had for this service, together with the £40 reward by Act of Parliament for the apprehension of a highwayman; and if the mail was robbed within five miles of London, another £100. Courage, recklessness, and desperation--whichever we like to call it--often nerved the night-hawks to brave even so heavy a handicap as this, as this very road bears witness, in the daring robbery of the Ipswich Mail in 1822, when notes to the value of no less than £31,198 were stolen. In addition to the usual rewards, a sum of £1000 was offered by the losing firms of bankers, as shown in the accompanying old handbill, but without avail. This sum was afterwards increased to £5000, and a notification given that, in order to prevent the notes being changed, the ink on all new ones had been altered from black to red. But the robbers had the impudence to ask £6000 for the return of the notes. They had already passed £3000 worth, and naively said, in the negotiations they opened up, that the trouble they had taken and the risks they had run did not make it worth while to accept a smaller "reward." The bankers, however, would not spring another thousand, for by that time everyone was too shy of an "Ipswich black note," and it was extremely unlikely that any more could be passed. Negotiations were broken off; but a month later notes to the value of £28,000 were returned. The thieves were never traced, and although the bulk of their booty was useless to them, made the very substantial haul of over £3000 by their lawless enterprise. =£1000 Reward.= =STOLEN= =FROM THE IPSWICH MAIL,= On its way from London, _on the Night of the 11th Sept. Inst._ the following =COUNTRY BANK NOTES:= Ipswich Bank, 5, & 10_l._ Notes. _ALEXANDERS & Co._ on _HOARE & Co._ Woodbridge Bank, 1, 5, & 10_l._ Notes. _ALEXANDERS & Co._ on _FRYS & Co._ Manningtree Bank, 1, 5, & 10_l._ Notes. _ALEXANDER & Co._ on _FRYS & Co._ Hadleigh Bank, 1, 5, & 10_l._ Notes. _ALEXANDER & Co._ on _FRYS & Co._ Particulars of which will be furnished at the different Bankers. Whoever will give Information, either at ALEXANDERS and Co. or at FRYS and Co., _St Mildred's Court, Poultry_, so that the Parties may be apprehended, shall on his or their Conviction, and the Recovery of the Property, receive the above REWARD. We have said that mail-coaches were gorgeous. They were painted in black and red. Not a shy, unassuming red, but the familiar and traditional Post-office hue. Also they bore the Royal coat-of-arms emblazoned upon the door panels, and the insignia of the four principal orders of knighthood on the quarters. There was no mistaking a mail-coach.