The Post-office, we are s...
The Times, 1824-09-27T00:00:00

The Post-office, we are sorry to observe, requires frequent rousing. It is not m.any months ago, sinee the steam- packets on the Holyhead station were p3ssed at sea by al- most every collier in the coasting trade; nor was it until after a long and universal outcry from the whole body of Irish merchants, that an evil so obvious was removed. The commercial world of Lolndon are no less generally and justly irritated at the unsuitable descriptioia of vessels em- ployed as packets on foreign stations. A recent instance is mentioned, of a Buones Ayres post-6ffice packet, which brought accounts direct from that quarter, of no later date than those which came in an American, by the circuitous route of New York, requiring a double voyage. From Rio die Janeiro, an interesting point, the communications with which ate every dav becoming more important, letters and intelligence generally arrive quicker.by the Guern- sey and Jersey vessels, than by the Kingo packet, which discreditable circumstance has on many occasions given the merchants of the above islauds au undue advantage over those of London, in so far that when news of a nature to afFect the markets has been received, they have kept back the London ship letters until they liad effected their own sales or purchases. Now, that all.this might be remedied iselear dnouglh, provided only that the Post-office would d'o its duty, by taking the same care oT the public interests that individuals, with far inferior means, emnplgy for the protection of their own. We recollect that a grand display of vigour or liberality, or some otler virtue, was attempted a little time ago by the substitution of 10-gun men of war, the very refuse and ridicule of the navy, for the former class of packet-boats on foreign stations. This was to be aboon to the public; and a boon it was, of no common magnit.udc. These precious gun-brigs are sufficiently qualified for har. bour .or river service, or for a coasting trade.. But as packets, they have, in the first place, no accommodation for passengers; inthle next place, they are outstripped by every decellt sailing raerciantman: when 4t comes to blow, they can never show canvass; anid were we at war to-mor- row, they could neither fight nor fly. A packet, we need not say, ought to be a sharp lengthy vessel, calculated to take advantage of all vinds, and to stand al lveathers: she oaot1itbe, in maritine pariance, a match for any thing that -sviims the sa for expeclition; sinee it is not merely the objects- of' private commerce that are served or insured by the celerity wvith which intelligence may be carried, but the best interests of the State itseli, which turn on the rapidity of coimnanication between the seat of Governmenit and the extremities of the habitable world. The foreigni mails are not the only braneh of the Post-office busihess in wlichl this neglect of duty is observable. Notwithstanding the onor- knous postage on inlnnd letters, the mail-coaches thlotghout the United Kingdom are among the slowvest conveyances on the road. We have no wish to inflict, in any instance, tinmeritel censure on men in public office: but this class of grievance has been of too loing standing, and comes too near the comfort of every man in the empire, to admit of its being quietly overlooked.