Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/311

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APPENDIX
259

enjoys penny postage from Great Britain to New York.

Then again here is a letter from Mr George Marples of Omaha saying that he sends his letters for England to his Canadian house and they are redirected to England free of extra charge, so he enjoys penny postage to England.

P.M.-Gen.: This is an awful state of affairs, but I am afraid we are powerless. I believe those flippant Americans would maintain this abuse as an excellent joke; and the Canadian Post Office would laugh the loudest.

Express Letters, etc

Sec.: Here is a closely reasoned letter urging that the time has arrived for a final and necessary development of the express delivery service of letters in London and large cities. The correspondent sends a specimen of an express delivery stamp, threepence in value, to be sold at every post office. Any letter posted bearing this stamp will be despatched by a bicycle rider immediately on receipt at the office of delivery on any day of the week up to a late hour. The bicycle riders would leave the great post offices in the S.E., S.W., E.C., and the other districts every hour. The writer estimates that the revenue will be increased by a million sterling per annum. Every merchant and person of means will carry these special delivery stamps with him.

P.M.-Gen.: Inform the writer that I will look into the matter; but it would take considerable time to carry out such a reform. I remember I have before me also a suggestion also that the time has