The Sun.
London, England, 1829-10-02 00:00:00

THE NEW POST-OFFICE.

The Post-office system of England, perfected
as it has been of late years by the suggestions of
Hr. Palmer, the late mail-coach contractor, is
justly considered superior to that of any other
country. Post-offices were first established in
England in 1581, but they wete not regulated
by Parliament until 1656. They were extended
to Scotland in 1695. About the year 1635
the King ordered his " Postmaster of England
for foreign parts," to open a regular internal conz-

munication, by retuning posts, between London
and Edinburgh, Chester, Holyhead, Exeter,
Plymouth, and Ireland, &c. In 1653-4, the
Post-office revenues were farmed by the Council
of State and the Protector at 10,0001. per an-
num. The following table exhibits the rise and
progress of its annual revenue :

1644 £5,000 1697...X90,505
1651.... 10,000 1710... 111,461
1664.... 21,000 1715... 145,227
1674.... 43,000 1723... 201,8E4.
1085._ 65,000 1744... 235,492
1665.... 76,318 1761... 281,535
From a comparative statement of the general
revenue and expenditure of the Post-office at
two distinct periods, namely, the three years
preceding the commencement of the inquiry, anti
the three years ending the sth of January, 1827,
it appears that in the last period there has been
a progressive increase in the gross receipts its
each of the three kingdoms ; whereas in the for-
mer period • there was a progressive decline. The
average rate of charge upon the gross receipt,
(luring the first period, was 281. 19s. 4jd., dur-
ing the latter, it was only 261. 17s. 9id. The
sum disbursed under the direction and responsi-
bility of his Majesty's Postmasters-General in
Great Britain and Ireland, during the latter pe-
riod, was on an average, 67,0001. per ann. •
Notwithstanding its prosperous revenue, the
letter-carriers and subordinate agents of the Post-
office receive very slender incomes, which are
still further reduced by a forced contribution to-
vards a superannuation fund. The pay of the
letter7carriers of the metropolis (about 130 in
number) when first employed, is from eight to
eleven shillings per week ; and when on the
establishment, it is only fourteen shillings. Per-
quisites arising from the early delivery, Christmas-
boxes, and the collecting bell, are supposed to
make up the remainder.
A number of improvements in this respect
are said to be projected. The Eighteenth Re-
port of the Commissioners of Revenue Inquiry,
recently printed, and which, with the Appendix,
occupies 697 pages, is entirely devoted to the
Post-office of the United Kingdom, and from
this document it appears, that some important
alterations are projected, or rather about to be
considered, in order to improve Btiil more our
system of internal communication, and to accele-
rate our correspondence with the Colonies and
the more distant Dependencies of the Empire.
The Commissioners observe—

1775 £:345,321
1785... 463,75Zi
1793 ... 607,208
1816 2,067,940
1828 *1,400,000

" The necessity of some general revision of the
existing arrangements (not less than of the constitu-
tion and administration of this department) has been,
for (a length of time apparent, from the numerous
and repeated references to Parliament on the sub-
ject of the Post-office communications. The ap,
plications of this authority would seem to indicate
the actual insufficiency of the powers or the means
of the Post-office establishment to originate and carry
into execution improvements of great and obvioes
importance, which have been found practical-Ate
through the intervention of the Legislature. Whilst
measures undertaken for effecting partial ',reprove-
merits in particular instances, have not led the
establishment of any general principle or system that
,
migat direct with uniformity the operations of this
department, they have tended to produce a prejudi-
cial inequality in the advantages afforded through.
the Post-office to different portions of the empire,
Besides the great benefit of an accelerated COrres,
pondence thus partially attained, the rates of post-
age are made to decrease in proportion as such ac-
celeration arises, from an abridgment of distance in
the lines of communication established at the dis-
cretion of the Post Master General; consequently
the immediate interests of the Post-office reverat;)
are apparently opposed to improvements in the
culation of correspondence that might be effected
by such means ; and the charge of postage being
levied at a higher rate in proportion as the routes so
established are protracted by their circuitousness,
the scale of taxation is unfairly enhanced by the
comparative defectiveness in this respect of dio
course of communication in different parts of the
United Kingdom."

The mail was first conveyed by stage coact m
on the 2d of August, 1785. In the year 1789
no less than 30,0001. was added to tho reventi;:
by the establishment of mail coaches,

* Clear produce, after defraying all tl)e expenses of
Departments. The Irish Post,otfice yields in addition,
250,0001. per annum.

The total amount of money laid out in Boston
market in the purchase of corn daring the fait month, is
47,218/. 12s. !

Several very extensive failures in the corn
trade, in the West Riding, were spoken of last we-k.
Speculation has been the cause of the misforttrne.
parties are greatly respected.—.l,el Packet.

The ion. WILLIAM JErtvrs'3Envis, the
unfortunate subject of the Commission de Lunatic° -11.;,
quirendo on Wednesday, at the Gray's Inn Cuffee-houe3
is great nephew of the !ate gallant Earl ST. VINCENT, who
died, in 1823, at Brentwood, at the advanced age of 89.
The late Earl, our readers are aware, was elevated to the
Peerage in 1797, upon the occasion of his glorious viclory.
over the Spanish fleet off Caps St. Vincent, when a fleet
of 15 sail of the line only, under his command, engaged
and totally defeated the enemy's fleet, consisting of 29 sail,
seven of whi4 carried from 112 to 130 guns each. H s
Lordship married, in 1783, MARTHA, daughter of the late
Chief Baron PARKER, by whom he had no issue. In con-
sideration of the Earl's gallant services he received another
patent of Peerage in 1801, when he was created Viso-,unt
ST, VtNeENT, with remainder to his two net hews, CaPt,
WILLIA 3I HENRY RICKETTq aad EDWARD JER:istS,
RIcKETTs, Esq.--both of whom respectively assumed the
name of JERVIS. captain RicxErrs JERVIS married Lady
ELIZABETH 41.A484RT, daughter of the of CAVAN,
frotn w.licem he was divorced by Act of Parliament, 1799,
her Ladyship was subsequently united in 1806 ta
the Rev. RICHARD BZICKENDEN, Captain IlicKErrs
was unfortunately drowned in 1805 by the upsetting of
his barge, and, leaving no male issue, Mr. Enwann
4Eit-tsis Rica Errs becamo heir-presumptive to the Vis
county. This gentleman was also' unhappily situated in
domestic life, having married in 1790 the Hon. MARY
CASSANDRA TWISTLETON, sister of the present Lord
SAY and SELR, which marriage was dissolved by Act of
Parliament, 1795 Mrs. RIcKETTs re-marrying in 1806
(then in her 32d year) with RICHARD CHARLES
Gaavis, Esq., her present husband. The un
gentlero in, whose state of min! gave rise to ate in-
ipliry, is the only surviving child of ViscOn ST. YIN- CENT and the Hon. Mrs. GRAVES. Tho flouctentlematt
married, in 1815, SorniA, daughter of the'llefr3Eo.
N'onsoNNE VINCENT, E,q., by whom lie has aßis.on and
heir, horn in 1825 (wlso will inherit !lisle:: r
father's honours), and a daughter, born in