WHereas William Dockwra of London Merchant, and the reſt of the Undertakers, (who are all Natives and free Citizens of London) out of a ſence of the great benefit which would accrew to the numerous Inhabitants of this Great City, and adjacent parts, (with hopes of ſome Reaſonable Encouragement hereafter to Themſelves) have lately ſet up a New Invention to convey Letters and Parcels, not exceeding One Pound Weight, and Ten Pounds in Value, to and from all Parts within the Contiguous Buildings of the Weekly Bills Mortality for a Penny a Letter or Parcel, whereby Correſpondency, the Life of Trade and Buſineſs, is and will be much facilitated; and having for above a year paſt, with great pains, and at ſome Thouſands of Pounds Charge, reduced the ſame into Practice, which does manifeſtly appear to be for the Publick Good; yet as all new Deſigns at firſt uſually meet with Oppoſition and great Diſcouragements, rarely (if at all) proving beneficial to the Firſt Adventurers, ſo hath this alſo incurr'd the ſame Fate hitherto, eſpecially from the Ignorant and Envious; but the Undertakers do hope that all People will be Convinced, by time and experience, which removes Prejudice and Errors, and renders all New Undertakings Compleat; for the Attainment of which good Ends, they have with great Induſtry, much expence of time, and at a Chargeable Rate, made ſuch Alterations in their former Methods, as (they hope) will now give Univerſal ſatisfaction. And whereas there has been much Noiſe about the pretended Delays and Miſcarriage of Letters going by the Penny-Poſt, which has riſen through the great Miſtake and Neglect of other People, as the Undertakers can ſufficiently Evidence, by many Authentick Certificats which they have ready to produce, for the Juſtification of their due Performance in General, yet has there been ſo many Cauſleſs and Unjuſt Reflections caſt on ſo Uſeful an Undertaking, that they hold it highly Neceſſary to undeceive the World, by ſhewing ſome of the grounds from whence they ſpring, viz. Some Men ſuppoſe, and confidently Alledge their Letters are Miſcarried, (or at leaſt Delayed,) becauſe they have not always an immediate Anſwer, when perhaps the Party is not then at Leiſure to write, or for private Reaſons unwilling, or in the Country,) or removed to ſome other part of the Town, where the Meſſengers cannot upon the ſtricteſt enquiry Learn or find him out; beſides ſome Men will not in many Caſes own the Receipt of Letters duly Delivered into their hands, or in their abſence left for them at their Reſpective Houſes or Lodgings, eſpecially where they are Dun'd for Money, which they either will not or cannot Pay.

Some Complain of Delays of Letters, though in their Abſence they were duly left for them, and through the careleſs Neglects of Servants, and others (to whom they were Deilvered, have been miſlaid and detain'd many Hours (ſomtimes Days) and to excuſe their own fault, do Charge the Delay upon the Penny-Poſt, pretending the ſaid Letters were but then brought; which the Stamps of the Hour will now detect.

It very often falls out that many Perſons that have written, do not always put in or ſend their Letters to the Penny-Poſt at the ſame inſtant, but ſometimes long after, an Hour, Two or Three, nay the Day after the Letters have been Dated, which upon the Delivery is Charged as a delay proceeding from the Office; which miſchief People might eaſily Prevent, if they would pleaſe to be punctual and juſt, in ſetting the Day of the Week, and exact Hour of the Day under the Subſcription, agreeable to the time the ſame was really put in, at the Receiving Houſe.

As for Example, Mond. Mor. 9. 10. Wedn. Aft. 3, 4, 5.

Alſo Letters that Men ſometimes ſend by Porters to ſeveral Parts of the Town, after they have Idely (perhaps in an Ale-Houſe) kept them ſome Hours in their Hands, and have Receiv'd 4 d. 6 d. or 12. d. for Carriage of them, have been put in by them to be Conveyed by the Penny-Poſt, (their Stamps of Delivery appearing upon them,) which has Cauſed much Reflection upon the Office, as if the delay proceeded from Neglects therein.

Others intruſting Boys and other Servants to Deliver their Letters at the Receiving Houſes, are often deceived by their Deſtroying ſuch Letters to keep the Money, though ſo trivial, and by their Loytering and long Delay before the ſame be left by them, time is loſt, all which is unjuſtly Charged on the Penny-Poſt.

There are many other Cauſes of Delays of Letters, which yet ought not to be Charged on the Office, as when Directions are not ſo plainly Written (as they ought to be,) and when they are very ill Directed, Perſons that write do frequently omit to mention the Trade and Sign, or near what Place, Lane, Church, Remarkable Publick Houſe, or Tavern, &c. which is altogether Neceſſary every where; but eſpecially in long Streets and large Places, ſuch as are in this great City and Suburbs, as the Strand, Covent-Garden, Thames-ſtreet, Wapping, Southwark, &c. all which occaſions not only Delays, but Expence of the Meſſengers time to ſeek out, and enquire for the Parties, but often times ſuch Letters lie Undelivered, it being ſometimes impoſſible by the moſt Acute Interpreter to Read, much leſs find out how, or where to Deliver them, and ſuch ſhort, imperfect and blind Directions, (as are, more or leſs, daily ſent to go by the Penny-Poſt) beget them great Trouble, much Vexation, and unjuſt Diſparagement.

Furthermore, Moſt Letters that are ſent to Carriers and Stage-Coaches, are rejected at the Inns for want of two pence, which they require for Carriage, and often times abuſe the Meſſengers that offer them; therefore all Perſons are Deſired to take Notice thereof, and either to ſettle the Receipt with Carriers, Coachmen or others, to take them without Money, (by agreement) or to ſend Two Pence for the future, and Endorſe upon ſuch Letters, Carriage Paid 2 d.

As for ſuch as Object the Miſcarriage of their Letters, becauſe not come to hand, they are under the greateſt miſtake of all; for if they pleaſe to ſend or come to the Cheif Office in Lyme-ſtreet, they ſhall find them there, remaining under their proper Alphabetical Letter, Endorſed with the True Reaſon why they could not be Delivered, though the Meſſenger has ſpent thrice the due time to find them out, which at laſt has not been poſſible to do, by Reaſon of ſuch bad Directions, and for want of Money at Inns, as before mentioned; but theſe Letters lie ready for any that ſhall pleaſe to call or ſend for them by the Penny-Poſt, though every ſuch Letter has cauſed Scandalous and unjuſt Reflections on the Undertaking, among thouſands of Perſons firſt and laſt, yet the Penny-Poſt has been altogether innocent.

Now for Remedy of divers of the forementioned Miſchiefs, and to prevent the further ſpreading of miſtaken Reports of the Delays and Miſcarriage of Letters, which has not only tended greatly to the Prejudice of the Penny-Poſt; but to the hinderance of the Inhabitants from Embracing the great Benefit that they might have received, by the Uſe of this Conveyance.

The Undertakers have provided the Stamps aforeſaid to Mark the Hour of the Day on all Letters when ſent out from their Office to be Delivered, and all Perſons are to expect their Letters within one Hour (little more or leſs from the time Marked thereon,) (excepting ſuch Letters as are to the four Out-Towns, and the Remoteſt Parts,) which neceſſarily require a longer time of Conveyance, by theſe they may be able from time to time to diſcern, whether the delays that hereafter may happen, be really in the Office, or in their own Servants (or others,) with whom their Letters were left in due time.

Each Office having its proper Letter, with an acknowledgment that the Penny-Poſt is paid, to prevent the giving of any thing at the Delivery, and for the more Regular Diſpatch and Conveyance, the ſaid Undertakers have Directed the Hourly Collecting and Delivery of all Letters, from Seven in the Morning, till Nine at Night on Poſt Nights, allowing all Perſons an Hour to ſend in their ſaid Letters or Parcels, and the Office an Hour to Collect, bring in, Sort and Diſtribute the ſame; That is to ſay, all Letters and Parcels given or left at any Penny-Post-Houſe after Seven at Night, and before Eight in the Morning, are by the Office Collected, brought in, Sorted, and ſent out ſoon after Nine, all Letters left betwixt the Hours of Eight and Nine, are brought in, ſorted, and ſent out by the Office ſoon after Ten, and ſo ſucceſſively every Hour in the Day, till Eight of the Clock at Night.

All Letters left as before, betwixt Seven and Eight in the Evening, are Collected, brought in, ſent out, and Diſtributed ſoon after Nine, (to the neareſt, but not to the Remoteſt Parts, as Blackwall, Redriff, &c.) that Night, but no Letters left after Eight can be aſcertained to be Delivered at all that Night, (except Poſt-Letters to Lumbard-ſtreet,) and indeed very late Delivery of Letters is a great diſturbance to the Inhabitants, beſides the great Toyle and Slavery that it procures to the poor Meſſengers.

Yet Letters coming too late at Night, ſhall be by Seven next Morning ſent out, and Deliver'd by Eight, and ſometimes ſooner; where Note he that leaves his Letter immediatly after Seven, is Diſpatcht no ſooner than that Letter which is put in juſt before Eight, and if any Man ſlips the time, and defers the putting in his Letter, but a very little while after Eight, his Letter by theſe Rules muſt lie an Hour extraordinary, till Nine, before it can be Collected; ſo that for want of due conſideration how Letters proceed, the unthinking People do miſreckon, and expect their Letters ſhould be run away with as ſoon as left, whereas by the very miſtiming it, two Hours, nay three, in ſome Caſes, may be loſt through their own default, and thoſe☜ that be orderly left by theſe Methods, muſt have allowed ſome two, ſome three, ſome four hours and more before they can be Delivered. All Perſons are therefore deſired to contrive their Buſineſs ſo beforehand, as to allow reaſonable time for Conveyance as aforeſaid, and they are deſired not to leave any Town Letters after Six a Clock at furtheſt in Winter, and Seven in Summer (on Saturday Nights eſpecially) except Poſt-Letters, to the end that the many Poor Men who are Imployed in this Service, may have a little time to provide for their Families againſt the Lords-Day, having no leiſure all the week beſides.

But all Letters to the four Towns of Hackney, Iſlington, South-Newington and Lambeth, and to the Remote Parts, muſt be left much earlyer, or they will not be Delivered till next Morning, and if any Perſon in the four Towns do deſire their Letters to be brought to their Houſes, they may for another Penny be Accommodated; otherwiſe they will be left at the Receiving-Houſes, to be ſent for by their own Servants. And all People are hereby given to underſtand, that no Letters will be carried to any parts of the Weekly Bills of Mortality, further then the adjoyning or contiguous Buildings, nor to any other Town then the Four above-mentioned.

☞ Note that upon the Three Days at Chriſtmas, the Two Days at Eaſter and Whitſuntide, and the Thirtieth of January, the Penny-Poſt does not go.

On all Poſt Nights, due Care is taken to call for, and Convey to the General Poſt-Houſe in Lumbard-ſtreet, all Poſt-Letters, whether Foreign or Inland, left at any of the Penny-Poſt Receiving-Houſes, at or before Nine of the Clock at Night. And ſince the Carriage of Town Letters doth not near Anſwer the neceſſary Charge required to ſupport this Undertaking, the Undertakers do hope, that all Perſons will ſo far Contribute to the Continuance of this Uſeful Deſign, as to ſend all their Poſt-Letters by this Conveyance, to the Poſt-Houſe in Lumbard-ſtreet, which they do not Convey thither by Themſelves or Servants, but if any Poſt-Letters be left without Money, that ſhould pay before-hand, they muſt of neceſſity be Returned to the Office, and ſuch as do ſend Money, are deſired to Endorſe the Poſtage Money upon their Letters.

And foraſmuch, as there has been ſundry Attempts to Cheat the Undertakers of many pounds, by falſe Endorſements of Money, and pretences of Loſs of other things ſent in ſmall Parcels, which really never were ſent at all, (an ungrateful return for the Undertakers kindneſs, ſuch Perſons having been ſhamefully Detected, and thereby the Penny-Poſt as throughly juſtified.

The Undertakers therefore, for ſome Expedient to prevent ſuch Evil Deſigns againſt them, do Declare, that for the Future, They will not be Anſwerable for any Goods or Money, ſent by them, but what is faſt made up, and Sealed under ſuch an Impreſſion, as is plain to be ſeen, and that the Contents or the Value thereof be Endorſt fairly to be Read on the out-ſide. To the end they may know with what they are Charg'd, (excepting ſuch Parcels, as the Contents are open and viſible) nor will they make good any Breaking, or Damage of Choice and Curious Things; nor Glaſſes or Liquid Matter ſent by them, it being altogether unreaſonable, that ſuch things as are brittle or ſubject to damage ſhould be carried 2, 3, or 4 mile at the Adventure of the Undertakers for one Penny, to be liable to Pay Five ſhillings or Five Pounds damage, but all Perſons ſhall be ſure to have the honeſt Endeavours of the Meſſengers, to preſerve them, as much as in them lies from breaking, or any other hurt, and of ſafe Delivery thereof, breaking and damage only excepted. It is alſo hereby ſignified, that the Undertakers, by Packets or Parcels under a Pound Weight, do not intend to accept Things of extraordinary Bulk, as ſome have been ſo unreaſonable often times to offer to ſend by this Conveyance.

Theſe being ſome of the Practical Methods of the Penny-Poſt, all Perſons are Deſired to Conſider how far they may be Applied, or made Uſeful to themſelves in their Reſpective Occaſions, that they may not through their own miſtakes meet with Diſappointment, eſpecially in expecting to go in leſſer time than it is Practical by theſe Methods, and thereby Cauſeleſly Reflect on the Penny-Poſt; and it is hoped, that all Ingenious and Worthy Perſons for the Future will be ſo kind to the Undertakers, (and good Friends to the Publick) as to Encourage them in their Honeſt and Uſeful Deſign, by all Lawful ways and means; and to Diſcountenance all thoſe that are ſo Envious and Brutiſh, as by Word or Deed to Oppoſe the good Progreſs thereof, and Diſcourage all that ſhall Attempt to intrude the like Practice, to the hinderance of the preſent Undertakers, who have firſt Erected this Publick Conveniency at their own great Hazard, Pains and Charge.

There ſhall be now hinted ſome of the Conveniencies of this Ʋſeful Ʋndertaking of the Penny-Poſt. All Gentlemen, Countrey-Chapmen, &c. can give notice of their Arrival to Town. Shopkeepers and Tradeſmen ſend for what they want to their Workmen. Much time ſaved in Sollicitation for Money. Appointments of Meetings among men of Buſineſs. Bills diſperſed for Publication of any Concern. Summons or Tickets convey'd to all parts. Brewers Entries ſafely ſent to the Exciſe-Office. Lawyers and Clients mutually correſpond. Patients ſend to Doctors, Apothecaries, &c. for what they want.

All the Town upon the River of Thames may ſend by their Watermen Letters to be delivered to the Receiving-Houſes of the Penny-Poſt, near to moſt Plying-Places, from whence they will be diſperſed according to their Directions, and Letters from London to be delivered to the Watermen, to ſend to the ſaid Towns.

And the Poor Priſoners can now addreſs to their Creditors or Benefactors for one Penny, and ſave 5d. to buy them a Dinner.

Many other Benefits are to be had by this Conveyance, which (though for brevity omitted) the Ingenious will find out.

The Intention of the Undertakers in this Sheeet, being chiefly to preſent to the Publick the Nature of this thing in its Practice; but hereafter they do intend to publiſh a larger Satisfaction to all the Impartial; not doubting to demonſtrate undeniably the Univerſal Utility of this Invention, and the Unreaſonableneſs and Invallidity of all the Objections hitherto alledged againſt it.

Laſtl • , If any Perſon deſire further Information, or would communicate any thing to the Office, if they pleaſe to write to the Chief Houſe in Lyme-ſtreet, they ſhall be Anſwered to all reaſonable and juſt Content, and their Letters ſhall be taken in free by the Receivers, provided they be thus Directed,

To Mr. Dockwra, and the reſt of the Ʋndertakers, at the Penny-Poſt Houſe in Lyme-ſtreet.