Viewing my position as temporary, I have endeavoured to meet the exigence by great personal exertion, and by obtaining competent assistance at my own cost, in which latter course, limited and imperfect as any such arrangements must necessarily be, I have already expended several hundred pounds. Still I am obliged to investigate each case myself, and substantially to prepare the necessary minutes; and when, in addition to all this, it is considered that from the first I have rarely had less than five or six important and difficult improvements in hand at once, I scarcely need assure you that the labour has been very severe. Indeed it has proved quite too much for my health, and, according to the opinion of my medical attendant (Mr. Hodgson) it has induced a disorder, which, though yet but incipient, threatens the most serious consequences, unless promptly and effectually checked. Effectual rest, the remedy prescribed, however, is incompatible with my present position. For though the Postmaster-General has most kindly acceded to every request I have made for leave of absence, yet, seeing that I have no assistant capable of undertaking my duties (as is done for Colonel Maberly by the assistant-secretary) any partial rest thus obtained entails a serious accumulation of work at its close. These are the considerations which oblige me to press for immediate change, though independently of them, and even of the promise adverted to above, I trust a consideration of what has been effected during the last four years will show my claim to be well founded. To pass over numerous improvements, many of which have failed to excite attention, not so much from any want of importance, as from their smoothness in operation (the only case of trouble being the recent improvement in the Sunday duties, when a temporary outcry arose from a cabal within the office), I may particularise the reform of the Money Order Department, the only department consigned to my charge, a reform by which, with increased convenience to the public, increased accuracy in the accounts, better pay, and more relaxation to the clerks, a saving has been effected, already amounting, all things duly considered, to a total of about £37,000, and which is now going on at the rate probably of about £13,000 a year, with a clear prospect of increase. This, however, constitutes but a small portion of what, even with the very limited means at my command, I have been able to save positively or negatively in the Post Office generally.