Franklin and Foxcroft rate chart
Collection: National Postal Museum
Object type: Archival Material
Date: 1765
Associated Person: Benjamin Franklin, American, 1706 - 1790
John Foxcroft
Place: United States of America
Medium: paper; ink
Dimensions: Height x Width: 24 1/2 x 19 1/4 in. (62.23 x 48.9 cm)
Topics: Postal Administration
Colonial Era (1607-1776)
National Stamp Collection
Description: The postal rate chart from 1765 shows the amount of postage required for letters traveling between various towns. The large chart was to be hung in a post office for customers and postal employees to read the following:
"Tables of the Post of all Single Letters carried by Post in the Northern District of North America as established by Act of Parliament, pass'd in the fifth Year of the Reign of his Majesty King GEORGE the Third, entitled, An Act to Alter certain Rates of Postage, and to amend, explain, and enlarge several Provisions in an Act made in the Ninth Year of the Reign of Queen Anne and in other Acts relating to the Revenue of the Post-Office."
Below the chart are instructions on how to read the amount of postage due. The document specifies that rates be paid in "Penny weights and Grains of Silver, at Three Pence Sterling for each Penny weight." James Parke printed the table by order of the deputy postmaster general.
Benjamin Franklin and John Foxcroft served as joint postmasters general of the British colonies in North America at the time this table was printed. The British postal system was being revamped in this period, and Franklin was charged with making the colonial system more efficient and prosperous. To accomplish this, he standardized distances and postal charges and suggested a general lowering of rates to improve the financial difficulties of the institution. According to Franklin, if rates were lowered, correspondence would increase and generate greater revenue. In accordance with Franklin's advice, the Act of Parliament of 1765 reduced postage rates by about thirty cents.
In its preamble, the Act of 1765 stressed the importance of security and improvement of correspondence between England and the American colonies for the preservation of trade and commerce. As Franklin predicted, the lowered rates did increase correspondence and revenue.
TABLES of the Port of all Single Letters carried by Post in the Northern District of North-America, as establish'd by Act of Parliament, pais'd in the fifth Year of the Reign of his Majesty King GEORGE the Third, entitled, An Act to alter certain Rates of Postage, and to amend, explain, and enlarge several Provisions in an Act made in the Ninth Year of the Reign of Queen Anne, and in other Acts relating to the Revenue of the Post-Office.
Rated in Penny-Weights and Grains of Silver, at Three Pence Sterling for each Penny-weight.
Palmaris, in Caco-Bay.
  2 Portsmouth, in New-Hampshire. } in Massachusetts-Bay Government 2 1:8 Newbury. } in Rhode-Island Government 2 1:8 1:8 Ipswich. } in Connecticut Government 2 1:8 1:8 Salem. } in New-Jersey 2 1:8 1:8 Marblehead. } in Pennsylvania 2 1:8 1:8 Boston.   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 } in New-London 2 1:8 1:8 } in New-York 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 } in Maryland 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 } in Virginia 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 } in Pennsylvania 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8   2 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 2 1:8 1:8 1:8 
E X P L A N A T I O N:
These TABLES shew the Rate of a Single Letter, from any one Post-Office to another, viz, by the Figure, or Figures, set down at the Angle of Meeting, or in the Square which points to both Places,
E X A M P L E,
To know the Postage of a Letter from New-York , to Williamsburg . Look in the Table for New-York , and thence carry your Eye strait down till it comes opposite to Williamsburg , and in that Point of Meeting you'll find [4:16] which is Four Penny-weight Sixteen Grains of Silver , for the Port of a Single Letter between those two Offices.
 I. The Rates set down in these Tables must be doubled for all Double Letters, and trebled for all Treble Letters, and for every Ounce Weight Four times as much must be charged as is here set down.  II. All Ship-Letters and Packets must be charged, over and above the Rates set down in these Tables, with sixteen Grains Weight of Silver, for such as are received from on Board; and with eight Grains Weight, for such as are directed on Board any Ship or Vessel; And the whole Postage of these last Sort, must be paid down at the Post-Office where such Letters and Packets are delivered in.  III. For all extraordinary Posts and Expresses sent along the Post Road, and for all Expresses sent from any Stage to any Place out of the Post Road, there must be charged and paid One Penny-weight of Silver for every Mile such Express shall be sent. 
Note, In the above Tables, the several Places are ranged as they lie in the Course or present Route of the Post.
B. FRANKLIN. J. FOXCROFT.
Woodbridge: Printed by James Parker, Esq. Odm of the D. Post-Master General.
Note, These Tables are to be pasted on a Board, and hung up in open View, in the most convenient Place in each respective Post-Office.