at.
Without such means, he would have found it very difficult indeed
to send his letters by post. His heavy correspondence was chiefly
sent through official persons, who had the power of franking to
any weight; and his correspondents knew that they could send their
letters under care to these friends; so that he received
communications from them in the same way. He endeavored to save as
much trouble as he could, by dividing the annoyance among them,
and by enclosing a bundle of letters for the same neighborhood
under one cover. He said that, to obtain these privileges a man
must be connected or known to the aristocratic classes, and that
it was certainly unfair, as it gave unfair advantages to those who
happened to have friends or connections having that power. His
foreign correspondence was carried on through the embassies; and
in this way the letters came free. He got his letters from the
United States free in that way. Any man who was a Fellow of the
Royal Society, or who lived among that class, could avail himself
of these means of obtaining scientific communications.

The number of franked letters posted, throughout the kingdom, in two weeks
in January, 1838, is stated in the following table.

Week ending Country to London to Country to Total
London. country. country.
15 January, 41,196 43,345 36,361 122,902
29 January, 46,371 51,046 37,894 135,311
------ ------ ------ ------
Total, 87,567 96,391 74,255 258,213
Proportion, .339 .373 .287 1.

It was stated in the debates, that before the franking privilege was
limited, it had been worth, to some great commercial houses, who had a
seat in parliament, from L300 to L800 a year; and that after the
limitation it was worth to some houses as much as L300 a year. The
committee spoke of the use of franks for scientific and business
correspondence, as "an exemplification of the irregular means by which a
scale of postage, too high for the interests and proper management of the
affairs of the country, is forced to give way in particular instances. And
like all irregular means, it is of most unfair and partial application;
the relief depends, not on any general regulation, known to the public,
and according to which relief can be obtained, but upon fav