The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

1843] POSTAL REFORMERS. 9
Such are a few of the matters selected for my
pamphlet, out of the many dealt with in my evidence
relative to past proceedings.
The next point of consideration was the probability
of the completion of my plan.
my pamphlet, premising that in the previous passage
I again quote from
I had referred to the importance which I had always
attached to the plan as a whole, and to the Duke
of Wellington's emphatic recognition of such im-
portance :
" As regards probabilities, it is a curious fact that, from the insti
tution of the Post Office to the present time, no important improvement
has had its origin in that establishment.* The town-posts
originated with a Mr. Dockwra, f shortly before the Restoration ; the
cross-posts with Mr. Allen, about the middle of last century ; and
the substitution of mail-coaches for horse and foot posts was, as is
well known, the work of Mr. Palmer some thirty years later. It is
remarkable that the cases of Dockwra and Palmer bear a consider-
able resemblance to my own. The opposition to the introduction,
and, what is more extraordinary, to the working-out and even the
continuance of Palmer's plan, is too well known to be dwelt on here;
but both these remarkable men saw their plans adopted, were them-
selves engaged to work them out, and subsequently, on the complaint
of the Post Office, were turned adrift by the Treasury.''^
I may remark here that though the three reformers
Dockwra, Palmer, and I were all alike in the fact
of dismissal, a subsequent distinction must be observed.
Mr. Dockwra, I fear, never received any recompense
for his valuable improvement ;
Mr. Palmer was allowed
a pension of ,3,000 per annum, an amount much
below that promised him in the case of success
obtaining, however, after many years delay, a par-
* I have since learnt that Mr. Allen had been in the Post Office.
+ The plan was originally devised by a Mr. Murray, who, however, transferred
it to Mr. Dockwra.
J " State and Prospects of Penny Postage," pp. 35, 36.