Facsimile PDF - Online Library of Liberty

334 ,I/ETHODS OF SOCIAL REFORJI.
offices. Instructions which I have repeatedly given to consignors
are usually disregarded, and any attempt to recover
the ovcrchnrgc would be regarded ns absurd.
Of course the cases which I have quoted are only specimens
of what must be happening daily wit.h hnndreds of thousands
or even millions of parcels. A sixpence or a %hilling may be
a triflo in itself, but multiply it by millions, and the matter
becomes one of national importance. All large sums are
made up of little unita, and tho history of the Post Office
before Sir R o w l t ~ n d Hill's rcfonn shon-s how small oppressive
overcharges Ptrnnple trnffic.
1,et IIA nom look at thc cllnrges which are made by the
principal milwny companies for convcgancc and dellvery
within tho usual limits. These arc by no means uniform,
and each company uaunlly has exceptional rates for certain
districts. Tho following table, however, which is an extract
from tho tables of the London and North Western Railmar,
contains a uniform tariff which has been recently adopted by
tho principal companies-such as the North Western, Midland,
Great Northern-carrying to the north of London. It
will therefore servo as a good specimen :
With few exceptions, the Scnlc of Charges (exclusive of Booking Fee) to
or from Stations on the London and North Vestern Railway is
undor :
~-
1
Bboro . , 30
,, ... 50
,, ... loo
, .I.
150
300
wo
,I ... 200
I) ... 2.50
I, ...
...I 0)
,, ... 500
And not
xcocding
Miles.
30
to
100
150
200
250
300
400
5m I 1 0'1 3 1 P 2 6; 18
1 311 612 0'2 P 16
1 6i1 912
3 3 01,
16
0 6 / 24 io+
0 8 16
1 0 16 '04
1 31 It, 11
1 6; 14 jl+
2 0i 16 'I+
2 4' 16 !lq
2 6, 15 '2
3 01 18 12
3 01' 16 (24
3 41 16 ;2)
A Special Scale is in operation iu the districts of Laneashire and
Yorkshire, and to the lines south of the Thnmee.