nality or interest:--

"A letter from Exeter, dated May 10, 1802, said:--'Last Thursday the
London mail, horsed by Mr. J. Land, of the New London Inn, Exeter, with
four beautiful grey horses, and driven by Mr. Cave-Browne, of the
Inniskilling Dragoons, started (at the sound of the bugle) from St.
Sydwells, for a bet of 500 guineas, against the Plymouth mail, horsed
by Mr. Phillips, of the Hotel, with four capital blacks, and driven by
Mr. Chichester, of Arlington House, which got the mail first to the Post
Office in Honiton. The bet was won easily by Mr. Browne, who drove the
sixteen miles in one hour and fourteen minutes.--Bets at starting, 6 to
4 on Mr. Browne. A very great concourse of people were assembled on this
occasion.'"

On Saturday, October 2, 1802, it was announced that "the Union post
coach ran from Bristol every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday morning over
the Old Passage, through Chepstow and Monmouth to Hereford, where it met
other coaches, and returned the following days. Coaches left the White
Hart Inn and the Bush Tavern for Exeter and Plymouth every morning, by
the nearest road by ten miles. Fares: To Exeter, inside, L1 1s.;
outside, 14s.; to Plymouth, L1 11s. 6d. and L1 1s. Reduced fares are
offered by the London, Bath, and Bristol mail coaches--to and from
London to Bristol, inside, L2 5s.; from London to Bath, L2. Parcels
under 6lb. in weight taken at 6d. each, with an engagement to be
responsible for the safe delivery of such as are under L5 in value."

In August, 1803, passenger traffic to Birmingham caused rivalry among
the coach proprietors. A new coach having started on this route, three
coaching advertisements were issued:--

Under the heading "Cheap Travelling to Birmingham," the "Jupiter" coach
was announced to run from the White Lion, Broad Street, every Monday and
Friday afternoon, at two o'clock; through Newport, Gloucester,
Tewkesbury, and Worcester to Birmingham; the "Nelson" coach from the
Bush Tavern and White Hart every morning at three; and the mail every
evening at seven. "Performed by Weeks, Williams, Poston, Coupland and
Co."

The "Union" coach altered its times of leaving the Boar's Head, College
Place--"in order to render the conveyance as commodious and expeditious
as possible"--to Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings at seven o'clock,
over the Old Passage, through Chepstow, Monmouth, Abergavenny, and
Hereford, where it met the Ludlow, Shrewsbury, Chester, and Holyhead
c