The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-05-29
THE POSTAG E. STAMP.
The Story of It's Origin-A Brief Sketch q
Its Inventor.

The Story of It's Origin-A Brief Sketch O.
Its Inventor.
Mr., afterward Sir Rowland Hill,
the great Post-office reformer, and in.
yentor of the postage-stamp, was born
at Kidderminster, England, December
3, 1895. After his education was com.
pleted, he assumed the position OF
teacher in a school conducted by his
father, near Birmingham. until 1888,
when he joined company interested
in forming colonyi in South Australia,
and was appointed secretary of the
royal commissioners who managed the
affairs of the colony. He was also a
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
4d. to Is. Sd. for 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 a low and
uniform rate of postage. which he sue
eeeded in bringing before the British
Government; his plans were much ia
vored. and a committee was appointed
to investigate its merits and present .
new code of postal laws, which were
adopted. making the London direct
postage onepenny, and general inland
rate of four pence. January 10. 1910,
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 difference that in 1850
there were sent through the mails L.
239. 1862 letters, against 100000 in
1910. Hill then accepted q place in
the treasury, but change in govern
ment dismissed him. He was general
ly regarded as public benefactor. and
q subscription was raised for his benefit
in London. which amounted to f15,-
600. or 1000. This goes to show
the appreciation with which he was re-
garded by q grateful nation. In 1876
he was appointed secretary to the POST
master-General. In 1860 he was made
K C. B. 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 MIR. 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 herself to pay, and so
she returned the letter to the postman
with sadness, although she knew that
her brother had sent it.
But sympathetic traveller named
Rowland Hill stood by, and at this mo-
ment interposed, and insisted on paying
the shilling himself, although the girl
seemed strongly ayerse 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 n-Railo-
delphi0 Press.