nd
in another part of this number.

In the _Montreal Courant_, dated September 2nd, 1829, was the following
paragraph, showing the improvement which had been effected in the
communication between Prescott and that city:--

EXPEDITIOUS TRAVELLING.--On Saturday last, the Upper Canada line of
stages performed the journey from Prescott to this city in about 17
hours, leaving the former place at a little before 3 a. m., and
arriving here a few minutes before 8 in the evening. Not many years
ago this journey occupied two, and sometimes three days, but owing
to the great improvements made by Mr. Dickinson, the enterprising
proprietor, by putting steamboats on the lakes St. Francis and St.
Louis, and keeping his horses in excellent condition, it is now
performed in little more than one-third of the time.

Even so late as 1833, newspaper proprietors found it (particularly in
the Upper Province) better to employ their own couriers. As a proof of
this we transcribe from the _Queenston_ (Niagara) _Colonial Advocate_,
of that year the following advertisement:--

POST-RIDER WANTED IMMEDIATELY.

The proprietor of this newspaper wishes to contract with a steady
man (who can find and uphold his own horse) to deliver it to the
subscribers once a week during the winter, on the route between
York and Niagara, _via_ Ancaster.

Mr. Thomas A. Stayner was postmaster in 1841, and through his
recommendation a uniform rate of 1s 2d sterling, per half ounce, was
adopted between any place in Canada and the mother country. About this
time regular steam communication across the Atlantic was established.

The transfer of the Canadian post-office from the control of the
imperial authorities to the Colonial government, was effected April 6th,
1851. Mr. Stayner then resigned, and the office was filled by the Hon.
James Morris, who was the first Postmaster-General. This may be termed
the red-letter year of the Canadian post-office. In the first place, the
postage, which had hitherto been according to distance and had averaged
15 cents on each letter, was reduced to a uniform rate of 5 cents per
half ounce. The newspaper charge was also considerably reduced. Within a
year after, the number of letters transmitted through the post had
increased 75 per cent. The operation of the department was greatly
extended, and last, but most decidedly not least, was the introduction
of pos