The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

1843]
MY EVIDENCE.
threefold, while the increase in Post Office expenses,
though still, in my opinion, excessive, was, when the
accounts were cleared of certain extraneous charges,
actually less for the three years subsequent to the
reduction of the rate than for the three years previous
thereto.*
I referred to a letter from Messrs. Pickford, by
which it appeared that they estimated the increase
in the number of their letters during the last four
years, enclosures being counted in, as from 30,000
to about 72O,ooo.t
I compared the results of penny postage, and of the
other alterations consequent upon it (so far as they had
then been carried into effect), with the recorded an-
ticipations of the Post Office and of myself; referring
particularly J to illicit conveyance, the safety of postage
stamps, and the exchange of charge by
number of
enclosures for charge by weight ; on all which points
the expectations of the Post Office had proved
erroneous. I also recalled Colonel Maberly's opinion
that in the first year the number of letters would not
double, even if every one were allowed to frank ;
Mr.
Louis's estimate that the adoption of the penny rate
would cause a loss of from sevenpence to eightpence
per letter that is, somewhat more than the gross
revenue of the Post Office at the time ; and Lord
Lichfield's statement in Parliament, that each letter
costs the Post Office "within the smallest fraction of
twopence-halfpenny "
a calculation making the
penseex-
double the produce of the penny rate. On
the other hand, I had no difficulty in showing that
* " Report of the Committee on Postage (1843)," question 24.
t " Report of the Committee on Postage (1843)," question 25.
" Report of the Committee on Postage (1843)," question 72.
" Report of the Committee on Postage (1843)," question 72, p. 21.