THE Practical Method Of Conveyance of LETTERS, Returns of Anſwers, Replies, &c. the ſame day within the Weekly Bills of Mortality; Commonly called, The PENNY-POST.Publiſhed for Plain Direction to all Perſons, for the better Maintainance of Mutual Correſpondence, being the Life of Trade and Buſineſs.
WHereas William Dockwra of London Merchant, and his Partners, have contrived and carried on for above two years paſt, the Publick and Uſeful Undertaking above-mentioned; by which means a very frequent, ſafe, cheap, and mutual Correſpondence is maintained, to the great benefit of Trade and Commerce, which is of general Concernment, but of great Expence to the Undertakers to this day.
Yet have they met with many Oppoſitions and Diſcouragements, and have been long vexed with unreaſonable and very expenſive Law-ſuits, and have lately had new Actions of Ten thouſand pounds a-piece brought againſt them by way of Penalties ſaid to be forfeited by the Statutes of 12 & 15 Car. II. that erects The General Poſt-Office, and gives to his Royal Highneſs that Princely Revenue; alledging that the Penny-Poſt is a prejudice to his General Poſt-Office, when all Mankind (that are ingenuous and impartial) are convinced that 'tis as well a great Improvement thereof, as 'tis a manifeſt good to all the Inhabitants of London and places adjacent: And thoſe Acts of Parliament were intended for the benefit of the Subject, in providing them all poſſible conveniency in their Trade and Commerce; which Publick Good, that this Invention of the Penny-Poſt does greatly promote, is moſt evident, by improving Mutual Correſpondence, the Soul of Trade and Buſineſs, which was the chief Deſign and true intent of the Law-makers. And therefore it cannot be imagined ſo great and generous a Prince as His Royal Highneſs, ſhould be pleaſed with the ſuppreſſing this great Benefit, to the people; which will alſo tend to the ruin of the Undertakers, who have already expended ſome Thouſands of pounds more than ever they reecived, beſides their great pains and loſs of ſo much time in the Managing this Publick Concern.
Now foraſmuch as there is a Trial at Bar appointed this Michaelmaſs Term to decide this Cauſe, the Undertakers cannot doubt of being delivered from the hardſhips they groan under, when the true Merits of the Cauſe ſhall be throughly underſtood on a fair Hearing, by an honeſt underſtanding Engliſh Jury, and by the learned, upright and honourable Judges. And they hope that God in his providence will ſo bleſs the good intentions of the Undertakers with the peaceable Enjoyment of their own Chargeable Invention, that they may find encouragement for their real Service to the Publick: Innocency and Integrity being naturally confident of a Reward.
And therefore the ſubſequent lines (reducing the Penny-Poſt to practice) are publiſhed for the good of all: Viz.
1. That the Penny-Poſt conveys Letters, and Parcels that exceed not a Pound weight, or ten Pounds in value, for a Penny a piece, from any one place to another often-times in the ſame day, in London, Weſtminſter, Southwark, Ratliff, and the contiguous Buildings of the weekly Bills of Mortality; every day except Sundays, Chriſtmaſs-day and the three days next following, Munday and Tueſday in Eaſter-week, the like in Whitſun-week, the 30th. of January, and the 2. of September. But beyond the weekly Bills of Mortality, it doth not go, nor never did.
2. For the conveniency of all, the Undertakers have••pointed ſome hundreds of Shop-keepers and noted Coffee-houſes about Town, called Penny-poſt-houſes, for receipt of ſuch Letters as any one would ſend, where Meſſengers appointed for that purpoſe call hourly to fetch away whatſoever is there left. But the Undertakers pretend not to ſuch quick diſpatch in their carriage of Letters, as may be made by a ſpecial Meſſenger ſent on purpoſe (as many by miſtake have ſuppoſed) their Methods of Conveyance not permitting a quicker diſpatch from one end of the Town to the other, than three or four hours, and at a ſhorter diſtance two or three hours, accounting from the time that the Letter i•firſt〈◊〉into the Penny-poſt-houſe. But obſerve, that a Letter left juſt before the Meſſenger calls, will be delivered as directed, an hour ſooner than one left juſt after he has called; for that muſt lie an hour longer before 'tis fetched away. Letters left at any Penny-poſt-houſe, within the contiguous Buildings, before 6 in the Evening, will certainly be conveyed to all places in Town the ſame Night; and thoſe left before 7 in the Evening, will be conveyed to moſt places alſo: but for ſuch as are left betwixt 7 and 8 at Night, altho many of them may be conveyed likewiſe as directed the ſame Night, yet ſome of them will lie in the hands of the Penny-Poſt, as alſo all that are left after 8, and not be delivered till next Morning: for tho they may be fetched away from the Receiving-houſe, by the Meſſenger that goes betwixt 9 and 10 on Poſt-nights to fetch the General-Poſt Letters; yet will they lie in the hands of the Penny-Poſt all Night.
3. A Penny (ready changed) muſt be left with every Letter or Parcel, when put into the Penny-Poſt-houſe, and nothing will be demanded or taken, if offered, by the Meſſenger that delivers it, Penny-Poſt paid being ſtampt on every Letter and Parcel, according to the Triangular Form on the front of this Sheet.
4. Altho the Undertakers do warrant the ſafe Conveyance of any Parcel that exceeds not Ten Pounds in value, yet will they not be obliged to give Satisfaction for any things that are incloſed, unleſs well wrapp'd up either in ſtrong Paper, or otherwiſe ſecurely incloſed, and faſt ſealed up with hard Wax; under the Impreſſion of ſome remarkable Seal (not a Thimble, a Piece of Money, &c.) in ſuch ſort, that what is incloſed therein may not drop out, no nor ſo much as be expoſed to view, without breaking open either the Seal or Wrapper; and if wrapt up in Paper and ty'd, the ends be ſealed as well as the middle, without which ſuch parcels are ſeldom ſecure: becauſe otherwiſe, either the perſon that brings it to the Penny-Poſt-houſe, or the perſon to whom the Penny-Poſt Meſſenger delivers it in the abſence of the Party whom 'tis for, may open the Parcel and take out part of what is incloſed, wrapping it up again, and ſo deliver it, and yet the Penny-Poſt be chargeable therewith; and the true Value alſo indorſed in Words at length, and not in Figures. Nor will they make Satisfaction for the breaking of Glaſs-bottles, or other brittle things in the Carriage, or for wetting or ſpoiling any other thing that is ſubject to Damage in the Conveyance; it being unreaſonable, that for a Penny a-piece they ſhould convey things ſo troubleſom and hazardous in the Carriage, and yet be liable to pay the Damage of breaking or ſpoiling into the Bargain: but if ſuch things are ſent, they ſhall be conveyed as free from Damage, as the crouding them in a Bag amongſt Letters and other Parcels can well admit. But altho the Undertakers have publiſhed, that they will carry Parcels not exceeding a Pound Weight; yet 'twas never intended by them to convey Parcels of very great Bulk (tho under a Pound Weight) ſuch as great Band-boxes, and other bulky Luggage which is daily impoſed upon them; it being impractical for the Penny-Poſt to convey ſuch Parcels, a few whereof make a Burthen.
5. For the convenience of ſuch as ſend Letters to the Poſt-Office-general in Lombard-ſtreet, the Meſſengers do call at the Penny-Poſt-houſes betwixt 9 and 10 within the contiguous Buildings every Poſt-night, to fetch away the Poſt Letters. And whereas miſcarriages have many times hapned, of ſuch Letters as have been intruſted to Bell-men, and other obſcure perſons (not imploved by the General-Poſt) to convey to the Poſt-office in Lombard-ſtreet, and conſequently the perſons concerned have met with great diſappointments: all Letters conveyed thither by the Penny-Poſt, are Regiſtred at the chief Office in Lime-ſtreet, the Clerks that ſo regiſters and conveys them being ready to atteſt upon Oath, the ſafe delivery of every Letter. But ſuch as come incloſed in C•vers, and directed to the Poſt-office-general in Lombard-ſtreet, cannot be Regiſtred, becauſe incloſed, and conſequently the Delivery of them cannot be atteſted on Oath. ☞ Note, That the Undertakers, to ſupport this uſeful Deſign of conveying Letters and Parcels for a Penny a piece, being out of Purſe ſome thouſands of Pounds to accommodate the Publick; and the Benefit of Town-Letters coming ſhort of a Reimburſement, much more of a Recompence for their Pains, Trouble and Hazard: 'Tis hoped, that all perſons who pay for carrying their Letters to Lombard-ſtreet, will ſend them thither by the Penny-Poſt, the better to inable the Undertakers to uphold and continue on foot, this chargeable Deſign of ſending Letters to and fro here in Town. And ſuch as do ſend money to pay for the Poſtage of Letters into the Countrey, are deſired to indorſe how much they ſend.
As 'tis the Pravity of Man's Corrupt Nature to find fault, ſo has the Penny-Poſt but too too much been made the ſubject matter thereof; cauſeleſs Complaints being frequently made, to the prejudice of the Undertaking.
Complaints are of Two Kinds.
- 1. Delays of Letters, lying long before they come to hand.
- 2. Miſcarriage of them, never coming to hand at all.
Delays of Letters happen,
- 1. Either before they are put into the hands of the Penny-Poſt.
- 2. Whilſt in the hands of the Penny-Poſt. Or,
- 3. After the Penny-Poſt has delivered them.
1. By ſending them to the Penny-Poſt-houſe by the hand of a Servant, Child, or ſome other heedleſs perſon, who careleſly delay the Letters ſome hours, or it may be days before they are put in. Alſo, oft-times Porters, who are ſent as ſpecial Meſſengers with Letters, having through drunkenneſs or other hinderances delayed them ſo long in•a•d, that they are aſhamed to deliver them themſelves; ſometimes on purpoſe to ſcandalize the Undertaking (to which they have ſo great a prejudice) do de••in Letters long in hand, and then put them into the Penny-Poſt.
2. Delays are occaſioned very often, by means of bad Directions; ſometimes directing to a Street, of which there are divers of the ſame name, without mentioning in what part of the Town the Street lies; and conſequently, the Letter toſt up and down from one part of the Town to the other, before the right Street be found out. Sometimes directing to one Sign for another, nay ſometimes directing to one Street for another, and very often the Direction ſo bad, as not poſſible to be read or underſtood; ſometimes directing to ſuch a perſon in ſuch a Street, without mentioning Chriſtian-Name, Trade, Sign, or in what part of the Street, and whether Houſe-keeper, Lodger or Servant; by which means, there being divers of one Name in a Street, and no diſtinction which of them the Letter is for: 'tis delivered, it may be, into all their hands one after another, and broke open to boot, without which neither of them could tell whether 'twas for them or not. Many Letters having thus been opened, and none of thoſe into whoſe hands they come, owning them, they are in courſe returned to the Penny-poſt-houſe: and many others through careleſs and ſlight ſealing, in the very carriage among other Letters in the Bag, have opened of themſelves; from whence, the Adverſaries of the Penny-Poſt have taken occaſion to ſpread a Scandal on the management thereof, in that very particular, wherein the Undertakers are moſt ſacredly careful to diſcharge the Truſt repoſed in them, as being ſenſible 'tis highly their intereſt ſo to do.
3. Delayes often happen, after the Penny-Poſt Meſſengers have made a true delivery: for the perſon to whom the Letter is directed being not in the way when the Meſſenger comes with it, 'tis left with ſome one of the Houſe, who too too often, through careleſs neglect, layes the Letter by, and ſo forgets to deliver it till it may be ſome hours, or ſometimes a day or more after 'tis ſo left; and then to excuſe their own neglect, pretend that 'tis but juſt then come to hand, whereupon the Penny-Poſt is inſtantly clamoured againſt, as the Author of the delay. This being ſo great and growing a miſchief, the Undertakers thought it worth their while to be at the charge of detecting it, the better to diſtinguiſh theſe Neglects, from thoſe of their own Meſſengers. To which end, the hour of the day at which the Letter is ſent out for delivery, is ſtampt on the back-ſide thereof, Mor. for Morning, Af. for Afternoon in the form of the Stamps on the Title Page of this Paper; whereby may readily be diſcovered, at or very near what time of the day the Penny-Poſt Meſſenger brought it. For if he performs his duty as he ought, the Letter will for the moſt part be delivered within half an hour or an hour, but never exceeds an hour and a half after 'tis ſo ſtampt.
Moreover, if any Parcels are put into the Penny-Poſt, and not very faſt made up, and ſealed with ſome remarkable Impreſſion for ſecurity; they will be left at the Penny-Poſt-houſe ſome dayes, before fetcht away, purpoſely to oblige all that ſend ſuch things for the future, to incloſe them as they ought to be.
Miſcarriages alſo happen, either,
- 1. before the Letters are put into the hands of the Penny-Poſt.
- 2. Whilſt in the hands of the Penny-Poſt. Or,
- 3. after the delivery of them.
1. By ſending the Letter to the Penny-Poſt-houſe by ſome brutiſh Servant, or elſe by ſome ſilly Child, who for the ſake of the Farthings, deſtroy the Letter.
2. The miſcarriages of Letters ſometimes happen whilſt in the hands of the Penny-Poſt; yet never by their neglect, but either by means of ſuch ill-written Superſcriptions as are not to be read, or ſuch imperfect Directions by which the perſon is not to be found, or elſe the Party dead, or gone not known whither, and no body will take it in; and not ſeldom the perſon to whom 'tis directed, knowing (by the hand) that it comes from ſome one he cares not to hear from, will not receive it from the hands of the Penny-P•ſt Meſſenger, but rejects it. In all ſuch caſes, the Letters are ever returned to the chief Penny-Poſt-houſe in Lime-ſtreet, where the Parties concerned may find them. And for the more clear conviction of thoſe that write ſuch very bad Directions, many Hundreds of ſuch Letters lie at the ſaid chief Penny-Poſt-houſe, in Lime-ſtreet, as ſtanding Records, teſtifying that the Writers of thoſe Letters, and not the Penny-Poſt, are only chargeable with the Miſcarriages of them, it being impoſſible to deliver them.
3. Miſcarriages ſometimes happen by means of ſome careleſs Servant, or other negligent perſon, who in the abſence of the Party whom the Letter is for, receiving it from the hands of the Penny-Poſt Meſſenger, laies it by, and quite forgets the Letter or the place where 'twas laid, and ſo it is loſt; or elſe, if after it has lain by a day or two, it be recalled to mind, yet this negligent perſon being aſhamed (after ſo long a delay) to produce it, commits a ſecond evil to prevent a detection of the firſt, and ſo deſtroys it.
Letters, tho really delivered, are yet ſometimes ſaid to miſcarry, becauſe no Anſwers are returned. But the reaſon why Anſwers come not, are manifold:
- 1. It very often happens, that the Party written to will not take the trouble of writing an Anſwer, tho the Party who ſent the Letter expects it.
- 2. When a Letter imports a Dunn for Money, and the perſon ſo indebted either not able or willing to pay, not only returns no Anſwer, but when afterwards charged therewith, even denies the very receipt of ſuch Letter, as has been often detected for juſtification of the Penny-Poſt: Or when a Letter is ſent to require any thing to be done, that the perſon ſo ſent to, cannot or will not perform, and yet in prudence not abſolutely deny the doing of it, either pretends the Leter came too late, or elſe confidently diſowns the receipt of any ſuch at all, tho in truth he had it in due time.
And thus diſingenuouſly do too too many traduce the Penny-Poſt with pretended Delays and Miſcarriages, only to cloak thir own ill Principles and Practices.
Notwithſtanding Delays and Miſcarriages are thus occaſioned, yet is the Penny-Poſt preſently cenſured, as the Author of them, to the great detriment of the Undertaking: which to prevent, 'tis deſired that all who find themſelves ſo diſappointed in their Correſpondencies, would aſwell out of juſtice to the Undertakers, as for their own ſatisfaction, firſt examine well whether their Letters were not falſe dated, or the Superſcriptions not to be read, or elſe the Directions faulty. Moreover, whether there was no neglect in the perſon that carried them to the Penny-Poſt-houſe, or in the perſon to whom the Penny-Poſt-meſſenger delivered them; or whether the Party to whom directed, might not out of deſign diſown the receipt: and if after all it appear, that none of them are in the fault, then, and not before, ought the Penny-Poſt to be〈…〉.
And thus, upon a ſtrict enquiry, will the Clamours that are daily made of the Delays and Miſcarriages of the Penny-Poſt, be found to be without any juſt ground. Nor indeed is it the intereſt of any one that finds himſelf accommodated by the Penny-Poſt, to permit a Complaint of Delay or Miſcarriage to reach the ear of any other than the Parties concerned, or the Undertakers, in order to detect and redreſs it. For, ſince the Undertaking muſt either ſtand or fall, by the good or ill Opinion the World has of it, how imprudent then is it for any one that finds a Benefit thereby, by open Clamours to bereave it of that Reputation, that can only ſupport it for his own Advantage; every Complaint that reaches•he Ears of the Vulgar, being as a Dagger to ſtab its Reputation to the very heart. Beſides, open Clamours can never repair ſuch Parties damage (if any he has ſuſtained) but on the contrary, may prove hurtful to himſelf, by diſcouraging others from ſending by this Conveyance, and conſequently by depriving it of a Support, even ruin the Undertaking, which otherwiſe would dail•more and more improve, to the unſpeakable benefit and advantage of himſelf, as well as of the Publick. ☞ Note, All Perſons, in their Superſcriptions of Letters, are deſired to write the Chriſtian Names, Sign, Trade or Profeſſion (if any) and in what part of the Street, or near what noted Lane, Court, Alley, Church, Tavern; &c. Alſo with heed and care to write the Name of the Perſon and Street very legible, and the Street to be written by it ſelf at the bottom; and if the Party be a Lodger, to ſay, Lodging at ſuch a Houſe; if a Servant, to ſay, at his or her Maſters Houſe, to denote whether Lodger or Servant. All which is ſo eſſentially neceſſary for the more ready Delivery of Letters, that the doing thereof can never ſufficiently be inculcated. 'Tis therefore expe••ed, that all Perſons, as well for their own, as the Undertakers conveniency, would write the Directions ſo plain and intelligible, as eaſily to be read, and readily delivered.
- All Gentlemen, Countrey-Chapmen, &c. can preſently give Notice of their Arrival to Town.
- Shop-keepers and Tradeſ-men ſend for what they want to their Work-men.
- Much time ſaved in ſollicitation for Money.
- Appointments made among Men of Buſineſs.
- Bills diſperſt for Publication of any Coneern.
- Summons or Tickets conveyed to all Parts.
- Brewers Entries ſafely ſent to the Exciſe-Office.
- Lawyers and Clients mutually correſpond.
- Patients ſend to Doctors, Apothecaries, &c. for what they want.
- And the poor Priſoners can now addreſs to their Creditors or Benefactors for One Penny, and ſave five Pence (out of the former Charge to a Porter) which will pay for a good Dinner.
Many other Conveniencies are to be had by this Conveyance, which (tho for brevities ſake are omitted) the Ingenious will find out; whereby may be undeniably demonſtrated, the univerſal Utility of this Invention, and the unreaſonableneſs and invalidity of all the Objections hitherto alledged againſt it.
It is become a general wonder among the moſt Intelligent and Men of Buſineſs, That Mr. Dockwra (or any other) ſhould be thus ſued for Carrying and Re-carrying Letters about London and other Neighbouring Places, when to this day the General Poſt has not ſettled any thing of that nature for the conveniency of the Inhabitants in any one place round this City nearer than a Stage of 9 or 10 mile; and yet the Informant is for Penalties of 5 l. a Letter and 100 l. a Week for doing that good to the Publick which the General Poſt Office never did. And by this Invention has ſo added to the Income of the Poſt Office, that it was never before ſo high as ſince the Penny-Poſt was ſet up; that Revenue being now riſen from 21500 l. to above 50000 l. per A•num, though the poor Undertakers of the Penny-Poſt have loſt above 1000 l. per Annum out of purſe to ſerve the Publick. But they hope they ſhall be at quiet in the poſſeſſion of their own Invention, and that they may be countenanced to carry on the Practice of the Penny-Poſt whereby they may be enabled to reap the Fruits of their Labour (and great Charge) as a Reward for ſetting up an Undertaking Manifeſted to be ſo uſeful to all Men, by full Experience,
The True Touch-ſtone of all Deſigns. ☞ Note, Upon any Delay or Miſcarriage of a Letter, if after ſuch ſtrict inquiry made as aforeſaid, there be juſt ground to charge it on the Penny-Poſt; 'tis deſired that the Party concerned would (by a Line or two) give the Undertakers an account how the Letter was directed, who ſent it, at what Penny-poſt-houſe it was left, alſo what day and hour if poſſible, and the Undertakers, after a ſtrict inquiry into the matter of fact, will return a ſatisfactory Anſwer to the ſaid Complaint. And whoſoever has occaſion, either on this or any other account, to write to the Undertakers; if left at any Penny-Poſt-Houſe, it will go free and come ſafe to hand if thus directed,
To Mr. William Dockwra and the reſt of the Ʋndertakers, at the Penny-Poſt-Houſe in Lime-ſtreet,〈◊〉(a prejudice) do de••in Letters long in hand, and then put them in••〈…〉