"The revenue of the past year will probably be about £2,220,000 gross, and £1,030,000 net. The gross revenue is as large as it was in 1834, and within 5 per cent. of what it was in 1837. The current year will probably give an amount equal to 1837, thus realising my anticipations of gross revenue. The net revenue will be about £200,000 less than I calculated; but in my opinion the expenses have been needlessly increased to that extent. The same gross revenue as in 1837 was, according to my calculation, to be the result of a five-fold increase of letters; it will have been brought about by a 4-2/3-fold increase. "Faithfully yours, "ROWLAND HILL." ENCLOSURE. ESTIMATE of the NUMBER of CHARGEABLE LETTERS delivered in the UNITED KINGDOM in each year from 1839 to 1847.[51] +-------+-----------+-------------------------+ | | | Annual Increase | | | +-----------+-------------+ | | | | Per-centage | | Year. | Number of | Number of | reckoned on | | | Letters. | Letters. | the No. for | | | | | 1839. | +-------+-----------+-----------+-------------+ | | Millions. | Millions. | Per cent. | | 1839 | 76[52] | ... | ... | | 1840 | 169 | 93 | 123 | | 1841 | 196-1/2 | 27-1/2 | 36 | | 1842 | 208-1/2 | 12 | 16 | | 1843 | 220-1/2 | 12 | 16 | | 1844 | 242 | 21-1/2 | 28 | | 1845 | 271 | 29-1/2 | 39 | | 1846 | 299-1/2 | 28 | 37 | | 1847 | 322 | 22-1/2 | 30 | +-------+-----------+-----------+-------------+ "_January 28th._--Received a very gratifying note from Mr. Baring in reply to the above, in which, though not quite concurring in my comparison of net revenue, he says, 'There is still a great store of undeveloped letter-writing in the country, and I am sanguine enough to believe your estimate as to number will be wrong by being much under the mark.' He adds, with characteristic frankness, 'What has surprised me most is the quiet way in which the people here take to the prepayment and stamping. I was always much afraid of that part of the plan, and am glad to find myself wrong.'" The following are further extracts from Mr. Baring's letter:-- "As I am writing to you I cannot help mentioning what was told me at Weymouth this year, which shows how, in trifles even, your scheme has been a benefit.