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4
POST OFFICE REFORM.
nearly as possible the same influences. The tax upon stage coaches obviously falls under these conditions.
Allowing the great increase in steam navigation[1] as a set-off against the slight diminution in the duty on post-horses, which might be considered as impairing the correctness of this comparison, let us proceed to the consideration of the following table, which shows the net produce of the stage-coach duty for every fifth year, from 1815 to 1835 inclusive; together with the net revenue actually derived from the Post Office during the same time; as also the amount which would have been obtained had the receipts increased at the same rate as the produce of the stage coach duty.
| STAGE COACH DUTIES. | POST OFFICE REVENUE. | ||||
| Year. | Net Revenue produced by the Stage Coach Duty. | Rate per cent. of the increase as compared with the year 1815. | Net Revenue actually obtained from the Post Office. | Revenue which would have been obtained had the receipts of the Post Office increased at the same rate as the produce of the Stage Coach Duty. | Comparative loss. |
| £ | £ | £ | |||
| 1815 | 217,671 | . . . . | 1,557,291 | 1,557,291 | . . . . |
| 1820 | 273,477 | 25 | 1,479,547 | 1,946,000 | 466,453 |
| 1825 | 362,631 | 66 | 1,670,219 | 2,585,000 | 914,781 |
| 1830 | 418,598 | 92 | 1,517,952 | 2,990,000 | 1,472,048 |
| 1835 | 498,497 | 128 | 1,540,300 | 3,550,000 | 2,009,700 |
- ↑ In the evidence before the Parliamentary Committee on the Blackwall Railroad, it is shown, that the number of persons who, in the year 1835, traversed the whole distance between London and Blackwall by means of Steam-boats was upwards of one million. Had the limit been placed as high as Greenwich, the multitudes constantly passing between that place and London would have vastly augmented the number.
