The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

3/4 LIFE OF SIR ROWLAND HILL. [1867
Rewardfor Faithful Services.
This important minute was written in the year 1867,
about three years after my resignation. While, how-
ever, my brother was quietly rejoicing
at the success
with which he had surmounted these serious difficulties,
and dwelling, perhaps, with some natural gratification
on two recent minutes in which the Duke of Montrose
had recorded his satisfaction with the financial results
of the packet service during the time it had been
under his management, and with the state of perfection
into which that service had been brought ; while, more-
over, he was taking measures for further improvements
of great importance, for which opportunity was rapidly
approaching, through the termination of existing con-
tracts, a change was preparing which soon put all such
thoughts to flight. Will it be believed that in the
course of the same year, nay, within a few months from
the date alike of the despatch to Australia and of the
Postmaster-General's gratifying minutes, the whole
packet service was withdrawn from my brother's charge
and placed in other hands. The motive assigned by
his Grace was that Mr. Frederic Hill's views were
opposed to those of the Postmaster-General, Mr. Tilley,
and the Treasury. No positive act of opposition was
alleged or even hinted at, my brother's proceedings in
the matter having been limited to statements and
arguments set forth in minutes to his Grace ; while, to
judge by all his antecedents, he was ready, as indeed
he was bound, to obey any injunction, and to carry out
any announced wish of his official superior, however
little these might be in accordance with his own
it must be
opinion. The consequences of the change,
added, were far more speedy than satisfactory. Within
a year, the cost of the service, which under his