The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

I849-5 1 ] POSTAL TREATIES. 183
apparent anomaly of intermittent posts ; though the necessary con-
sequence is that many houses, and perhaps even some hamlets,
must remain altogether unvisited by the postman.
PACKET SERVICE.
I was asked to prepare a confidential memorandum on the subject
of an experimental despatch of the mails to North America from
Galway, which I did accordingly, the results of my investigation,
however, not being such as, in my opinion, to justify the experiment.
I scarcely need add that some years later the course thus deprecated
was taken by Government, not indeed in expectation of profitable
results, but as a concession to Irish demands ; that the attempt was
altogether unsuccessful, and .besides absorbing a large sum from the
revenue, occasioned disastrous loss to all who held shares in the
packets.
POSTAL TREATIES.
Although postal treaties with foreign countries had but little
direct connection with my particular reforms, yet their indirect
bearing was important; and still greater their relation to the general
postal interests of the country; so that though, ever since my
removal from the Treasury they had been managed for the most
part without reference to me, I nevertheless had now frequent
opportunities of suggesting improvements, and in the end the
arrangement fell almost entirely into my hands.
The Postmaster-General directed my attention to the state of our
treaty with France. The British Office had proposed that the international
rate should be reduced from tenpence to sixpence, but this
was objected to by the French Government, because it was coupled
with a demand for an equitable division of postage between the two
Offices. It may be remembered that through a blunder made by
our Office in 1843 an undue advantage was given to France, which
I then estimated at ^4000 per annum but ; by a modification made
subsequently to my reappointment, but entirely without my know-
ledge, our annual loss had been raised to ^8000. I explained all
this to the Postmaster-General, and he regretted that I had not been
consulted in the matter; he thought, however, that the French
Government could not refuse such concession as would at least
rectify the latter error.
" March i5th, 1850. At the Postmaster-General's house. He is
about to visit Paris, and intends to treat for a reduction in the inter-
national rate. He is anxious at the same time to correct the blunder