The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

406
LIFE OF SIR ROWLAND HILL.
remembered that the operations of the Post Office,
extending over the whole country, provide for the
correspondence of many districts where the population
is too small or too sparse to yield any profit
whatever ; and that although its general rule is not
to go further than this, by providing for districts
which cannot be served without loss, yet for purposes
of Government the rule is in many instances set aside.
It must be added that there are many reasons in
favour of affording a service, not indeed day by day,
but at least week by week, to every house in the
United Kingdom (a completeness already attained in
and it would seem
France, Prussia,* and Switzerland) ;
hard that the Post Office, while called upon to con-
tinue all this ill-remunerated or non-remunerated
service, should be exposed to competition in that
more profitable part of its business, which alone rival
establishments would undertake.
Upon the whole, however, I am so impressed with
the evils attaching to every monopoly, that I cannot
but regard the abandonment in question, after due
preparation, as a desirable step.
Before taking leave of my readers, I would express
an earnest hope that my narrative, besides describing
the progress of
especially
a remarkable change, may prove
useful to all who may at any time con-
template a devotion of their powers to the cause of
be serviceable alike
departmental reform ; that it may
for encouragement and for warning for encourage-
ment, as showing that the field is open, and success,
delivery of circulars at reduced rates (say a halfpenny), on certain conditions
made with a view to the convenience of the Post-Office. "Ida not like
an enforcement of the monopoly. It covers mismanagement "En.
* In Prussia this is effected by means similar to my plan of secondary dis-
tribution (see Vol. I., p. 251). The same means might
be resorted to here.