There was no small stir at the public counter of the Bristol Post Office on the first day of January, 1902, the day of issue of the new 1/2d., 1d., 2½d., and 6d. postage stamps, bearing the medallion portrait of King Edward the VIIth. People were very anxious to become possessed of specimens, and many of the stamps sold were evidently intended to adorn collector's books. The sales on the 1st January, 1902, were:—1/2d., £175; 1d., £500; 2½d., £27 10s.; 6d., £66 9s., and were slightly in excess of the average. The general public demanded the new kind almost without exception, but firms took old stamps to the extent of 10 per cent. of the whole lot supplied.

The Staff of the Bristol Post Office sent an illuminated address to the King for His Majesty's Coronation Day.

Mrs. Pattie E. Varnam-Coggan, a lady who at the time was Postmistress of Chipping Sodbury composed the following hymn in connection with the event.

God save our King!
Up to the sky let loyal voices ring,
Joy to the land this Festal Day shall bring.
Roar guns! and peal O bells!
As loud the anthem swells—
God save our King!
God save our Queen!
A nobler consort ne'er hath England seen!
Bless her pure life with love and peace serene.
Crown her with heavenly grace.
Strength for her royal place—
God save our Queen!
God save our land!
As suppliants now before Thy Throne we stand,
Craving for gifts from Thine all-powerful Hand.
Let none make us afraid,
Foes find us undismayed—
God save our land!
Great King of kings!
Ruler supreme o'er men and earthly things,
Eternal source from which all goodness springs!
Bless Thou the Royal Pair,
Grant them Thy joy to share,
Great King of kings!
God! thanks for peace!
Praised be Thou Who makest war to cease,
O'er all our Empire wide THY reign increase!
Let all men seek for good,
In one blest brotherhood—
God! thanks for peace!

The staff also made elaborate arrangements to take an active part in the grand procession which had been organized at Bristol to celebrate the Coronation, but, alas, the procession had to be postponed in consequence of the King's sudden illness on the 24th June, and finally was abandoned altogether. The Post Office section, which was to have been honoured with first place in the procession, was designed to give the Bristol public some idea of the working of this most useful branch of the public service. The section was to have been arranged as follows:—Telegraph Messengers' Drum and Fife Band. Company of Telegraph Messengers, with Carbines. Telegraph Messengers' Cycle Corps. Company of Postmen. Mail Carrier Tricycle. Country Mail Cart—present day. Town Mail Van—present day. London to Bristol Royal Mail Coach of 100 years since, with Coachman and Guard in Royal livery of the Period. Guard carrying an ancient Mail Guard's blunderbuss, borrowed from the armoury of Mr. Rawlins, of Syston Court. Post Office Tableau, illustrative of the Collecting, Stamping, and Sorting of Letters, and the Despatch of Mail Bags; also the sending of Telegrams.

ADDRESS TO THE KING.

The following acknowledgment of the Address was received on the King's recovery:—

"Home Office, Whitehall, 5 Sept., 1902. Sir,—I am commanded by the King to convey to you hereby His Majesty's thanks for the Loyal and Dutiful Address of the Staff of the Postal and Telegraph Services at Bristol. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, A. Akers Douglas. The Surveyor Postmaster, Post Office, Bristol."

The address to His Majesty is here reproduced, and as the sentiments contained in it represent the writer's wishes for King and Queen, it may, perhaps, fittingly close the chapters of "The King's Post."