III. I proceed therefore to a third duty, namely that upon ſalt; which is another diſtinct branch of his majeſty's extraordinary revenue, and conſiſts in an exciſe of 3s. 4d. per buſhel impoſed upon all ſalt, by ſeveral ſtatutes of king William and other ſubſequent reigns. This is not generally called an exciſe, becauſe under the management of different commiſſioners: but the commiſſioners of the ſalt duties have by ſtatute 1 Ann. c. 21. the ſame powers, and muſt obſerve the ſame regulations, as thoſe of other exciſes. This tax had uſually been only temporary; but by ſtatute 26 Geo. II. c. 3. was made perpetual.
IV. Another very conſiderable branch of the revenue is levied with greater chearfulneſs, as, inſtead of being a burden, it is a manifeſt advantage to the public. I mean the poſt-office, or duty for the carriage of letters. As we have traced the original of the exciſe to the parliament of 1643, ſo it is but juſtice to obſerve that this uſeful invention owes it's birth to the ſame aſſembly. It is true, there exiſted poſt-maſters in much earlier times: but I apprehend their buſineſs was confined to the furniſhing of poſt-horſes to perſons who were deſirous to travel expeditiouſly, and to the diſpatching extraordinary pacquets upon ſpecial occaſions. The outline of the preſent plan ſeems to have been originally conceived by Mr Edmond Prideaux, who was appointed attorney general to the commonwealth after the murder of king Charles. He was chairman of a committee in 1642 for conſidering what rates ſhould be ſet upon inland letters[1]; and afterwards appointed poſt-maſter by an ordinance of both the houſes[2], in the execution of which office he firſt eſtabliſhed a weekly conveyance of letters into all parts of the nation[3]: thereby ſaving to the public the charge of maintaining poſt-maſters, to the amount of 7000𝑙. per annum. And, his own emoluments being probably conſiderable, the common council of London endeavoured to erect another poſt-office in oppoſition to his, till checked
