The Express.
London, England, 1853-03-25 00:00:00

CHEAP OCEAN POSTAGE.

TO Till IDITOR OP Till =Pan..
SI It, —The probability being that a elieap ocean penny
postage will shortly be established, us far as colonial
correspondence is concerned, it may not be amiss to
examine the degree of success of the inland penny
postage scheme, as well as the nature and machinery
of the Post-olliee department, and the extent and
limits of its functions.

When the penny postage plan was first proposed
it was considered that the reduction of the high
rates of postage to a very low one would so multiply
the correspondence of the country that the gross
postal revenue wouli only be temporarily diminished,
while the substitution of an uniform postal rate,
with compulsory prepayment for a variable one with
optional prepayment, would so simplify post-office
machinery that the expense of working it would not
increase proportionately to the increase of correspond-
ence. As soon, however, as penny postage was
established, the advantages which arose from an ex-
tension of the correspoudence of the country, and
the facilities which railways afforded for increased
postal accommodation, caused such a demand for that
increased accommodation that the realisation of the
anticipated net revenue from the new scheme was
considerably retarded. Notwithstanding this, how-
ever, the penny postage plan has proved one of the
wisest and most successful schemes ever introduced
into society, and has ranked its projector, Mr. Row-
land Hill, among the distinguished men of the day.
It has been asserted that, since the introduction of
penny postage, there has not been that accuracy and
security in the transmission of correspondence which
was experienced previously. It is questionable, how-
ever, whether inaccuracy and insecurity have been
more a characteristic of the new than of the old
scheme, when the disproportion between the quan-
tity of correspondence by each is considered. But
the imperfections of the new plan will cease as the
money order and registration systems are extended
and perfected ; as the heads of the Post-office de-
part:t_ent arc allowed more control in the appoint-
ment of their subordinates, and are able to remunerate
them more liberally.
When first penny postage was established, and
the charge for letters was regulated by weight, it
was considered that trade would be greatly assisted
by the transmission, through the post, of small par-
cels from shopkeepers and manufacturers to their
customers, because they could be sent so cheaply,
frequently, and rapidly by that conveyance. It was
soon found, however, that the transmission of parcels
by post must be restricted, and that an immense
variety of articles must be prohibited from passing
through the Post-office, on account of the damage
they did to ordinary letters, and the obstacles they
offered to that rapid and peculiar manipulation which
correspondence undergoes while passing through the
postal department.
In order to promote education all kinds of books
have been allowed to circulate through the post at a
much cheaper rate than letters. This regulation ap-
pears, however, to be attended with difficulties, at
least as far as the conveyance of books intended for
delivery within the United Kingdom is concerned;
because it impedes the rapid delivery of ordinary let-
ters and newspapers, and it has been found necessary
therefore to authorise postmasters to delay within
certain limits the delivery of such books. The class
of Post-office employes, who have the possession of
correspondence immediately previous to its coming
into the hands of the public, must be limited in num-
ber, unless a great and oftentimes useless expense is
incurred ; and if those employes were burdened with
a weight of books, in addition to letters and news-
papers, the performance of their duties would be con-
siderably protracted.
One of the principal causes which retards postal 11
reform is making the Post-office department a source 1
of revenue. This has been denounced by the most
intelligent and experienced legislators of our time as
injurious to trade and commerce, and contrary to
sound policy. It is this practice of deriving a reve-
nue from letter postage which formed the greatest
obstacle to the adoption of the admirable scheme of
Rowland Hill. Indeed, it is a question if a trial of
that scheme would not have been delayed for years,
if its author had not undertaken to show that the
revenue mould not be diminished by its adoption.
The extraction of a revenue from the postage of let-
ters has prevented Mr. Hill from perfecting his plan,
has caused the merciless reduction of the wages of
Post-office ernployea, which is one of the crying and
disgraceful scandals of the present day, and prevents
the immediate establishment of an ocean penny
postage, which is rendered so necessary by the pre-
sent emigration movement. Mr. Hill ought to be
released from this mistaken policy, the effect of which
encumbers him with dissatisfied and inefficient, be-
cause underpaid, subordinates. Cheap postage has
been found too important for the social, intellectual,
and religious advancement of the people, to be
damaged by the paltry consideration of pounds,
shillings, and pence. It ought to be carried out fully
and fairly, not only on the land, but on the ocean;
and the British population, whether living in the
United Kingdom, or in our colonies, ought to partici-
pate in its blessings and advantages.
From what has been stated it appears that the
functions of the Post-office department must be
limited to the conveyance of letters, strictly so called,
I and newspapers. It cannot engage extensively in
I parcel traffic. Nothing can be undertaken by it,
to interfere with its rapid distribution of that
vast intercourse by letter, which the trade and com-
merce of the country, and the duties and pleasures of
social and intellectual life, require, and the trans-
mission of single newspapers to the innumerable and
increasing host of newspaper readers in all parts of
the empire. Although the functions of the Post-
office department must thus be circumscribed, no
more important occupation can be imagined than the
superintendence and guidance of its admirable and
complicated machinery, by which one of the most
important of our social and mental necessities is
supplied. To watch the growth of population and
prosperity in every corner of the empire; to trace, or
create, facilities by which suitable postal accommoda-
tion can be afforded, promptly and economically, as
population or prosperity varies, dovetailing new ar-
rangements with existing machinery, requires tact,
and business habits and knowledge. Is it not most
singular, then, that the head of the Post-office should
be some titled personage, whose tenure of office is
temporary ; who only fills it to draw a large salary,
provide berths for a host of needy dependents, and
reward, at the expense of exemplary public servants,
unscrupulous political partisans ?
It is to the credit of Rowland Hill that he, a
stranger to the Post-office department, discovered
the fundamental principles upon which it should be
conducted. That department guided by these prin-
ciples, may now be made, by enlightened and liberal
statesmen, a cheap and most efficient instrument in
increasing the commercial and social intercourse of
the world, in prolonging national peace and friend-
ship, in binding together by the ties of affection and
loyalty the members of that great family who are
rapidly spreading themselves all over the globe, and
in accelerating the advancement of the civilisation
and happiness of mankind. Z.

SHOCKING ACCIDENT.—At the Western Iron
Mine, near Luxborough, on Saturday morning, a man
named Daniel Palmer was at work in the mine, preparing
some cartridges for firing the ore, when by some accident
he lighted one of them. Being aware of his danger he ran
away, but lid only proceeded a few feet before a barrel,
containing ten pounds of powder, exploded, the fire caught
him, and the poor fellow came out of the level one sheet of
flame. His burning clothes were torn from him as quickly
as possible; notwithstanding, all his hair was burnt from
his head, the skin from the tops of the fingers to the elbows
was quite gone, and he is now lying in a very precarious
state. Fortunately, the other men who had been at work
with him had just gone to dinner; otherwise, no doubt,
some of them would have been killed on the spot.—..her-
borne Journal. _ _

SAMBRE AND NIECSE RAILWAY. —Traffic for the
week entliug M .rch 20, 1811 1;1.; corr..unrid-
it,g wrack y.-tr, L2ll br. Si.t Milts upca iu 18i3, 271
miles open in 1862, 241.

SHARE LISTS.

TIICIAIDAY EVININO.
The railway market was firm to-day, with very
little variation in prices, and an extremely quiet
business. On the whole the tendency was slightly
upwards, especially for Manchester and Sheffield.
and Great Westerns, though a positive advance in
price can scarcely be quoted. The firmnes. of tone
exhibited by this market appears to be rather owing
to the absence of supply than to any present demand.
The dealers seem still numerously, though not ex-
sively, oversold.
French shares have advanced on purchases on
French account. At the final close the highest quo-
tations were not sustained, being sympathetically
affected by the movement of the Paris Bourse of to-
day, but the advance is yet fairly supported.

THIS DAY.
Good Friday being kept as a close holiday in the
city and elsewhere, all markets are consequently
closed; and we have no report to make under the
above heading.
The follo.ving were yesterday's closing prices:
SHAKY:. Alt) %MOCK), UNtillAitAltt /MILL
I ACJI4I,O•I a. I Cloong mess. I mks.