The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

LIFE OF SIR ROWLAND HILL. [1849-51
Theft at Caermarthen.
"February 2nd, 1849. Went upstairs to Mr. Ramsey's room to see
the articles which have been stolen by the daughter of the Caermarthen
postmaster. There is jewellery and haberdashery enough
to stock a small shop, and ^"95 in money. The woman has kept the
letters (200 or 300) from which the articles were taken, so that many
can be restored. It seems that she has indulged her thieving pro-
pensities for seven years."
It appeared afterwards that her object had been to amass such a
dowry as would give her good matrimonial prospects.
Anonymous Contribution.
"January 23rd, 1849. Received an anonymous letter (postmarked
Birmingham) containing IO.T. in postage stamps '
Towards
penny-postage memorial from a man to subscribe.'
(sic) poor at the time to
"
A Striking Result.
The following shows one of the extraordinary results of cheap
postage :
"June I4th, 1849.
Last week's returns show that 3,100,000 letters
[an unprecedented number] passed through the London office (general
and district) in that period. On asking Bokenham for an explanation,
he states that Hatchard, the publisher in Piccadilly, and a city house
connected with him in the publication of a valuable Bible, are
sending out 300,000 prospectuses of their Bible ; they
penny envelopes; the postage would exceed ; 1,200."
Improved condition of Officials.
are all in
I received the following striking indications as to the amount of
relief afforded within the last eleven years to Post Office officials :
" September loth, 1849. Having occasion to refer to some papers
connected with the Liverpool office of the year 1838, I find it stated
that, after a proposed increase of force, the clerks would be engaged
from ten to twelve hours a day, besides occasional night-work ; also
that none of the letter-carriers would walk less than twenty miles a
day, Sundays included. Such a state of as monstrous."
things would now be viewed
Source of Dishonesty,
It has often been alleged that dishonesty in Post Office servants
arises from insufficiency in their salaries. A better explanation would