St. Landry democrat., 1885-06-20
THE PosTAG E. STAMP.
The Story of Its Origin-A Brief Sketch OS
Its Inventor

| Its Inventor:
Mr., afterward Sir Rowland Hill,
the great Post-ofics reformer, and in~
Ventor of the postage-stamPs was born
at Kidderminster, England, December
g., 1895. After his education was COM
pleted, he assumed the position Of
teacher IN school conducted by his
father, near Birmingham, until 1888,
when he joined a company interested
in forming colonyin South Australia
and was, appointed secretary of the
royal commissioners who managed the
affairs of the colony. He was also q
member Of the Society for: the Diff
fusion, of Useful knowledge" The
rates of postage at that time were very
high. Postage beyond the limits of the
London District Post-office varied from
I'D. to Is. Sd. for a single letter, mean
ing single piece of paper of less, than
one ounce weight.
This eXorbitant rate of postage was
beyond the means of the mass OF the
people, consequently correspondence
was evaded, and this proved very. in-~
furious to commerce and the industry
of the country. The high rate of post
age attracted Hills attention; he ar
gued that if the price of postage was
lowered, so many more letters would.
pass through the mail that the financial.
condition of the treasury would not be,
impaired. while society would derive
much additional benefit He became
so much interested in the mat
ter that in 1889 he prepared a,
pamphlet recommending low and
uniform rate of postage, which he sue
ceeded in bringing before the British.
Government; his, plans were much IA.
vored, and, q committee was appointed
to investigateits merits and present a.
new code of postal laws, which were
adopted, making. the London direct
postage onepenny, and generalinlands
rate of fourpence January 10, 184O,
the uniform penny post came into use,
which may be considered the birthday
of the poStage-stamp, although they
were not actually introduced until the
9th of May following. The experiment
was successful beyond his own expecta-
ton; during. the next ten years it
made so great a difference that in 1850
there We're sent through the mails T.
239,962 letters, against 100000 in
1S40 Hill then accepted place in
the treasury, but a change in govern
ment dismissed him. He was general
ly regarded as a public benefactor, and
subscription wasraised for his benefit
| in London, which amounted to G15,-
| GOO, or $4,000. This goes to show
the appreciation with which he was re-
garded by grateful nation. In 1916
| he was appointed secretary to the Post
master-General In 1860 he was made
X. C. 3. in recognition of his public
services. We reprint the following
curious and interesting story. though
we do not know its origin. There is a
slight probability that it may have been
what set Mr.. Hill to thinking; it is as
follows:
Zone day girl came out of an inn
located in the north of England and re-
ceived from apostman letter, which she
turned over in her hand as she inquired
the price of the postage. The man
asked shilling, sum too large for
one so poor as k&rself to pay, and so
she returned the letter to the postman
with sadness, although she knew that
her brother had sent it.
ssBut sympathetic traveller named
Rowland Hill stood by, and at this mo-
ment interposed, and insisted onpaying
the shilling himself, although the girl
seemed strongly averse to his doing so.
When the postman had departed the
kind-hearted Mr.. Hill was surprised
that there was no need for his pity, for
the envelope contained no written COM
munication, but on its OUTSIDE were
certain marks agreed upon by herself
and brother, from which, as she held
the letter in her hands, she gathered
the information she desired. we are
both so poor, she continued, 'that we
invented this mode of correspondence
without paying for letters. ''-PtStG-
delphSG Press.