New-York tribune., 1884-12-07
THE BRITISH POST-OFFlCE.
NOTES ON SOME PECULIARlllES VI i''
MANAGEMENT.

!oun'"S' 80, VIZ o,,,,r, that Mr. Fawcctt was
.,o,cbo,v and difficult to get on wl'o' wv" VIZ" 49,,
,n.e1 h, ,b,sc who had to work win h'U, "i'
u,,l vool who Is the permahoh' "'"" w ''
c,,,, u p,nartmcnt declares all thls s'o,N '"
rho honda of every branch "t tn' u"''o 's"
Az, rnvc,tt with respect ana "noo'''' "
,o,lo1 carefully after tho pcte"na' n''''s'S W
,'a.onrdcr MIN. and II he had to "Notru'c nnNno"N'
,t1i, with considcratcncsa. Nor was MS "nu"nVF"
Mr. nlackwood assures uT' an "nPo"'"'"' ~ NV
Transaction of business n,
Tbi, testimony is gratifying 80 far as u goes bn'
,hrre IL a scntcncc in Mr. BacKwood's letter when
,a,.cs a different question. The respect and NJ
,oc,ion which he aud his colleagues had Tor MI
rowcett was such M can, III MI Blackwoous
orinion che rarely won from their subordnalos
nv the Parliamentary chiefs of public depart
ments" That is u very significant remark ishoul"
be disposed To add that 1t could, as rue ohy oo
won If the Parliamentary chiefs give way To th'ir
socalled snbordinates The public seems often TO
take for granted that the Parliamentary chiei is
the real chef that the PostOhice is ruled by the
Postmaster General. the Nayv by the FIRST Lord
of the Admiralty. the War Office by the secretary
OF State for Wara so on This is true III surety
limited sense. On some great questions the head OF
n Department has his way, or the Cabinet TAKES
decision In other matters this country is gov
erncd by permanent clerks, and the Post-Olhce is
n very good example of the way in which peTina-
nent clerk like Mr.. BackwOOd governs lime was
was when the Post-Oflce was penetrated WIN d
spirit of efficiency, when reforms were weicoihou,
when abuses were remeded and defects maze soou
with aacrIty. The pubic interest and not 'he III
terest or convenience of the Department and It's
clerks was considered 1t would oe
rash to say that the same state
of things exists now. The Times said not long ago
had optir ha
81. Northumberland headquarters of the pcrma-
ncnt Post Office clerks be as open-minded as 1t was
inclined to be little less than half century ago
II is rare to see such sentence of condemnation
passed on a great public Office by the leading jour
nal of Great Britain. But ii is deserved
The truth about Mr.. Fawcett's administration of
the Post Office has not been quite correctly stated
lie has been much praised, perhaps not
too much but for the wrong things. lie
devoted his energies 10 what may cll
side issues He enlarged the facilities
for investing in savings banks here branch OF
post-olfce business lie fought for the Post-Oiice
monopoly against telephones successfully resisted
for a long time the general introduction of the
telephone finally saw his policy was mschievous
and gave way. He flooded the offices. telegraph
offices included with women, with the result that
the telegraph service of England is laxative and
inaccurate He established the Parcels Post,
which is Irresponsible irregular and, at present
nsolvent, but which may easily be so improved
A. 70 be invaluable. But the real
bnsness of the Post flee is the collection trans
mission and delivery of letters and papers. If Mr.
Fawcctt gave much attention TO pcrieciing tins
work TO keeping up the standard OF efficiency, To
promoting speed and punctuaty, his efforts yield
ell bnt a poor result. The Post-Ohice for some
years past has not been improving; ii has detc
Ea wa M "A
the hands of his subordinaes in these essential
matters II would not he fair to charge upon him
the spirit of obstruction, the love of routine. the
sfrldv opposition tU reform. the acqniescence IN
delay and decay which mark the present rule in
the British Post Office As Mr. Blackwood is the
rrrinancnt cyDcuiive and ruling spirit at ST. Mar
tnsln-Graud n is lac who must be held rosrons'hle
Ihnvpnften lkpd u,el Post Onice matters with MI
Tovcrtt csperinllv the American mail service. A
plain statement uf some of The most inveiclaie
nulis need iu nsiunish HIM Aitoiwnid hc looked
tnlr thp nuostiun fu himself nud believe really
mnlui iu sweep away the anomalies AMI nh7uili-
tisnf the ptiaiins contract stsipW etsinm nn-
do, winch. uui ~ thilppn itsi snrs rlt ni ,rhu-
iatA between ENuitnd and NuW \uih lhn niilish
inst uni,o employs rtt'tlN tout Nni
Al ihrhWoni and lhe steamship
inp were Too stmng tof hin Nhnn
tho old contract was removed for year wrote to
ab.a To looh into the subject himself as he bad
meant Ia. From what had heard him say aud from
what knew OF his capacity for mastering a sub
feet and his impatience of lmbcchties, felt sure
be- would have insisted ON sweeping reform If he
had inquired into the existing system. To my as
constituent got letter from him saying that
there was no subject he had more carefully con-
sidercd than the American mails, and that he was
much disappointed at finding himself
obi, scd to continue the old arrangement
Eumor has il that the Treasury
ovcrrued Mr.. Fawcctt. who was, for his part,
ready to try the American plan. Whether be yielded
to tho authority decisive IN all mstters) of the
Treasury, or to the diplomacy of Mr.. Blackwood.
Icannot say. What is certain is that Mr.. Black
wood has publicly expressed his satisfaction with
the present system, and the fair inference is that
he a. well as the ring companies, who profit by if,
did his best to maintain 1t IN all its magnificent
ineihcicncy.
Perhaps may give another example of the OBJ
structive power of the permanent clerk.
Ny talks with Mr. Fawcett about the Post Office
touched other points than the American
service. lie good enough to propose to me to
wit. TO him personally whenever | had a com
plant TO make or a suggestion TO offer. | did
several times. always got answer from Mr..
Fawcett himself and promise to look into the
matter. Then my letter apparently went through
the usual routine. 1t handed over to
the particular branch of the Post Office which
in the habit ofdcalng with similar topics. Some
weeks or mouths later an inspector would call to
make personal inquiry into the matter More weeks
would elapse and then ould come an onicIal letter
expressing with elaborate civily the regret Of the
Secretary thai | should have been put to incon-
vcnicncc aud his grief that it had not been found
practicable 10 make the change desired in the
a.,ftf. titpaa thern
assurance that every effort would be made to avod
DELAY or Whatever II WAS in future. OF actual