The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-26 00:00:00

MORNING ADVERTISER, Nov. 18, 1846

The "Post-office London Directory, 1847," is just delivered.
Though it is apparently limited to London, it is in reality a national
work. None of the leading towns can will be without It. It must
be an essential to every counting-house in the kingdom, as well as to
every place of business in and about the metropolis. It is an in-
valuable work of its kind; and the extent and minuteness of its
useful details are truly wcnderful. Being prepared " natter the im-
mediate and special patronage of her Majesty's Postmaster-General,"
the amplest and completest means were, of course, at the command
of the proprietor, Mr. Kelly, to secure the entire accuracy of the vo-
luminous and crowded contents of the bulky work. The present is
the forty-eighth annual publication. Few commercial or trading
men can now require particular descripOlon of the really important
and useful information, to almost every party in any sort of business,
occupying the two thousand closely but clearly-printed octavo pages
of this Directory. Preceded by an admirable and perspicuous map
of London, prepared expres.ly, it is declared, for the work by Mr.
B. R. Davies, there are divisions, comprising, among other informa-
tion, " Official," " Street," " Commercial," " Trades," " Law,"
" Court," " Parliamentary," " Postal," " City," " Conveyance,"
Banking," and many other Directories.

The hope is expressed in the preface, that this forty-eighth annual
edition of the " Post-office London Directory" may be found " in all
respects to equal the best of its predecessors." From very consi-
derable examination of the marvellously full and varied contents and
information on matters which it must be so difficult, laborious, and
expensive to collect, we hesitate not to say that this unassuming
wish is liberally realised. It not only equals the best of Its prede-
cessors, but in several particulars it surpasses all its precursors.
The information is not only fuller in many respects, but there are
several important alterations and editions, largely adding to the use-
fulness of the book. It is intimated, and truly, that although all
competition has disappeared, the present volume is conspicuous
proof that there has teen no relaxation in the multifarious labours
to perfect the extraordinary work. In speaking of past success, it is
observed that it has been " even in a pecuniary point of view benefi-
cial to the public, is proved by the fact, that important improve-
ments and additions are annually made without any increase of
price"—a result that, It is declared, " could not have been the case,
had the public patronage been divided." With reference to the
price, we certainly must acknowledge that it is Wonderful how it
can be profitable to provide such varied materials— and materials
constantly changing and requiring so much and such ceaseless la-
bour and cost to procure, and then to classify. Nothing but a tre-
mendous sale could make the speculation answer. Among the im-
portant alterations will be found those introduced into the " Postal"
Directory. It is, bulged, singularly full, useful, and complete ; and
must much increase th- daily, it might be more truly pronounced its
hourly value, particularly to the merchant, the traler, or the pro-
fessi nal man. As the new treaty with Prussia caused very consi-
derable changes in the rates of postage as affecting the Austrian do-
minions, Baden, Bavaria, Bremen, Denmark, the German States,
amburgh, Hanover, Lubeck, Mecklenburg, Oldenburgh, Poland,prus-
I a, S Sweden and Norway, Wurtemburgh, &c., &c., those
changes °arle detailed" precisely as they are arranged to come into
operation on the first of January, 1847." The other changes are not
only numerous, but all the intelligence is announced to be brought
down to a period as late as was eompatible with the appearance of
such a volume in sufficient time for general circulation, prior to the
commencement of the year for which it is designed. The business
merits of the work are of the highest order, and render it, of its
kind,aveim fld
imagine,
a publication unexampled in the world for its
completeness, ess, and usefulness.