vernments may send to the
Respective Governors whose agents they are. It being only hereby
intended that the bulke of letters w^{ch} hitherto have gone very
loosely, to the great Loss of Merchants may for the future be conveyed
in Mailes to prevent frauds or inconveniencys which have often hitherto
happened.

That the said Master shall under a Penalty be obliged to call at the
respective post offices where he shall load for the Maile and if none be
ready to be sent that he bring with him a Certificate for his
Justification that he called.

The method at present used to get letters transported to America is
this--

The Masters bound thither put up bags in Coffee houses wherein the
letters are put and for which one penny a letter is usually paid and 2d.
if it exceeds a single letter.

This is Lyable to several abuses.

First any one under pretence that he wants to have his letters up again
may come to those bags and take out other mens letters and thereby
discover the secrets of Merchants and tis in their power intirely to
w^{th}draw them.

2^{dly.} Severall Masters upon their arrivall often keep up letters till
they have disposed of their Loading and are ready to saile again, and
then Drop them to the great hurt of those that are concerned, which
inconveniencys would be prevented if letters were delivered from the
Post Offices in Mailes and likewise delivered by them in Mailes into the
Post Office where they arrive. Offices may be erected in London and
other sea Port Townes in England that Trade with America and so they may
be in Ireland and the same penny a letter which is paid into the Coffee
houses would support such offices in England and Ireland to receive such
letters.

Such offices will be a great convenience to lodge such letters as may
concerne his Majestys affairs in America.

If Masters were obliged to receive letters to and from America from the
Post Office only, in Mailes and delivered them so at the first post
office they arrive at; there would be saved to the King a penny a
letter, which now Masters of shipps and passengers Receive, for every
American letter they deliver at the respective Offices and whereas now
many letters are delivered by Masters and passengers themselves to the
persons concerned, all those letters would then be brought into the Post
Office to the encrease of that Revenue.

That it be provided that the Post and his horse shall go fferry ffree.

That the rates following may