In 1810, an additional penny (Irish) was added to the rates then in force in Ireland, with the exception of the penny rate on the Dublin Penny Post Letters.[603] Three years later the rates and distances for Ireland were changed again. As compared with the old rates they were as follows, both tables being in Irish miles and Irish currency and for single letters only:—
| 1810 | d. | 1813 | d. | ||||||||
| Not exceeding 15 miles | 4 | Not exceeding 10 miles | 2 | ||||||||
| From | 15 | to | 30 | miles | 5 | From | 10 | to | 20 | miles | 3 |
| 30 | 50 | 6 | 20 | 30 | 4 | ||||||
| 50 | 80 | 7 | 30 | 40 | 5 | ||||||
| Exceeding 80 miles | 8 | 40 | 50 | 6 | |||||||
| 50 | 60 | 7 | |||||||||
| 60 | 80 | 8 | |||||||||
| 80 | 100 | 9 | |||||||||
| Over 100 miles | 10 | ||||||||||
The rates of 1813 were lower for distances not exceeding forty miles, higher for distances over eighty miles. On the whole there was little change, but the later rates were probably more easily borne as they were lower for short distances.[604] The next year the rates and distances for Ireland were changed again, the result being an increase both for short and for long distances. The results are shown in the following table in Irish miles and Irish currency and for a single letter:[605]—
| Not exceeding 7 miles | 2d. | ||||
| Over | 7 | and not exceeding | 15 | miles | 3 |
| 15 | 25 | 4 | |||
| 25 | 35 | 5 | |||
| 35 | 45 | 6 | |||
| 45 | 55 | 7 | |||
| 55 | 65 | 8 | |||
| 65 | 95 | 9 | |||
| 95 | 125 | 10 | |||
| 125 | 150 | 11 | |||
| 150 | 200 | 12 | |||
| 200 | 250 | 13 | |||
| 250 | 300 | 14 | |||
| For every 100 miles over 300 miles | 1 | ||||
In 1813 an additional half-penny was demanded on all Scotch letters "because the mail coaches now paid toll in that country." So at least a correspondent to the Times says (London Times, 1813, June 21, p. 3).
In 1814 the postage on a single letter brought into the kingdom by ships other than the regular packets was raised from 4d. to 6d. in addition to the regular inland rates. The rate for letters sent out of the kingdom by these vessels was fixed at one third the regular packet rates.[606] An exception was made in the case of letters carried by war vessels or by vessels of the East India Company to and from the Cape of Good Hope, Mauritius, and that part of the East Indies embraced in the charter of the company. The rates by these vessels were to be the same as the regular packet rates, 42d. for a single letter between those places and England, and 21d. for a single letter between the places themselves. Newspapers were charged 3d. an ounce between England, the Cape, Mauritius, and the East Indies. The rate for a single letter conveyed in private vessels not employed by the Post Office to carry mails was 14d. from England to the Cape or the East Indies, and 8d. from the Cape or the East Indies to England. The company was allowed to collect rates on letters within its own territory in India, but the Postmasters-General of England might at any time establish post offices in any such territory. The company was to be paid for the use of its ships in conveying letters.[607]
By the Ship Letter Act of 1814, no letters were to be sent by private ships except such as had been brought to the Post Office to be charged. The directors of the East India Company had protested against this section of the act. It is true that they were allowed to send and receive letters by the ships of their own company, but in India there was a small army of officials in their service whose letters had hitherto gone free. For that matter it had been the custom for the company to carry for nothing all letters and papers which were placed in the letter box at the East India House.[608] Petitions were presented against an attempt on the part of the Post Office to charge postage on letters to and from India when conveyed by private vessels.[609] The company refused to allow its vessels to be used as packet boats or even to carry letters at all. It was in consequence of all this opposition that the act of 1815 was passed, giving more favourable treatment to letters to and from India. By this act no person sending a letter to India was compelled to have it charged at the Post Office and the masters were compelled to carry letters if the Postmasters-General ordered them. The company now withdrew all opposition and even refused to accept any payment for the use of their vessels in conveying letters.[610] Notwithstanding the favourable exception made in the case of letters to and from the East Indies, there was still discontent over the high rates charged by the Post Office for the conveyance of letters by the regular packet boats and by private vessels, when carrying letters entrusted to the Post Office.[611] In 1819 the sea postage on any letter or package not exceeding three ounces in weight from Ceylon, Mauritius, the Cape, and the East Indies was placed at 4d. If it exceeded three ounces in weight, it was charged 12d. an ounce. The sea postage on letters and packages to Ceylon, etc., not exceeding three ounces in weight, was placed at 2d. If the weight was more than three ounces, the charge was 12d. an ounce. The postage on letters and packages from England was payable in advance. Newspapers were charged a penny an ounce.[612]
By an act passed in 1827 it was provided that henceforth all rates for letters conveyed within Ireland should be collected in British currency. The rates themselves and the distances remained the same as had been provided by the act of 1814. The postage collected on letters between the two kingdoms was henceforth to be retained in the country where it was collected. The rates for letters passing between the two kingdoms were assimilated with the rates prescribed for Great Britain by the act of 1812. In addition to the land rates, 2d. was required for the sea passage to and from Holyhead and Milford and to this 2d. more was added for the use of the Conway and Menai Bridges.[613] Between Portpatrick and Donaghadee the postage was 4d. for a single letter, between Liverpool and any Irish port 8d., but no letter sent via Liverpool paid a higher rate than if sent via Holyhead.[614] An additional halfpenny was also demanded on every single letter passing between Milford Haven and Waterford, to pay for improvements.[615]
In 1836, England and France signed a postal treaty by which the rates on letters between the United Kingdom and France or between any other country and the United Kingdom through France were materially reduced.[616] On such letters the method of reckoning postage differed from the English rule and was as follows: One sheet of paper not exceeding an ounce in weight and every letter not exceeding one quarter of an ounce were single letters. Every letter with one enclosure only and not exceeding an ounce in weight was a double letter. Every letter containing more than one enclosure and not exceeding half an ounce was a double letter. If it exceeded half an ounce but not an ounce in weight, it was a triple letter. If it exceeded an ounce, it paid as four single letters and for every quarter of an ounce above one ounce it paid an additional single letter rate.[617] The sender of a letter from Great Britain to France had the option of prepaying the whole postage, British and foreign, or the British alone, or neither.[618]