Rates of Postage.—The first establish ment of a rate of postage for carrying letters occurs in 1635, in the proclamation already described. The rates were fixed as follows:— Under 80 miles . 2d. single letter. Between 80 miles and 140 miles . 4 ff Above 140 miles . 6 On the borders and in Scotland . 8 Fr 'Two, three, four, or five letters in one 'packet, or more, to pay according to the bigness of the said packet.' The rates of postage were successively altered in 1710, 1765, 1784, 1797, 1801, 1805, and 1812. In some instances the scale of 1765 was lower than that of 1710: one penny in stead of threepence was charged for dis tances not exceeding fifteen miles; and twopence instead of threepence for two other distances. In the alterations made in subsequent years the rates of postage were increased each time. Before the uniform penny-postage was adopted the rates in use were as follows:— Single letters from any post office in England to any place not exceeding 15 measured miles from such office . 4d.
Above 15 and not exceeding 20 5 20 . . . 30 6 30 . . . 50 7 50 . . . 80 8 80 . . . 120 9 120 . . . 170 10 170 . . . 230 11 230 . . . 300 12 300 . . . 400 13 And further for every 100 or part thereof . . . 1 These rates were applied to general-post letters passing from one post-town to ano ther post-town. The principle of the rating was to charge according to the distance which the conveyance travelled, until the year when the direct dis tance only was charged. A single letter was interpreted to mean a single piece of paper, provided it did not exceed an ounce in weight. A second piece of paper, however small, or any inclosure, consti tuted a double letter. A single sheet above an ounce was charged with four fold postage. After a fourfold charge, the additional charges advanced by weight.
In Scotland, letters, when conveyed by mail-coaches only, were subject to an additional halfpenny. Letters passing between Great Britain and Ireland were subject to the rates of postage charged in Great Britain, besides packet rates, and Menai, Conway Bridge, or Milford rates.
The Postmaster-general had authority to establish penny-posts for letters not exceeding in weight four ounces, in, from, or to, any city, town, or place in the United Kingdom (other than London or Dublin), without any reference to the dis tance to which the letters were conveyed. The London Twopenny Post extended to all letters transmitted by the said post in the limits of a circle of three miles' radius, the centre being the General Post-office in Si. Martin's le Grand ; which limits the
Postmaster-general had authority to alter. The London Threepenny Post extended to all letters transmitted by the said post beyond the circle of three miles' radius, and within the limits of a circle of twelve miles' radius, the centre being the Gene ral Post-office.
The Select Committee of the House of Commons in 1838 and 1839, which investigated Mr. Rowland Hill's plan, reported the following to be the average rates of postage:— Average rates, Multiple Letters being cluded and counted as Single.
d. Packet and ship letters . nearly 23± — and inland general post letters . . . nearly 94 Ditto, ditto, and London 2d.
and 3d. post letters . nearly 85 Ditto, ditto, ditto, and coun try ld. post letters . little more than 75 Inland general-post letters only . . . . nearly 85 Ditto and London 2d. and 3d. post letters . . nearly 75 Ditto, ditto, and country ld.
post letters . . . nearly 64 Average rates, Multiple Letters being excluded.
Single inland general-post letters . . . . nearly 75 Ditto and London 2d. and 3d. post letters . . little more than 65 Ditto, ditto, and country ld.
post letters . . . nearly 65 Franking.—As early as a post-office was established, certain exemptions from the rates of postage were made. Parlia mentary franking existed in 1666. In the paper bill which granted the post office revenue to Charles II. a clause pro vided that all the members of the House of Commons should have their letters free, which- clause was left out by the lords, because no similar provision was made for the passing of their letters, but a compromise was made on the assurance that their letters should pass free.
In 1735 the House of Commons prose cuted some investigations into the subject, which appear on the Journals. Again, in 1764 (4 Geo. III.), a committee was ap pointed "to inquire into the several frauds and abuses in relation to the sending or receiving of letters and parcels free from the duty of postage." Resolutions restrict ing and regulating the privilege were passed. From time to time the privilege was extended, until it was finally abo lished, with very few exceptions, on the 10th of January, 1843.
Seven millions of franks, out of sixty three millions of general-post letters, in cluding franks, were estimated in 1838 to pass through the Post-office annually.
The privileged letters, reduced to the standard of single letters, amounted to above 30 per cent. of the whole number of letters transmitted by the general post.