Page 246 - British Post Office Notices 1666 to 1799

Dockwra's Pamphlet

MISCELLANEOUS

The Practical Method of the PENNY Posr:
Being a Sheet very necessary for all Persons to have by them,
For their Information in the Regular Use of a Design so well
Approved of, for quickening Correspondence, Promoting Trade and Publick Good.
With an Explanation of the following Stamps, for the Marking of all Letters.

Whereas William Dockwra of London Merchant, and the rest of the Undertakers, (who are all Natives and free
Citizens of London) out of a sence of the great benefit which would accrew to the numerous Inhabitants of this Great City,
and adjacent parts, (with hopes of some Reasonable Encouragement hereafter to Themselves) have lately set up a New
Invention to convey Letters and Parcels, not exceeding One Pound Weight, and Ten Pounds in Value, to and from all Parts
within the Contiguous Buildings of the Weekly Bills Mortality for a Penny a Letter or Paree~ whereby Correspondency, the
Life of Trade and Business, is and will be much facilitated; and having for above a year past, with great pains and at some
Thousands of Pounds Charge, reduced the same into Practice, which does manifestedly appear to be for the Publick Good;
yet as all new Designs at first usually meet with Opposition and great Discouragements, rarely (if at all) proving beneficial
to the First Adventurers, so bath this also incurr'd the same Fate hitherto, especially from the Ignorant and Envious; but the
Undertakers do hope that all People will be Convinced, by time and experience, which removes Prejudice and Errors, and
renders all New Undertaking Compleat; for the Attainment of which good Ends, they have with great Industry, much
expence of time, and at a Chargeable Rate, made such Alterations in their former Methods, as (they hope) will now give
Universal satisfaction. And whereas there has been much Noise about the pretended Delays and Miscarriage of Letters
going by the Penny-Post, which has risen through the great Mistake and Neglect of other People, as the Undertakers can
sufficiently Evidence, by many Authentick Certificats which they have ready to produce, for the Justification of their due
Performance in Gener~ yet has there been so many Causless and Unjust Reflections cast on so Useful an Undertaking,
that they hold it highly Necessary to undeceive the World, by shewing some of the grounds from whence they spring, viz.
Some Men suppose, and confidently Alledge their Letters are Miscarried, (or at least Delayed,) because they have not
always an immediate Answer, when perhaps the Party is not then at Leisure to write, or for private Reasons unwilling, or in
the Country, or removed to some other part of the Town, where the Messengers cannot upon the strictest enquiry Learn or
find him out; besides some Men will not in many Cases own the Receipt of Letters duly Delivered into their hands, or in
their absence left for them at their Respective Houses or Lodgings, especially where they are Dun'd for Money, which they
either will not or cannot Pay.
Some Complain of Delays of Letters, though in their Absence they were duly left for them, and although the careless
Neglects of Servants, and others (to whom they were Delivered, have been mislaid and detain'd many Hours (sometimes
Days) and to excuse their own fault, do Charge the Delay upon the Penny-Post, pretending the said Letters were but then
brought; which the Stamps of the Hour will now detect.
It very often falls out that many Persons that have written, do not always put in or send their Letters to the Penny-Post
at the same instant, but sometimes long after, an Hour, Two or Three, nay the Day after the Letters have been Dated,
which upon the Delivery is Charged as a delay proceeding from the Office; which mischief People might easily Prevent, if
they would please to be punctual and just, in setting the Day of the Week, and. exact Hour of the Day under the
Subscription agreeable to the time the same was really put in at the Receiving House.
As for Example, Mond. Wedn.
Mor. 9, 10 Aft. 3, 4, 5.
Also Letters that Men sometimes send by Porters to several Parts of the Town, after they have Idely (perhaps in an
Ale-House) kept them some Hours in their Hands, and have Receiv'd 4d. 6d. or 12d. for Carriage of them, have been put in
by them to be Conveyed by the Penny-Post, (their Stamps of Delivery appearing upon them,) which has Caused much
Reflection upon the Office, as if the delay proceeded from Neglects therein.

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