The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-29 00:00:00

PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS.

MAIL COACHES-POST-OFFICE-POST-

AGE-FRANCE.

At the close of the month of August last, various
returns, under these heads, were moved for by Vis-
count Ebrington, Sir Charles Douglas, Dr. Bowring,
and Mr. Hutt. They were presented, ordered by the
House of Commons, on the 24th of August, to be
printed, and have just been issued (No. 602) from
the Vote- office. They are very curious :
No. I. is a Return of Stage Coaches, or other Pub-
lic Conveyances, that have been used by the Post-
office authorities, as mails in England and Wales, not
baying been so originally, &c. Prom the detached
list here given, it appears that the number of these
coaches, &c., is 79 ; whereof the earliest, so used (the
Stamford and Cottersworth), was taken up in March,
1828. In 1837, also, only one (London and Bir-
mingham " day " mail) ; in 1838, eleven ; in 1839,
thirteen ; in 1840, eleven ; in 1841, twenty-one ; in
1842, sixteen; in 1843, five. Of these seventy-nine
coaches and conveyances, sixty-four were accompanied
by guards; fifteen were not.
I\7o. 11. gives a Return of the number of applica-
tions made at the General Post-office in London, for
letters stated to be missing, as distinguished into two
classes ; viz., " Containing inclosures of value ;" and
" Not containing inclosures of value." In the first
class, the number stated to be missing was 332, the
number found 129, in the two months October and
November, 1839 ; in the like months of 1841, they
were 1,389, and 397 ; and in two months, ending
sth July, 1843, they were 1,192, and 340 respec-
tively. In the second class, the number stated to be
missing, 256 ; number found, 95 ;-609 and 195 ;
—6OB and 180, in each of the same three periods.
Thus the total number of letters stated to be missing,
and the number found, were for the same periods
severally these : 588 and 224; 2,058 and 592 ;
and 1,800 and 520. The number of applications
" as to delay of letters ;" in October and November,
1839, 175 ; same months, 1842, 316 ; in two
months, ended sth July, 1843, 260. The num-
ber of letters delivered in the United Kingdom,
from 24th of November, 1839, to 21st of May, 1843,
was 14,020,423.

No. 111. is a Return in columns of the Number of
Letters which have been forwarded monthly, through
France to the East Indies or other countries, by way.
of Egypt, from the earliest period of ourpostal conven-
tions with France; Amount of Postage paid thereon
in England, and Amount paid to the French Govern-
ment; also similar Retur. s of Letters received from
the East, through Egypt; also similar Returns of
Newspapers. These accounts are stated so much in
detail that an abstract of them is almost impossible.
The largest number of letters "received from India"
is entered in October, being in the second month of
the 1839 scheme of transmission. It was 16,285 ;
and the greatest sum paid to France on account of
such postage, was in the year 1842, namely, 8,2961.
sterling (199,124 francs). The largest number of
letters " sent to India," during the same interval,
was 7,398, in July, 1840 ; and the highest amount
paid to France, on account of such outward postage,
during the same term, was in 1840, namely, 4,4571.
(or 106,972 francs). The extraordinary fluctuations
in the amount of this correspondence, inwards and
outwards, it seems difficult to account for.
It is noted in this Return that " the amount of
postage received in England cannot be ascertained."
The amount of newspapers " sent to and received
from India shows an equal extent of fluctuation.
The greatest number sent was in 1841, viz., 100,064 ;
but the largest amount paid to France, on account of
newspapers (outward), was, in 1842, viz., 2201., or
5,271 francs. The account of letters out and home
via Egypt, to and from India, shows us the highest
number from 1826 and 1827 to 1843, in the month
of April, 1843, no less than 29,772, on which the
amount of postage received was 1,2691. Homewards,
the greatest number of letters received by this
channel, between 1827 and 1843, both inclusive (for
the latter year the amount being brought down to the
month of August only) was 23,473.
No. IV. (1.) LONDON GENERAL POST.—Number
of chargeable letters which have passed through the
London General Post-office (inwards and outwards)
since the first general reduction of postage on the sth
of December, 1839, dividing the time, as far as prac-
ticable, into • four complete weeks each, and distin-
guishing, as to each period, the unpaid, paid, and
stamped, and total number of letters; also a return
of the estimated average, &c., for four weeks of the
year, immediately preceding the reduction dis-
tinguished in like manner. This account is made up
to the four weeks ending 28th January, 1843. The
total estimated average for the four weeks of
1839—immediately preceding the new plan—
is stated at 1,821,386. The. total for the
first period of four weeks after the " Stamps"
had been issued for use, stands thus :—Four weeks
ending May 23, 1840—Unpaid, 410,399 ; Paid,
2,630,895; Stamped, 419,984; Total, 3,461,278.
The gross totals were, at the beginning and closing
periods taken from each of the following years, these,
viz.:—

Weeks ending Jan. 4, 1840 2,102,281
Dec. 5
44 Jan. 2, 1841 4,355,237
44 Dec. 4
Jan. 1, 1842
Dec. 31
46 Jan. 28, 1843
Note.—The fourpenny rate came into operation on
the sth of December, 1839. The penny rate on the
10th of January, 1840.
k 2.) A similar Return as to the London District
Post, exclusive of all General Post Letters. (Note--
" The penny rate came into oeration as respects this
post on sth December, 1839.') Estimated average
for four weeks, 1839, &c. (as above). Total
1,022,386.
(3.) A comparative statement of the number of
letters, including frank; during the existence of the
franking privileges, delivered in the United King-
dom in one week of each calendar month, from Dec-
ember 1839 to the present time.

The total for the week ending 24th Dec. 1839, is
thus stated in country offices, 764,938 ; London, Ire-
land, Foreign, and Ship, 229,292 ; London District
Post, 256,747. Total, England and Wales, 1,252,977;
ditto Ireland, 179,931 ; ditto Scotland, 153,065.
Grand total, United Kingdom, 1,585,973. The last
total given in this return is also the highest, and re-
markable, as showing the greatest increase for each
division of the United Kingdom.
(4.) " An Account of Gross and Net Post-offine
Revenue, and Cost of Management for the United
Kingdom, for each of the years ending sth January,
1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, and 1843," &c., is classed as
under. We give the results of the first, second, and
last years :

In the years 1839, 1840, and 1843, respectively,
the statements of gross revenue were severally these :
—2,346,278/. ; 2,390,763/. ; 1,578,146/. • and of the
cost of management therein, 686,768 i.; 756,999/. ;
977,5041. The postage amounts charged on the Go-
vernment departments, pending the same years were
successively, 45,156/. ; 44,278/. ; and 122,1611. Thus
the net revenue, exclusive of these charges on the Go-
vernment departments, was for 1839, 1,614,3541. ; for
1840, 1,589,4861.; for 1843,478,480/.

(5.) Payments by Post-office made during each of
the years ending sth January 1839 to 1843 (inclu-
sive) for conveyance of the Mails by Railway in
Great Britain, &c., 1839, 12,3801.; 1840, 52,2301.;
1841, 51,301 ; 1842, 94,818/. ; 1843, 77,5701.—N0te.
These " totals" include "payment for work done on
preceding years" of the following proportions : viz.
the total as above of year 1839, 132/. ; of 1840,
4,3551.; of 1841, 3581.; of 1842, 9,1751.; of 1843,
2,3871.
(6.) Return of the Number and Amount of Money-
orders issued and paid in England and Wales in the
several quarters from that ending sth April 1839 to
ditto sth January 1843.
(7.) Similar Returns for Lorttlon.
Quarter ended April 3, 1839.—Money-orders
"issued," England and Wales, 28,838—their amount,
49,4961. Ditto, London, 3,B9l—amount, 7,161/.
Money-orders "paid," England and Wales, 25,785—
amount, 43,2381. Total number of Money-orders,
England and Wales, "issued and paid," 54,623. Total
amount 92,734/. Ditto, London, 9,423—amount,
17,4021.

Quarter ended January 5, 1843.—Money-orders
"issued,' England and Wales, 494,757—their amount,
1,031,9921. Ditto, London, 73,520—amount, 146,0001.
Money-orders, " paid," England and Wales, 486,437
—amount, 1,023,2001. Ditto, London, 143,065—
amount, 320,798/. Total number of Money-orders,
England and Wales, " issued and paid " (passing
through the office), 981,194—amount, 2,055,1931.
Ditto, London, 216,535—amount, 466,7951. "issued
and paid."
The two quarters which we have selected for the
purposes of our abstract, as above, will sufficiently in-
dicate the sudden and enormous growth of this " mo-
ney-order " accommodation ; and the eagerness with
which people have availed themselves of it both in
the country and the metropolis.

A Return as to Registered General Post Let-
ters, &c., states that the number of letters registered,
gratuitously, in London, in June, 1839, was 7,666.
Number of ditto which would have been registered in
London, in June, 1843, had the plan of gratuitous
registration been continued (and letters actuall3 regis-
tered are not included in this number), 30,880. N Im-
ber of letters actually registered in London ,„,
1843, 8,112.

—_
SUICIDE OF AN ENGLISHMAN IN FRANCE.—The
Semaphore of Marseilles states that an Englishman a few
days ago put up at the Hotel Paradis, in that city, and en-
joyed himself during his stay very heartily. He had plenty
of money, and spent it freely. One day his absence from
the table dhote being'observed, a waiter was sent up to Ins
room to call him. The door being found locked inside, and
no one replying when the man knocked, it was thought ad-
visable to burst it open. The unfortunate man was found
lying on the floor, with a razor near, with which he had cut
hi* throat.