The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

1855-9] ACCELERATION OF MAILS. 273
RAILWAY SERVICE.
Acceleration of Mails.
While these important improvements were going
forward within the London district, measures were
also in steady progress for improved communication
with all parts of the United Kingdom, partly by the
extended use of day mails, partly by an acceleration
of speed, and partly by measures for securing greater
punctuality. For the further attainment of the latter
object, attempts were again made to induce the companies
to enter into engagements by which they and
the Post Office should be mutually bound to penalties
in case of unpunctuality, coupled with rewards to
the companies (though, of course, not to the Post
Office) for punctual performance.* In the year 1855
one company, viz., the North British, accepted this
proposal, and the beneficial effect soon showed itself,
the instances of irregularity being brought down in
one half year from a hundred and twelve to nine,
while the company received within the same time
^400 in the way of reward, t Notwithstanding this
result, however, the Post Office never succeeded in
inducing the railway companies generally to agree to
the adoption of the plan.
After awhile, nevertheless, we prevailed
companies conveying
on the
the night mail between London
and Edinburgh to limit the ordinary traffic of the
mail trains, and at the same time to effect a material
acceleration. J Mainly by these means, the interval
between London, on the one hand, and Edinburgh
and Glasgow on the other previously reduced from
"Second Report," p. 12. t "Third Report," p, 7.
VOL. II.
J " Fifth Report," p. II.
T