the coach on its first journey about the
year 1786.

In the year 1793 the Salisbury, Portsmouth, and Chichester mails went
out from Bristol every morning at seven, and arrived in Bristol every
evening between nine and eleven. At that period the coaches from Bristol
for the Southern Counties started thus:--Bush Tavern, Corn Street, John
Weeks; for Weymouth a post coach every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
morning at 5; for Portsmouth a post coach every Tuesday, Thursday, and
Saturday morning at four, so that probably the mail which left at 7 a.m.
daily was carried by mail cart and postboy.

In about the year 1798 a "long" coach set out from Mr. Crosse's, the
Crown Inn, Portsmouth, to Southampton, Salisbury, Bath, and Bristol,
every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon; and from Gosport every
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, to the White Hart Inn, Bristol.

The methods of service in 1798 and the perils of the road are indicated
by the following public notice, viz.:--

"General Post Office, "October 11th, 1798.

"The postboy carrying the mail from Bristol to Salisbury on the 9th
instant was stopped between the hours of eleven and twelve o'clock
at night by two men on foot within six miles of Salisbury, who
robbed him of seven shillings in money, but did not offer to take
the mail. Whoever shall apprehend the culprit, or cause to be
apprehended and convicted both or either of the persons who
committed this robbery, will be entitled to a reward of fifty pounds
over and above the reward given by Act of Parliament for
apprehending highwaymen. If either party will surrender himself and
discover his accomplice he will be admitted as evidence for the
Crown, receive His Majesty's most gracious pardon, and be entitled
to the said reward.

"By command of the Postmaster-General.
"FRANCIS FREELING, Secretary."

There is no record that anyone claimed the reward.

In 1828 the mail went out from Bristol at twenty minutes past five
o'clock for Salisbury, Southampton, Portsmouth, and Chichester, and
arrived every day previously to the London mail--thus Chichester, in
Sussex, was linked up with the Wiltshire, Dorsetshire, and Hampshire
mails at that early period. The charge for the postage of a letter from
Bristol to Portsmouth was at that time ninepence.

Luke Kent was the first individual who filled the place of Guard of the
Chichester mail coaches. At