The Life of Sir Rowland Hill and the

1848] JOSEPH ADY. 83
and again obtained very lenient treatment ; while no
sooner was he out of one scrape than, by a return to his
former practice, he plunged into a new one. On one
on condition of
occasion, having been let off lightly
his entering into a formal written engagement not to
repeat the offence, he showed the inveteracy of his
habit by inserting after his signature words to the
effect :
following
"
If Mr. Peacock [the solicitor to the Post is
Office] any relation
to the Mr. Peacock who, about twenty years ago, lived at [such a
place], I can, on receiving the usual fee of twenty-one shillings, tell
him something to his advantage."
Presently afterwards he resorted to a new device.
This was to post his letters, really unstamped, but
each one bearing the mark as of a stamp removed,
so as to furnish ground for an asseveration, of course
ready at hand, that a stamp had really been affixed
to each. It is needless to say that so shallow a pretext
was of no avail, and a conviction was obtained against
him which threw him into prison, and though, by his
usual wiles, he soon contrived to obtain release, he
seemed at length to feel himself beaten, gave up his
singular trade, and, indeed, soon afterwards died.
Communication by Telegraph.
The following entry records as a wonder what would
now be regarded as a very trivial incident :
"
April 4th, 1848. The payment of a money order has been
countermanded from Manchester by electric *
telegraph."
* "May 1 5th, 1849. The Treasury concurs in the arrangement for bringing
the Electrical Telegraph to the Post Office. Under this arrangement, which was
settled by Mr. J. L. Ricardo and myself, with the concurrence of the Postmaster-
General, part of a spare passage will be given up to the Company at the Post
Office, in return for which we are to have a right to transmit and receive messages
at a low rate (one shilling for not more than ten words), the Company bearing all
expenses. I am inclined to hope that the plan will prove mutually advantageous."
Sir R. Hill's Journal.
ED.
G 2