Page 235 - British Post Office Notices 1666 to 1799

Act of 9 Queen Anne, Cap. 10

Merchandize, or by any other Person employed by them for the Carriage of such Letters aforesaid, according to their
respective Directions, so as such Letters be delivered to the respective Persons to whom they shall be directed without
paying or receiving any Hire or Reward, Advantage, or Profit for the same in any wise; and also except Commissions, or the
Return thereof, Affidavits, Writs, Process, or Proceedings or Returns thereof, issuing out of any Court; and also any Letter
or Letters to be sent by any private Friend or Friends, in their Way of Journey or Travel, or by any Messenger or
Messengers sent on Purpose for or concerning the private Affair of any Person or Persons.
ID. Provided always nevertheless, That nothing in the said Exception contained shall extend, or be construed to
extend to give any Licence or Authority to any common known Carriers of Goods by Carts, Waggons, or Pack Horses, their
Servants or Agents, to receive, collect, or deliver, with or without Hire, any Letter or Letters, Packet or Packets of Letters
whatsoever, that do not concern Goods in their Carts, Waggons, or on their Pack Horses, nor to any Owners or Drivers of
Stage Coaches, nor to any Owners, Masters or Commanders of Boats called Passage Boats, sailing between any Part of
Great Britain or Ireland, and any Parts or Places beyond the. Seas, or their Servants or Agents, nor to any Passenger or
Passengers on board such Boats or Vessels, nor to the Owners or Watermen on board of any Boat, Barge, or Vessel
passing or repassing on any River or Rivers, to and from any Parts of Great Britain and Ireland, North America, or the West
Indies, or other her Majesty's Dominions and Territories, although such Drivers of Stage Coaches, Owners, Masters, or
Commanders of Boats called Passage Boats, or Passengers therein, Owners or Watermen on board of any such Boat,
Barge, or Vessel passing or repassing on any such River or Rivers as aforesaid, do not receive any Hire or Reward, or other
Advantage for the same; but that all such Carriers, Owners, and Drivers of Stage Coaches, Owners, Masters or
Commanders of Passage Boats, and the Passengers therein, and all Owners and Watermen on board of any Boat, Barge, or
Vessel passing or repassing on any River or Rivers, to or from any the Parts and Places aforesaid, collecting and delivering
Letters as aforesaid, though without Hire or Reward, shall be deemed and taken, and are hereby declared to be Persons
offending against this Act, and shall forfeit and pay such Sum and Sums of Money, as Persons collecting, receiving, taking
up, conveying and delivering of Letters for Hire, or setting up, employing, and maintaining any Post contrary to this Act, or
that are or shall be concerned therein, are herein after enacted to forfeit and pay.
IV. And to the End there may be one chief Letter Office also in North Britain and Ireland, and at New York in North
America, and in the West Indies, from whence the Distances for which the Rates hereby granted may be computed and
settled; be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That such Postmaster General so to be constituted as aforesaid, shall be at
Liberty to keep one chief Letter Office in the City of Edinburgh, and one other chief Letter Office in the City of Dublin, and
one chief Letter Office in New York aforesaid, and other chief Offices at some convenient Place or Places in each of her
Majesty's Provinces or Colonies in America, and in each of the Islands in the West Indies, called the Leeward Islands, and
appoint sufficient Deputies under him, for the better managing, ordering, collecting, and improving the Revenues hereby
granted.
V. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That such Postmaster General for the Time being, as shall
from Time to Time be made and constituted by her Majesty, her Heirs and Successors, and the respective Deputies or
Substitutes of such Postmaster General, and no other Person or Persons whatsoever, shall prepare and provide Horses and
Furniture, to let to Hire unto all or any Person or Persons riding in Post, by Commission or without, to or from all and
every the Parts and Places of Great Britain and Ireland, where any Post Roads are or shall be settled and established.

VI. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That it shall, and may be lawful to and for such Postmaster
General, to be constituted and appointed as aforesaid, and his Deputy and Deputies by him thereunto sufficiently
authorised, to and for the Use of her Majesty, her Heirs and Successors, to demand, have, receive, and take, for the Portage
and Conveyance of all such Letters and Packets which he shall so convey, carry or send Post as aforesaid, and for the
providing and furnishing Horses for Persons riding in Post as aforesaid, according to the several Rates and Sums of lawful
British Money hereafter mentioned, not to exceed the same: (that is to say), For the Port ofevery single Letter or Piece of
Paper, to or from any Place not exceeding eighty English Miles distant from the said General Post Office in London, and
within that Part of Great Britain called England, and not coming from or directed on Shipboard, three Pence; and for the
like Port of every double Letter, six Pence; and so proportionably unto the said Rates for the Port of every Packet of
Letters; and for the like Port of every Packet of Writs, Deeds, and other Things, after the Rate of twelve Pence of British
Money for every Ounce Weight; and for the Port of every single Letter or Piece of Paper, to or from any Place above eighty
such English Miles distant from the said General Post Office, and within that Part of the Kingdom of Great Britain called
England, or to the Town of Berwick upon Tweed, and not coming from or directed on Shipboard, four Pence; and for the
like Port of every double Letter, eight Pence; and so proportionably unto the said Rates for the Port of every Packet of
Letters; and for the like Port of every Packet of Writs, Deeds, and other Things, after the Rate of one Shilling and four

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