The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

1855-9] POSTAGE ON NEWSPAPERS. 345
oftener afforded me support than subjected me to
attack ; frequently, too, bringing a salve for the very
sore it had made, and ably maintaining those views
which, in its moments of irritation, it had scornfully
disparaged. On one of the very points on which
it attacked the office about this time, viz., the com-
parative amount of work and wages in the department,
it subsequently wrote in an admirable manner ;
nor can I refer my readers to an abler exposition of
sound principles than is to be found in its article of
July 24th, 1862. I cannot touch upon this subject
without mentioning the remarkable fact that, whereas
the introduction of penny postage was really followed
by a reduction in the hours of work, and at the same
time by an increase in the remuneration to almost
every man in the department, save only the Postmaster-General
and the Secretary, an impression has
very generally prevailed, and still, I believe, remains
in many quarters, that the truth is the very reverse.
Early in the year 1860, Mr. Gladstone requested
me to attend at his office to meet the manager of the
Times and another gentleman, who wished to make
some representations on the part of the journals. The
interview took place accordingly, when I found that
the demand was for a reduction of the newspaper rate
in all cases, however heavy or light the paper, to one
penny. The argument chiefly relied on by the applicants
was that the railway companies were happy to
convey the papers at half the charge ; to this I merely
replied that, if such were the case, there could be no
reason, seeing that there was no monopoly
in the
conveyance of newspapers, to make any application
at the Post Office, the whole matter being already
provided for. I need not say, however, that this
reply, though it remained unrefuted, was held to be