[42] Royal Commission on Railways, 1867.—Report from Sir Rowland Hill, K.C.B., F.R.S., one of the Commissioners.
[43] Sir Charles Wood (now Lord Halifax).—Ed.
[44] It was one of the senior clerks. “Armstrong has told him that, if any obstacles are thrown in the way of improvement, it is my fixed determination to apply to the Postmaster-General to dismiss the offender, and that the higher his rank in the office, the more readily I shall take the step. —— is greatly alarmed, and promises all sorts of things.”—Sir R. Hill’s Journal.—Ed.
[45] “Maberly has contrived to make it appear very much his own act, talks of his laying down rules for my guidance, interdicts me from punishing or even reprimanding anyone without the previous sanction of the Postmaster-General, and in various ways contrives to make the very act of extending my power the means of tying my hands.”—Sir R. Hill’s Journal.—Ed.
[46] The following is an instance of one of these circulars:—
“The Heads of Departments and Officers of the Secretary’s Office are requested, before acting on any papers forwarded by Mr. Hill to the Postmaster-General, to satisfy themselves that the minutes upon such papers have been entered in the books of the Secretary’s Office, which can be easily ascertained by an observation of the number of the minutes endorsed in red ink on the back of the paper by the Minute Clerk. Charles Johnson, Chief Clerk, Oct. 26th, 1847.”—Sir R. Hill’s Journal.—Ed.
[47] Under the same date I find the following entry in Sir R. Hill’s Journal:—“I am obliged to consult Dr. Southwood Smith as to the state of my health, having for the last three weeks suffered from sleepless nights, and almost constant headache. Dr. Smith enquires whether I had not suffered from anxiety, or excessive labour, and I explained to him my real position.”—Ed.
[48] “In perfecting my printing machine we spent about £2000, and hitherto the saving now effected is the only advantageous result. Without the knowledge thus obtained I could not have overcome the difficulties as to printing.”—Sir R. Hill’s Journal.—Ed.
[49] At the present rate of consumption (1869) the saving must amount to about £6000 a year.
[50] “May 15th, 1849.—The Treasury concurs in the arrangement for bringing the Electrical Telegraph to the Post Office. Under this arrangement, which was settled by Mr. J. L. Ricardo and myself, with the concurrence of the Postmaster-General, part of a spare passage will be given up to the Company at the Post Office, in return for which we are to have a right to transmit and receive messages at a low rate (one shilling for not more than ten words), the Company bearing all expenses. I am inclined to hope that the plan will prove mutually advantageous.”—Sir R. Hill’s Journal.—Ed.