Whilst thus successfully striving for increased economy, my brother also took measures for improving the service. By a system of exact accounts he obtained quarterly tables showing at a glance how each line of packets stood with respect to punctuality, together with the length of its quickest and of its slowest voyage; so as to have ground of comparison with subsequent performances. He also introduced into all new contracts a stipulation for penalties to be levied in cases of over time. Lastly, while the Annual Report was in his hands, he was careful that, whenever a service was performed with great credit, the Postmaster-General’s Annual Report should contain due notice of the fact. The directors showed the value they attached to such recognitions by quoting them in their reports to the shareholders. To complete this matter, I may here state that so striking was the effect gradually produced by these various measures, that, in the last quarter during which the department was under my brother’s superintendence, viz., that ending September 30th, 1867, there were, as I learn, only twenty instances of a packet arriving after its time; while those of arrival before time were no less than two hundred and twenty-seven.
Large Expenditure Prevented.
The last great service performed by my brother in this department, which, for the sake of completing the subject, I mention here, consisted in the defeat of an attempt to draw the British Government into the adoption of such changes in the Australian service as, without any appreciable improvement in its efficiency, would have subjected the mother country to an increased annual expense of about £114,000. The proposal was drawn up with great art, and under show of certain advantages, really aimed at diverting the main burden of expense from certain of the colonies to the mother country. My brother, after a careful consideration of the whole subject, prepared a minute exposing the fallacies of the plan and justifying its rejection. This minute being approved by the Postmaster-General of the day (the Duke of Montrose), and confirmed by the Treasury, was sent out with but little change in its words to the colonies concerned, where it appears to have settled the question.
Reward for Faithful Services.
This important minute was written in the year 1867, about three years after my resignation. While, however, my brother was quietly rejoicing at the success with which he had surmounted these serious difficulties, and dwelling, perhaps, with some natural gratification on two recent minutes in which the Duke of Montrose had recorded his satisfaction with the financial results of the packet service during the time it had been under his management, and with the state of perfection into which that service had been brought; while, moreover, he was taking measures for further improvements of great importance, for which opportunity was rapidly approaching, through the termination of existing contracts, a change was preparing which soon put all such thoughts to flight. Will it be believed that in the course of the same year, nay, within a few months from the date alike of the despatch to Australia and of the Postmaster-General’s gratifying minutes, the whole packet service was withdrawn from my brother’s charge and placed in other hands. The motive assigned by his Grace was that Mr. Frederic Hill’s views were opposed to those of the Postmaster-General, Mr. Tilley, and the Treasury. No positive act of opposition was alleged or even hinted at, my brother’s proceedings in the matter having been limited to statements and arguments set forth in minutes to his Grace; while, to judge by all his antecedents, he was ready, as indeed he was bound, to obey any injunction, and to carry out any announced wish of his official superior, however little these might be in accordance with his own opinion. The consequences of the change, it must be added, were far more speedy than satisfactory. Within a year, the cost of the service, which under his management had been gradually reduced by about £100,000, was augmented by little less than £300,000; and I may add that but for such interposition as for a short time he was still allowed to make, the increase, great as it was, would in all probability have been greater still.[229]
[CHAPTER XXIX.]
RESIGNATION. (1864.)