The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

274 LIFE OF SIR ROWLAND HILL. [1855-9
time to time was brought down to less than eleven
hours ; and this, with other aids, enabled the department
to deliver the letters at these important cities
before business hours in the morning, and to despatch
the return mails after business hours in the evening.
To effect this improvement we had to make an
additional payment of about ,15,000 a year to the
railway companies alone ; but the benefit was so great
to Edinburgh and Glasgow indeed to the whole of
Scotland that we did not grudge the outlay.
I cannot say so much for another acceleration
effected during this period, viz., that of the mails
between London and Dublin ; not that this was less
important, but that the annual expense entailed by the
change is every way greatly in excess. The object
was that the night and day mails should reach Dublin,
the one in time for the first delivery of the day and for
despatch onwards by the Dublin day mail, the other
in time for delivery the same night and for despatch
onwards by the Dublin night mail ; and in order that
these operations might be regular, it was obviously
necessary that there should be a margin of time at
Dublin to allow for occasional late arrival there. In
1853 a committee of the House of Commons had
been appointed to report upon the best means of
improving the service in question. The evidence
of Captain Huish and other authorities connected
with the existing service was to the effect that it
might be greatly accelerated, and that at a not
very immoderate addition to the actual cost. In con-
sequence, the committee reported
in favour of the
measure,* and Government decided to give effect to
their recommendation ; but, when negotiations were
commenced, the companies concerned, disregarding
* 1853, No. 747.