y a Mr. Palmer, who was then the manager of the
theatre in their neighbouring city of Bath. This was a great improvement
as to speed and safety of delivery when compared with the old postboy;
but think of the mail coach when compared with the mail trains that
covered now over three millions of miles per annum. But with all this
progress there had been many other changes. Think of the notice that was
issued to all postal employes in 1832, that none were to vote or advise
electors how to vote. This was very different to running a candidate on
postal lines, as was to take place at the next election at York. And in
considering what for a better term he might call the commercial side of
the question, there were instances that ought not to be overlooked in
great numbers of devotion to duty--for example, take that of the Scotch
mail carrier, who, feeling himself overcome by the gale and snow, hung
his mail-bag on a tree so that the letters should not be lost, even if
his life were sacrificed. Then this postal system seemed to develop a
special shrewdness. One local case had been mentioned by the Bishop as
having recently occurred, and there was another in which a pictorial
address of Daniel in the lion's den found its rightful owner, who had
become talked about by his visit to a menagerie just before. But in case
they should all think that at last perfection had been reached, there
was another circumstance that he could relate from his own personal
experience. Wanting to send a parcel to Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, he
foolishly sent it to his private address, at 40, Portman Square, instead
of his official residence, he being Chancellor of Exchequer at the time,
and judge of his own astonishment when he received an official
announcement, "Cannot be delivered owing to address being unknown." But
this did not tell against their Bristol friends, a body of men, he
ventured to say, who for smartness and anxiety at all times to meet the
various calls made upon them could not be surpassed, and therefore he
called upon them all to drink heartily the toast of the Postal and
Telegraph Service, coupling with it the name of their local Postmaster
and Surveyor, who was always to the fore in anything that would help
forward Bristol or Bristol interests.

[Illustration: POSTMASTER OF BRISTOL.

_(The Author.)_]

In replying, the Postmaster thanked them all for the cordial reception
of the toast of the Postal and Telegraph Services, and especial