The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

276 LIFE OF SIR ROWLAND HILL. [1855-9
per annum, not only to perform certain specified
services at appointed hours and at a given speed,
but to place all their trains, without exception, at the
service of the department.
Need of Legislation.
Nevertheless, all that we could effect as respects
railway conveyance of the mails left, and I must add
still leaves, much to be desired ; the law being, to
this day, in such a state as is exceedingly injurious
not only to public convenience and to economy in
the Post Office, but, as I conscientiously believe, to
the true interests of the companies themselves. The
following instances may serve for illustration :
Application was made to the Post Office for a
day mail to Alton ; and the concession was offered
on condition that the London and South Western
Company would consent, according to a practice
established on some other lines, to carry the bag
at the ordinary parcel rate, the Post Office under-
taking (contrary to the usual practice in respect of
it to and from the stations. Our
parcels) to convey
offer could hardly be considered unreasonable, seeing
that the Post Office, as compared with an ordinary
customer, would have to pay equally high for less
service and for regular instead of occasional custom.
The offer, however, was refused the Post Office had
;
no power to enforce the demand ; and, as the cor-
respondence would not justify the expense of a
regular
mail train, the desired convenience was
delayed for years ; the company thereby losing an
increase to its parcel traffic, every penny paid for
which would, in effect, have been clear profit.
In the year 1856, I received an application from Sir