they should provide
a special train for Post Office purposes. He was afraid that trains run
at the hours which would be necessary to meet their wishes would not
secure much passenger traffic, and the whole cost of the running would
fall upon the Postmaster-General. He would closely watch the matter, and
if he could see his way he would not be reluctant to provide them with
what they desired. At present the service was the best in his power to
afford. They were probably aware that the Post Office was experimenting
in certain places with motor-cars, and if they were found to be
reliable, that might be a way out of the difficulty. He should keep that
before him as a possibility, if further railway facilities were not
forthcoming. He regretted that he could not make a more hopeful
statement. All he could say was that he did not think the service was
satisfactory for a great commercial centre like Bristol, and if he saw
his way to provide them with something better he would certainly not
neglect to do so.

It may be opportune here to recall the mail services of the past.

From an "Account of the Days and Hours of the Post coming in and going
out at Salisbury," the following has been gleaned. The "Account" is a
broad sheet, and was printed in Salisbury in 1772 by Sully and
Alexander. The name of Daniel P. Safe, postmaster, is inscribed at the
foot of the "Account":--

Comes in from Bristol through Bath, Bradford, Trowbridge, Devizes,
Westbury, Warminster, Heytesbury, Wells, Shepton Mallet, Frome,
etc., etc., Monday about Seven at Night; and Wednesday and Friday,
about Three in the Afternoon.

Goes out to Heytesbury, Westbury, Devizes, Trowbridge, Bradford,
Bath, Bristol, Warminster, Frome, Shepton Mallet, Wells, etc., etc.,
Sunday at Ten at Night; and Wednesday and Friday at Six in the
Evening.

Comes in from Portsmouth, Gosport, Isle of Wight, Guernsey, Jersey,
Southampton, New Forest, Winton, Romsey, on Sunday, Wednesday and
Friday, at Six in the Evening.

Goes out to Romsey, Winton, New Forest, Southampton, Guernsey,
Jersey, Isle of Wight, Gosport, Portsmouth, on Sunday, Tuesday, and
Thursday at Eleven in the Morning.

The official bag seal of the period was inscribed thus:--

[Illustration]

The Bristol and Portsmouth Mail Coach was established under the
immediate superintendence of Francis Freeling, Secretary to the General
Post Office, who travelled on