Year.England.Scotland.Ireland.United Kingdom.
1880-138291534
1890-150362145
1900-161473257
1905-668513662
1910-1173564068
1913-1481634575

[92] As in other countries. It is contrary to the general principles upon which the post is conducted in the leading countries of Europe to throw a quantity of heavy matter upon the letter post, which exists primarily for the carriage of light letters, and would be seriously hampered by the transmission of large numbers of heavy packages."

[93] Of these, 123,640 were established and 125,813 unestablished officers.

[94] The following table shows the date and annual cost of the various revisions:—

1881-2.Fawcett Revision£320,000
1888-91.Raikes Revision406,600
1897-8.Tweedmouth Revision (including Norfolk-Hanbury concessions)388,000
1905.Stanley Revision372,300
1908.Hobhouse Committee Revision707,900
1914.Holt Committee Revision1,335,750
1894-1912.Other improvements144,400
Total£3,674,950

In addition, the annual cost of the War Bonus granted in 1915 is estimated at £1,080,000.

[95]

Year.Percentage of Salaries,
Wages, etc., to Total
Revenue.
1880-128.39
1890-135.78
1900-145.30
1905-645.34
1909-1049.09
1910-1147.61
1911-1249.20
1912-1347.88
1913-1447.04

[96] The increase is partly accounted for by the fact that parcels are included in the later figures. Deducting the estimated cost of the parcel post (see infra, Chapter VII), the cost for staff for packets other than parcels was, in 1913-14, some .340d. per packet.

[97] Omitting the cost of conveyance of mails by sea, and omitting the cost of conveyance of parcels by railway, which is fixed by the Parcel Post Act of 1882. The following table shows the movement of the general cost of conveyance of mails:—