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parcel incurs 6 new, uncertain, and generally large oharge.
vast loss of efficiency is incurred on the one hand by the
parallel deliveries of a number of companies in each town, and
on the other hand by the disconnect,ed services of the private
carriers. A Government system of conveyance, formed on the
model of the Post Oflice, collecting, conveying, and distributing
parcels and light goods, by one united and dl-extensive
s@.?m, at fixed and well-known charges, and carrying out this
work by contract with tho railways and with t,he owners of the
carriers' carts in all parts of town and country, mould confer
vast benefits on the community, and at tho same time contribute
a handsome addition to tho revenue. It would tend to
introduce immense economy and eficiency into the retail trade
of the kingdom, bringiug the remotest country resident into
communication with the best city shops. It would lighten the
work of the Post Office, by taking off tho less profitable and
more weighty book parcels ; and it would, iu many ways,
form the natural complen~ent to our telegraph, postal, and
money-order system. But a schcme of tllis sort is of coursc
entirely prospective; and it seems to 1nc sufficient at present
for the Goverument and Parliament to consider whether tho
reasone brought forward by various individuals and public
bodies throughout the country in favour of a Government
system of telegraph communications are not sufficient to
warrant an in;mediat,e execut,ion of the plan.
A
POSTSCRIPT.
11th June, 1867.
IN the original paper os read before the Society, a scheme
for a Government Parcel Post mas more fully considered and
a.dvocated, but as there seemed no immediate prospect of sucll
a scheme being discussed, the part of the paper containing it
was abbreviat,ed before printing. It now appears, however,
that the Railway Commissioners in their Report, which has
lately been published (dated 7th May), propose that the Railways
should combine by aid of the Clearing House to form a
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