The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

APPENDIX H. 463
arrears, and to prevent the possibility of new ones arising. And
eventually the liabilities of the department were ascertained, and
a general balance was struck, which has since been repeated
quarterly.
On a full investigation of the accounts I found that the
Department was not only, as I had anticipated, unprofitable, but
involved an annual loss of no less than ; 10,000.
I, however, found it practicable to introduce, by successive
improvements, such simplification in the arrangements as, with
increased convenience to the public, and increased accuracy in
the accounts, with better pay and more relaxation to the clerks,
to convert this loss into a gain, which amounted for the year
l &5 to p^3. 2 36, and which, under my brother, Mr. Frederic Hill,
who has subsequently carried on the Department in the same spirit
of improvement, amounted last year to ^11,664, making an
effective saving within five years of upwards of ^21,000 per
annum.
As regards the Post Office generally, the amount of saving which
may still be effected is a matter of so much uncertainty, that I
hesitate to offer any estimate, I can only say that it may be
assumed, as I think it may, that every Department of the service
can be gradually improved to the same extent as the Money Order
Office (the only one which has been confided entirely to my care),
it follows that in the course of a few years, not only may the
public be better served, and the men, if necessary, better paid,
but savings may be effected to an extent of about ^200,000 a
year, in addition to the saving of ^100,000 a year, which, if required,
I should be prepared to show has already been made.
But of late a new motive has arisen for the proposed change.
The augmentation of letters is not only in constant progress, but has
for some time moved forward with increasing celerity. Without
some change, no doubt is entertained in the office, that the present
building will soon be not only too small for the transaction of the
business, but so much too small, as that no increase of its limits
by practicable additions will answer the requirements of the service ;
and consequently that a most expensive outlay probably not less
than half a million will be required for a new Post Office.
If placed, however, in the position contemplated, I shall be
enabled, as I confidently expect, to make, under your Lordship's
sanction, such improvements as will avert this impending necessity
for years, if not remove it altogether.
The result of my experiments in the Money Order Office has