The History of the Postmarks of the British Isles from 1840 to 1876 - John Hendy (1909)

APPENDIX F.
A List of the Papers issued under the direction of the Mercantile Committee on
Postage, in 1838 and 1839, by Mr. Ashurst, Parliamentary Agent, and Mr. H. Cole,
Secty.
Mr. Ashurst's papers are marked "A," Mr. Cole's "C."
1. Circular accompanying suggestions (A).
2. Suggestions, distributed to mercantile firms throughout the country, to Houses
of Lords and Commons, etc. (A).
3. Circular, soliciting information, etc., distributed with the last (A).
4. Circular, for subscription, addressed to Fire and Life Offices, Companies of the
City and other Corporate Bodies (C).
5 to 18. Thirteen numbers of the Post Circular. The average number printed of
each number was about 1750. The whole set was sent from time to time to every newspaper
in the United Kingdom, about 250 of every number to the friends of the Postage
Cause, and the Mercantile Committee. One or more numbers were sent to every Town
Council, Chamber of Commerce, Public Library, News Room, Mechanics' Institute
Board of Guardians, Clerk of Poor Law Union, Minister of Religion, Church of England
(above 12,000) or otherwise. Country Bankers, etc., throughout the Kingdom (C).
19. Circular accompanying Petitions (C).
20. Letter to Scotch Newspapers (C).
21. Window Bill for Petitions (C).
22. Petition Bill for Institutions (C).
23. Specimen letter of Single and Double Postage, 500 copies distributed (C).
24. Do. sent to about 44 Mechanics' Institutes (C).
25. Scene at Windsor Castle, 2000 printed, sent to Lords and Commons, etc. (C).
26. Another Edition, 2000 printed (C).
27. Cheap Editions, nearly 100,000 of these were either sold or distributed.
28. 40,000 were stitched in "Nicholas Nickleby" (C).
29. Postage Report, printed by Spectator, 3000 Copies generally circulated to every
Newspaper, etc. (C).
30. Circular to every Newspaper in the United Kingdom (C).
31. Letter about Subscriptions, to Chambers of Commerce, etc. (C).
32. Subscription list (C).
33. Letter to Printers, etc., about Petitioning (C).
34. Bill for Petitions.
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15. Do. of another size.
35. Do. nearly 500, circulated in Franks about the Country (C).
36. Advertisement of Petition for Newspapers (C).
37. Advertisement inserted gratuitously in most Country Papers (C).
37^. Letter to Traders (A).
38. Summons for West End Committee (C).
39. Specimen of Stamp (C).
40. Explanation of Stamps (C).
41. Second edition of ist specimen of stamp (C).
42. Another specimen of stamp addressed particularly to the Paper Makers (C).
43. Report of Mercantile Committee, very generally circulated (A).
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