The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

34 LIFE OF SIR ROWLAND HILL. [1855-9
who are thus regarded rather as men that have made
lucky hits than as those who by energy, perseverance,
and generally great pecuniary sacrifice, have, after
many failures, worked their way to valuable results.
I, indeed, was now able to make needful experiments
without any risk to myself, or even much outlay by the
department ; but projectors are seldom so fortunately
placed.
When, some time afterwards, a company was formed
for reducing the plan of tubular conveyance to practice,
all the information on the subject acquired by the Post
Office was handed over for its use. Though greatly
pressed we declined to enter into either partnership or
covenant with the company until the successful working
of the scheme should be established. One line was so
laid down as to be available for our purpose, viz., that
from the Euston Station to the North Western dis-
trict Post Office, a distance of about half a mile, and
was used accordingly. Unfortunately, however, the
whole enterprise proved unprofitable, and for the time,
at least, tubular conveyance of mails came to an end.
Still, what is recorded here may one day prove useful,
since the day may arrive perhaps is now come
when, on some one line at least, the expense involved,
prodigious as it must be, will be justified by the amount
of correspondence and the importance of speed.
Perhaps the approaching termination of the contract
for the Irish mail service may afford convenient op-
portunity for the trial.*
* For further information on this subject, see Appendix M. " Pneumatic tubes
for the conveyance of telegrams are in use," I am informed, " between the Central
Telegraph Office in St. Martin's-le-Grand and many branch offices, the longest
line of tube being that to the House of Parliament upwards of two miles. They
are also in use in Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Birmingham, Newcastle, and
Dublin. In Berlin a costly tube service has been established for the distribution
of letters to the various parts of that city." ED.