Page 239 - British Post Office Notices 1666 to 1799

Act of 9 Queen Anne, Cap. 10

and the same Measure and Standard; and for preventing Disputes touching the same;" Be it further enacted by the
Authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful to and for such Person and Persons as the Postmaster General for the
Time being shall appoint, to measure or cause to be measured, by the Wheel, all Roads, except such Roads where Stages
are already settled; and that such Person or Persons so to be authorized, shall cause fair Surveys or Books to be made for
each of the said Kingdoms; one of each whereof to be left with her Majesty's Postmaster General in London; another of
each to left at the chief Post Office in Edinburgh, with the Postmaster General's Deputy there; another of each to be left at
the chief Post Office in Dublin, with the Postmaster General's Deputy there, to remain in the said Post Offices; and each of
which said Books shall be signed by such Person or Persons making the same, and by the Postmaster General for the Time
being, and his Deputies in such General Offices in each Kingdom, and the Comptrollers and Surveyors belonging, or to
belong, to the said General Post Offices in London, Edinburgh, and Dublin: Which Books or Surveys shall ascertain and
determine the Distances on all the said Roads.
XII. Provided always, That such Person or Persons who shall be authorized to measure the said Distances, and every
of them, shall be sworn to perform the same, according to the best of their Skill and Judgment; which Oath shall and may
be administered by any of her Majesty's Justices of the Peace in the said Kingdoms respectively, who shall make a
Certificate thereof in Writing, to be entered in the three General Post Offices aforesaid, without Fee or Charge.
XIII. Provided always, That all Merchants Accounts not exceeding one Sheet of Paper, and all Bills of Exchange,
Invoices, and Bills of Lading are, and shall hereby be understood to be allowed without Rate in the Price of the Letters; and
likewise the Covers of Letters, not exceeding one fourth Part of a Sheet of Paper, sent by the Way of Vienna, Marseilles,
Venice, or Leghome, to be sent to or from Turkey, shall be understood to be allowed to pass without Rate or Payment for
the same.
XIV. "And in regard the said Postmaster General and his Deputies are obliged, as well for performing the Duties of
the several Stages of Great Britain and Ireland, as for furnishing such as ride Post with Horses and Furniture, to be at great
Charge to maintain a convenient Number of Servants, Horses, and Furniture;" Be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid,
That it shall and may be lawful to and for such Postmaster General and his Deputy and Deputies, to ask, demand, take, and
receive of every Person, that he or they shall furnish and provide with Horses, and Furniture, or with Horses, Furniture,
and Guide, to ride Post in any of the Post Roads as aforesaid, three Pence of British Money for each and every Horse-hire
or Postage for every English Mile, and four Pence of like Money for the Person riding as Guide for every Stage; and the
Deputy or Deputies of such Postmaster General shall not charge any Person riding Post, for the carrying of any Bundle or
Parcel of Goods, carried along with them, in their Way of Travel, so as any such Bundle or Parcel of Goods do not exceed
the Weight of eighty PoundsAverdupois, to be laid on the Horse rid by the Guide, and no Deputy shall be obliged to carry
above that Weight for any Person riding Post.
XV. "And whereas, upon the Arrival of Ships from Parts beyond the Seas, into several Ports within her Majesty's
Dominions, many Letters directed to several Merchants and others, have been either imbezzled or long detained, to the
great Damage of the Merchants and others, to whom the same were directed, in Want of that speedy Advice and
Intelligence, which they might have had, if the same had been forthwith dispatched by the settled Posts, and sometimes such
Letters have been delivered by the Masters or Passengers of such Ships, to ignorant and loose Hands that understand not
the Ways and Means of speedy Conveyance and Delivery of Letters, whereby great Prejudice hath accrued to the Affairs of
Merchants and others, as well by the Miscarriage of many Letters so brought, as oftentimes by the opening the same, to the
Discovery of the Correspondency and Secrets of the Merchants;" Be it therefore further enacted by the Authority aforesaid,
That all Letters and Packets, that by any Master of any Ship or Vessel, or any of his Company, or any Passengers therein,
shall or may be brought to any Port Town, or which shall arrive or touch at any Port belonging to any Port Town, within
any her Majesty's Dominions or any the Members thereof, or which shall be on board any Ship or Vessel, that shall or do
touch or stay at any such Port Town (other than such Letters as are before excepted, or may be sent by common known
Carriers in Manner aforesaid, or by a Friend as aforesaid) shall by such Master, Passenger, or other Person or Persons, be
forthwith delivered unto the Deputy or Deputies only of such Postmaster General for the Time being, by him appointed,
for such Place or Port Town, and to be by such Deputy or Deputies sent Post unto the said General Post Office, to be
delivered according to the several and respective Directions of the same; upon Pain of forfeiting the Sum of five Pounds of
British Money, for every several Offence against the Tenor of this present Act.
XVI. And for the Encouragement of all such Masters of Ships or Vessels, or such other Persons, on their Arrival at
such Ports as aforesaid, from any Parts beyond the Seas, to deliver unto the Deputy or Deputies of such Postmaster
General for such Place or Port Town at which they shall so touch or arrive, all such Letters and Packets as they shall

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