"Upon the whole it appears impracticable upon a general System to convey the Mails by Machine."—Observations on Mr. Palmer's Plan by Mr. Allen, District Surveyor. Ibid.
[58] "In 1797 there were forty-two mail-coach routes established, connecting sixty of the most important towns in the kingdom, as well as intermediate places. These coaches cost the Government £12,416 a year, only half the sum paid for post-horses and riders under the old system. The coaches made daily journeys over nearly two-thirds of the total distance traversed and tri-weekly journeys over something less than one-third the total distance. The remainder travelled one, two, four, and six times a week."—J. C. Hemmeon, History of the British Post Office, Cambridge, Mass., 1912, p. 40.
[59] 24 Geo. III, sess. 2, cap. 37.
[60] H. Joyce, History of the Post Office, p. 215.
[61] H. Joyce, History of the Post Office, pp. 317-18.
[62] 41 Geo. III, cap. 7.
[63] 45 Geo. III, cap. 11.
[64] 52 Geo. III, cap. 88. For details of the changes in the rates during this period see Appendix, pp. 338-9.
[65] "Von epochemachender Bedeutung war die berühmte von Rowland Hill angeregte Portoreform bei Briefen (sogenanntes Pennyporto) in Grossbritannien 1839."—A. Wagner, Finanzwissenschaft, Leipzig, 1890, vol. ii. p. 152.
[66] Sir Rowland Hill and G. Birkbeck Hill, Life of Sir Rowland Hill and History of Penny Postage, London, 1880.