Page:The Post Office of Fifty Years Ago.djvu/100

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32
POST OFFICE REFORM.

economical arrangements proposed above. It has already been shown that, under such arrangements, the present establishment of the Post Office, with some slight addition to the salaries, under the head "Superintendents," (the class to which Receivers and Deputy Post-masters belong,) would suffice, even if the amount of business to be transacted should increase four or five-fold. A considerable addition to the mileage would of course be required, as on some roads it certainly would be necessary to employ two, three, or even four mail-coaches. Assuming for the present that, owing partly to the reduction in postage, and partly to increased facilities of communication, the total number of letters, &c., passed through the Post Office would increase to four-fold the present amount, the calculation will be as follows:

Heads of charges. (See p. 14.) Present cost of primary
distribution within the
United Kingdom.
(See page 14, column D.)
Estimated future cost
of primary distribution
within the
United Kingdom.
£ £
Salaries and allowances 222,510 250,000
Special services and travelling charges 8,039 12,000
Conveyance of Mails, &c. 135,919 310,000
Packet service and port dues 4,987 10,000
Tradesmen's bills, building, and repairs   9,974 15,000
Rents of offices, tithes, and taxes 4,085 6,000
Law charges 5,913 9,000
Stationery, printing, and postage 3,539 6,000
Superannuation allowances, &c. 30,248 30,248
Menai and Conway bridges (tolls) 1,303 3,000
  426,517 651,248