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All such systems were open to the public and anyonemight send a letter, the postal fees for which were "collecton delivery." By adopting simple codes persons could indicate the message within by using a pre-arranged formof address. Hence when the letter was offered by thecourier, the person to whom it was addressed could readthe message from the address and would then refuse theletter. The postal service would get nothing for such"deliveries." We need not wonder at these deviousmethods of cheating the posts when we view the cost ofsending a letter. Each letter was charged for the distanceit traveled — seldom less than sixpence and often severalshillings, a sizable sum indeed in days when in all theland there was not a laborer earning as much as onedollar a day the year around! |
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