The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

44O
APPENDIX A.
already exceeded my estimate as laid before the select
of the House of Commons on Postage of 1843 (P- 9)committee
From the facility with which the necessary changes, many of
them difficult and complicated, have been effected in this department
since it came under my immediate and exclusive direction,
your Lordship will, perhaps, deem it not unreasonable to infer that,
with similar means at my command, a like success may be obtained
elsewhere ; and the encouragement hence derived has augmented
my earnest desire to attempt without delay improvements in other
departments, for years contemplated, which, while they present
many
service.
difficulties, are of no slight importance to the public
The complete consolidation of the two corps of letter-carriers
is a promised measure of this description. This consolidation I
first recommended in the year 1837, submitted to the Treasury
in the year 1842, laid before the select committee on postage of
1843, and sustained through a severe examination. Up to that
time it was opposed by the Post Office authorities, and not supported
by the Treasury; but at the commencement of 1847 a
decided step was taken in that direction, and with advantageous
results.
My opinion of the value of the measure has never varied, and
my desire for its adoption is, of course, greatly strengthened by
finding it pressed on the Office by the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
whose exhortations to the same effect have now, for twelve months,
been from time to time earnestly given.
But, after the maturest deliberation, I still feel impressed with the
painful conviction that unless I could be placed, with reference to
the departments concerned in the change, in a position similar to
that which I hold with regard to the Money Order Office, the
attempt would not only fail, but might produce a state of serious
insubordination.
Your Lordship will bear in mind that the improvement in
question involves other changes, some of them of a very com-
plicated nature, and such as could be effected only by a delicate
and difficult process; I need not say that where the ramifications
are so numerous, it is quite impossible to frame, in prospectu, any
detailed plan which will not require very much of subsequent
modification. The experience derived from each step of the process,
will be required to govern the succeeding step. The improvements
must be introduced on the tentative principle, and extended or
varied, hastened or delayed, according as the peculiar feelings and