The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

LIFE OF SIR ROWLAND HILL. [1855-9
within the compass of a night ; acceleration, therefore,
up to this point, was highly
desirable. Even now
(1868), much as has been done, the work is not absolutely
perfect ; while the increased expense by which
the last abridgement, though of not more than two or
three hours, has been effected, exceeds ,15,000 per
annum. Now my hope was that by the establishment
of tubular conveyance so far as Dover on the one
hand, and Crewe on the other, the necessary acceleration
in all the three services Irish, Scotch, and
French might be obtained ; and judging from the
estimate made with reference to the London District, I
hoped that the cost would not greatly exceed the actual
payment for the railway service to be superseded. To
these larger questions, therefore, the attention of
Messrs. Gregory and Cowper was now turned.
I must confess, however, my views were not alto-
gether limited to increased speed
: I saw that tubular
conveyance, if successful, would facilitate frequent
despatch ; indeed, that a rapid succession of mails
would probably be the most economical way of using
that as the tubes could without
the apparatus ; again,
inconvenience keep the line of ordinary roads, pass
through the heart of towns, and even be carried, when
necessary, through the very post offices along the route.
I hoped for no small economy, both of time and
money, in the disuse of the mail-carts plying between
such offices and the various railway stations. I further
thought that, if railway companies saw a successful
competitor for postal service, they would moderate their
demands, or, if remaining unreasonable, would be con-
trolled by arbitrators, who would of course take the
new rival into account. Lastly, I hoped that the great
acceleration consequent upon the adoption of the new
plan would prove highly acceptable to newspaper