| Inland postage to Holyhead | 9d. |
| For the Conway Bridge | 1d. |
| For the Menai Bridge | 1d. |
| Sea postage | 2d. |
| — | |
| 13d. | |
| — |
[91] The official intimation was received at the Post Office on the 28th of May. On the same day Lord Salisbury wrote to the receiver-general as follows:—
General Post Office, May 28, 1822.
Sir—I have received instructions from the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury to acquaint you that on the 5th of July next you are to retain in your hands the salary of £2500 hitherto paid to me as joint postmaster-general.—I am, etc.,
Salisbury.
R. Willimott, Esq., Receiver-General.
[92] The sums abated were afterwards returned. It was not until 1834 that abatements towards superannuation were imposed by statute.
[93] 42 George III. cap. lxiii. sec. 10.
[94] This is the circular which was issued to postmasters on the occasion of a dissolution:—
"The Parliament is dissolved. The franks of this evening are necessarily charged with postage, and you will immediately charge all letters and packets excepting the letters franked by such public officers as are by law at all times exempted from postage. Full instructions will be sent to-morrow."
[95] Since 1814 receipts had been given for registered letters. In that year Mr. H. M. Raikes, of 4 Portman Square, represented that he frequently sent valuable parcels of diamonds between this country and Holland, and that these parcels he insured, but that, to be certain of recovering his insurance should any casualty happen, "the London merchant ought to have some proof in his possession of his having delivered such a packet into the charge of the Post Office." If, he added, the clerks would give a receipt, the merchant would gladly give them for their trouble an additional guinea. The suggestion to charge a second guinea was not adopted; but from that time a receipt had been given for a registered letter in the following form:—
Foreign Post Office.
London 181