The Washington times., 1914-09-27
OLD MAIL STAGESOF
GERMANY IN EXHIBIT
Models at National Museum
Give Interesting Glimpse of
Early Posts.

something of the early history of thu
Velopmcnt OF Germanys mail system
disclosed in the postal exhibit at th'
ational Museum Of three mail wagon
odels from Germany, which arc =
art of the exhibit turned over by the
n>toniCe Department.
These three models were fashioned by
.. expert metal worker named Robert
Iebscher, OF Dresden, Germany, IN The
liter part of the nineteenth century
nd represent three types of typical
iCrman post carriers of the eighteenth
rud nineteenth centuries. Tn" largest
4 foUr-horse coach built to accommo-
late about twelve passengers ah carry
several sacks of mail. Ii is complete 10
ne minutest detail and painted q bright
yellow, with black trimmings and the
ierman arms emblasoned on the doors.
The other models are smaller. one being
single horse mail cart, labeled
kaiscrl. Deutsche Post and the
ether a two-wheeled Chaise. Both tho
after were used for mail alone, where
s here was little if any. passenger travel
long the post routes.
Post System Ancient.
It may not be generally realized that
the origin of the post system, which
has developed into one of the most
Effective instruments of civilization,
dstes back to ancient history. and the
I'D Testament. In those early times the
foreruuner of the postal service was
Maintained by monarchs and indiVldu-
Els in authority, whose slaves and ser
= ants acted as couriers, delivering mes
. aEes and relaying each other %hen tne
trstances were great
The first system of this sort is credit
r j to the Persian Empire N 559 h =.
yrus the Elder posted a number Of
-nounted couriers at different stations
,Ithin his domain situated about
ay's journey apart, that he might re-
& Give his provincial reports without de-
From the Latin word ''positus." mean
.I.g stationed. this method of communl-
alton by means of relays placed at dif-
rent points along the roads, came TO
e known as a Post system, and event.
Jaily as the postal system OF today.
In the time IF Caesar. about IS B. c.,
she courier service was well organized,
, I'd t is said that letters sent by him
Z rom Britain TO Cicero at Rome reach
q / their destination in Lwenty-siN or
Ecnty-eight DAYS. Scarcely anv private
p l"ssages were delivered under This
arly order, but gradually the rncssen-
rs of the officials came to carry let
rs for individuals addrcSsHd 10 the
Q 1me town Or city toward which they
Euurneyed.
First German Mail Service.
The first actual letter post of Germany
Eoems TO have been established in the
ianse Towns in the latter part of the
-welfth or the early part of the thir-
Ieenth centuries. y line OF letter posts
-ollowed. connecting Austria with Lom-
ardy. Ill the reign of Maximillian
t5S-l5lSl, which is said to have been
organized by Franz of Thurn and Taxis.
who established another post route in
L5l6 from Vienna TO Brussels, connecting
-hc more distant parts of the domain OF
Charles V. The family of the Prince
pr Thu-n ad Taxis continued to hold
certain rights with regard TO the Ger
nan postal system until 1906. their posts
"inS entirely distinct from those of the
roWn.
With the increase Of correspondence.
he courier system became inefficient
hUd wagons were introduced. Cerr,.-
-Dondence itself induced travel. so he
1're long, post wagons with seats fJr
teveral people appeared on the high
" ays, and a combination of post and
travel stages resulted. In some places
ne mail and passengers were kept
eparate. post-chaises. driven bv post
boys or positions. being rented from
station Ia station, the mail still going
.N courier as before But in other
laces, on long trips as was the use in
i"rmany especially, the post and pas
E myers went together in great STAGE
+ I'd mail coaches similar to the larger
. odel in the National Museum collec-
Ion.