office interests in connection with the railways have been greatly neglected by the Legislature; that the Government should, if possible, obtain possession of the railways, when all difficulty would, of course, cease; that this might have been done seven or eight years ago, but that now it would be very difficult, and that some other course must in all probability be resorted to. "He likes my plan (though inferior, as being less direct than the other), but considers it too difficult a piece of legislation for Parliament as matters now stand, and advises that, with the consent of the Treasury, we should endeavour to make the arrangement with some one company subject to the confirmation by Parliament, which, for a single bargain, might, he thinks, be counted upon; and that having done this we should, if the results prove satisfactory, apply to Parliament for power to deal with other companies. "He also thinks well of referring the whole question, including the Bill, to a committee of the House of Commons, _provided some able member of the Government can spare time to manage the case_; but not otherwise. "Sir George Cornewall Lewis is inclined to the latter alternative; but the difficulty will be to spare Mr. Wilson or any other able man to attend the committee. He spoke of Mr. Lowe, and promised to consider the whole case. "Faithfully yours, "ROWLAND HILL. "His Grace the DUKE OF ARGYLL."