The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-24 00:00:00

midst of a strugg".e, and appear to lose, and
another to tone down and modify the measures
which are introduced, and te plane proposed in
the conduct of affairs. Tle philosophical poli-
tician and the lover of independence seem destined
to have their feelings outraged, and their wishes
frustrated in some shepo or another, but it
is encouraging if all does not go wrong
together, and if there appears a certain prospect of
Polish peace, and a good hope of some emendation
taking place in her policy., there will be a console.-

tion to the lookers-on fcr the disheartening aspect
of Danish affairs, It mist appear, also, that what-
ever blame was attribuVole to Russia for the line
adopted by her Cabinet lest year, some of those
nations who criticised th 3 course of the CZAR and
his followers are now themselves enacting a worse
part. Certainly Austrit and Prussia have fallen
from their high estate since they contended for the
glory of leading Germaty, and of renovating and
reorganising the Constitution of that Empire.
Already there are rumcurs afloat concerning dis-
turbances and disaffectioas, which are sure to accrue
when once the trumpet cf war has sounded. Thus

the Austrian Governmect has been full of concern
regarding suspicious syuptoms in Pesth. Doubt-
less as yet all this is trivial enough, but before long
affairs may assume a more portentous aspect. With
foreign wars and hotne disturbances, with liberal
nations scandalised at :heir want of consistency,
and their own people sent back a long way in the
progress of civilisation, it must be certified that the
Germanic Powers have retrograded considerably of
late. In perusing the accounts which are con-
tinually met with coccerning tho position of the
States of Europe, and on hearing the comments
which perplexity puts forth and surprise gives
utterance to, it suggests itself forcibly and pain-
fully to the mind that a great and governing in-
fluence is unfelt, and a mighty power inactive

which once was exercised not in vain in the sacred
cause of freedom and the noble rights of indepen-
dence. Where is England's place now amid the
tumult and strife which reign triumphant ? and

why is our country no longer a guiding spirit in
the right direction, instead of wavering between
two opinions, and serving neither p3rty.

Sir Rowland Hill.

The following copy of a " Letter and Memorandum
from Sir Rowland Hill, K.C.8., to the Commis-
sioners of the Treasury, with referente to their
lordships' Minute granting him a Special Superan-
nuation Allowance," has been issued in return to
an order of the House of Commons ;
Hampstead, March 17, 1864,

My Lords,—The Postmaster-General, as requested by
your lordships, has done me the favour to furnish me with
a copy of your minute of the 11th inst., granting me a spe-
cial superannuation allowance oa retiring from my office
as Secretary to the Post-office, and conveying to me the
very favourable opinion which your lordships are pleased to
express of the manner in which I have discharged my duties.
It cannot be necessary to assure your lordships of the
deep gratification with which I have received so handsome
and elaborate a recognition of my services. I have only to
beg that you will be pleased to accept my most respectful
thanks.

In a document so highly complimentary, I hesitate to
notice what would appear to be an admission, inadvertently
made, to the effect that the adoption of the uniform penny
postage was urged by others before the development of my
plans ; this, I assure your lordships, is an error ; and, as
uniformity of rate constitutes the main feature of my plan,
I am naturally anxious to place before you the real facts of
'he case. I trust, therefore, you will pardon me if I request
attention to the enclosed memorandum on the subject.

I need scarcely add, that should the expectations of my
medical friends, of improved health, from rest, be realised.
and any occasion arise in which it may appear to .your lord-
ships that my assistance or advice in further postal improve-
ments may be of advantage, I shall feel ilonoured by being
permitted to place them at your disposal.—l have, &c.

(Signed) 'LOWLAND HILL
The Right Hon, the Lords Commissioners
of her Majesty's Treasury, &c.
MEMORANDUM.

A low and uniform rate of postage forms the most essen-
tial feature of my plan of postal reform, and I have no hesi-
tation in stating that its conception originated wholly with
myself. To guard against future error I ask permission to
place on record a brief statement of facts.

The principle of uniformity of rate, now that it hid been
in successful operation for nearly a quarter of a century,
appears, perhaps, simple and obvious ; bw, so far from its
haying been, as it is sometimes supposed, the happy thought
of a moment, it was the result of most laborious investiga-
tion on my part. Indeed, a slight consideration will show
that its conception necessarily involved a previous disco
very, viz., that the cost per letter of mere transit within the
limits of the United Kingdom was practically inappre-
ciable, or at least that it was not dependent mainly on dis-
tance, being in fact quite as much dependent on the number
of letters contained in the particular mail, as on the distance
that mail was carried. Indeed, it was shown from careful

investigation that the cost of mere conveyance, even for so
great a distance as from London to Edinburgh, was only
the 36th part of a penny per letter. From this and other

facts it followed that a uniform rate was more just than one
varying according to distance. The convenience of u,ni-
formity was obvious.
I may add that when I first entered on the investigations
preparatory to the construction of my plan, I myself had no
conception of the practicability of a uniform rate ; and that
the discovery referred to above was as startling to myself,
as it proved when announced to the public at large.
A reference to my original pamphlet, a copy of which is,

I presume, still in your lordships' possession, or to my evi-
deuce before the select committee of 1838, appointed to in-
quire into the practicability of my plans, will show the
various steps by which I arrived at the conclusion that a
uniform penny rate was at once just and practicable.
There is but one other person, so far as I am aware, to

whom the suggestion of a uniform penny rate has, with even
the slightest plausibility, even been assigned—l refer to the
late Mr. Wallace, formerly member fur Greenock, and chair-
man of the select committee on postage in 1838 ; but
though Mr. Wallace frequently urged, among other useful
reforms, a great redaction in the postal charges, I can say
from personal knowledge that he had no idea whatever of a
uniform rate until after the publication of my pamphlet.
Indeed, this sufficiently appears from the speech in Parlia •
ment in July, 1836, the last occasion on which, before the
publication of my pamphlet, he referred to the rated of
postage. The following is as extract from Hansard (vol.
35, 3d series, p. 422) :
" At the same time the rates o?postage ought to be re-

duced. it would be proper not to charge more than 3d for
any letter sent a distance of 60 miles; for 100 miles, 4d;
200, 6d; and the highest rate of postage ought not to be
more than 8d or 9d at most."

Further evidence upon this point is also in my possession,
which can be submitted should it be deemed necessary.
(Signed) ItoWLAND HILL.
Hampstead, March 17, 1864.