A. D. lyio. Anno nono Ann^ Reginas. Q lo. 435 and Poft Office ere£led'and eftablifhed in fome convenient Place within the City o^ London, from whence all Letters and Packets whatfoever may be with Speed and Expedition fent into any Part of the King- doms of Great Britain and Ireland, or to North America, tlie Wejl Indies, or to any other of her Majefty's Dominions or Territories, or imto any other Kingdom or Country beyond the Seas, at which faid Office all Returns and Anfwers may be Hkewiie received ; and that one Mafter of the faid General Letter Office aniJ one Port- 1 and Poft Office fhall be, from time to time, appointed by the Queen's Majefty, her Heirs and SuccefTors, "i^"" General. •' to be made and conftituted by Letters Patents under the Great Seal oi Great Britain, by the Name and Stile of her Majefty's Poftmafter General ; which faid Mafter of the faid Office, and his Deputy and De- - puties by him thereunto fufficiently authorized, and his and their Servants and Agents, and no other Perfon or Peifons whatfoever, fhall, from time to time, and at all Times, have the receiving, taking up, ordering, difpatching, fending Poft, or with Speed, carrying and delivering of all Letters and Packets whatfoever, which fhall, from time to time, and at all or any Times be fent to and from all and every the P2.rts and Flzces of Great Britain and Ireland, North America, th& JVeJl Indies, and other her Majefty's Dominions, and alfo to and from all and every the Kingdoms and Countries beyond the Seas, where he fhall fettle or caufe to be fettled Pofts, or running Meffengers for that Purpofe : Except fucli Letters as Exception' fhall refpeftively concern G6ods fent by common known Carriers of Goods by Carts, Waggons, or Pack Horfes, and ftiall be refpeSively delivered with the Goods fuch Letters do concern, without Hire, or Reward, or other Profit or Advantage for receiving or delivering fuch Letters ; and except Letters of Merchants, and Mafters, Owners of any Ships, Barques, or Vedels of Merchandize, or any the Cargo or Loading therein, fent on board fuch Ships, Barques or Veflels of Merchandize, whereof fuch Merchants or ■Mafters are Owners as aforefaid, and delivered by any Mafters of any fuch Ships, Barques or Veflels of Merchandize, or by any other Perfon employed by them for the Carriage of fuch Letters aforefaid, according to their refpeflive Directions, fo as fuch Letters be delivered to the refpeftive Perfons to whorn they fhall he direfted without paying or receiving any Hire or Reward, Advantage, or Profit for the fame in any wife ; and alfo except Commiffions, or the Return thereof, Affidavits, Writs, Procefs, or Pro- ceedings or Returns thereof, iffuing out of any Court ; and alfo any Letter or Letters to be fent by any private Friend or Friends, in their Way of Journey or Travel, or by anyMeflenger orMeflengers fent on Purpofe foror concerning the private Aff"air of any Perfon or Perfons. III. Provided always neverthelefs. That nothing in the faid Exception contained, fhall extend or be ^""'^' ^^'^^- conftrued to extend to give any Licence or Authority to any comm.on known Carriers of Goods by Carts, &c"not"carry Waggons, or Pack Horfes, their Servants or Agents, to receive, colleft or deliver, with or without Letters. Hire, any Letter or Letters, Packet, or Packets of Letters whatfoever, that do not concern Goods in their Carts, VVaggons, or on their Pack Horfes, nor to any Owners or Drivers of Stage Coaches, nor to any Owners, Mafters or Commanders of Boats called PalTage Boats, failing between any Part of Great Bri- tain or Ireland, and any Parts or Places beyond the Seas, or their Servants or Agents, nor to any Paffen- ger or PafTengers on board fuch Boats or VefTels, nor to the Owners or Watermen on board of any Boat, Barge, or Veffel paffing or repaffing on any River or Rivers,' to and from any Parts of Great Britain and Ireland, North America, or the IFeJi Indies, or other her Majefty's Dominions and Territories, although fuch Drivers of Stage Coaches, Ov/ners, Mafters, or Commanders of Boats, called PaflTage Boats, or PafTengers therein, Owners or Watermen on board of any fuch Boat, Barge, or Vefl^el paffing or repaf- fmg on any fuch River or Rivers as aforefaid, do not receive any Hire or Reward, or other Advantage for the fame ; but that all fuch Carriers, Owners and Drivers of Stage Coaches, Owners, Mafters or Com- manders of Paffage Boat,,, and the PafTengers therein, and all Owners and Watermen on, board of any Boat, Barge or VelTel palling or repaffing oh any River or Rivers, to or from any the Parts and Places aforefaid, colle6ling and delivering Letters as aforefaid, though without Hire or Reward, fhall be deemed and taken, and are hereby declared to be Perfons offending againft this A£t, and fhall forfeit and pay Explained as to fuch Sum and Sums of Money, as Perfons collefting, receiving, taking up, conveying and delivering of P«""y Poft Let- Letters for Hire, or fetting up, employing and maintaining any Poft contrary to this K&, or that are or t_"s by 4 Geo. z, fhall be concerned therein, are herein after enacted to forfeit and pay. , ' ^^' IV. And to the end there maybe one chief Letter Office alfo
North Britain znd Ireland, and at A chief Letter
NezuTork m North America, and in the TFeJi Indies, from whence the Diftances for which the Rates' °'^= 'o be hereby granted may be computed and fettled ; Be it enafted by the Authority aforefaid, That fuch Poft- "urg tt p^yb mafter General fo to be conftituted as aforefaid, fliall be at Liberty to keep one chief Letter Office in the 3„j ^^Ng^^ York' Q.tY oi Edinburgh, and one other chief Letter Office in the City oi Dublin, and one chief Letter Office &c. in New York aforefaid, and other chief Offices at fome convenient Place or Places in each of herlvdajefty's Provinces or Colonies in Aynerica, and in each of the Iflands in the IFeJl Indies, called the Leeward Iflands, and appoint fufficient Deputies under him, for the better managing, ordering, collecting, and improving the Revenue hereby granted. -- -;•:-. y. And be it further ena£fed by the Authority aforefaid. That fuch Poftmafter General for the Time Tha 'Poftmafter' being, as fhall from time to time be made and conftituted by her Majefty^ her Heirs and Succeftbrs, and General, and nc the refpeaive Deputies or Subftirutcs of fuch Poftmafter General, and no other Perfon or Perfons what- ^^^^YeVfcrrilln^ loeyer,-_ fhall prepare and provide Horfes and Furniture, to let to Hire unto all or any Perfon or Perfons p°,^_^^ ° ' '"^ riding in Poft, by Commiffion or without, to or from all and every the Parts and Places oi Great Britain ^^q_ j_ p_ ^ and /r^/sW, v/here any Poft-Roads are or fhall be fettled and eftablifhed. ' ' '■■ • VI. And be it further enadled by the Authority aforefaid, That it fhall and may be lawful to and for Rate's for car^-' fuch Poftmafter General to be conftituted and appointed as aforefaid, and his Deputy and Deputies by him ing Letters in 'thereunto fufficiently authorized, to and for the Ufe of her Majefiy, her H.irs and Succeflbrs, to demand, England. have, receive L;nd^take, for the Portage and Conveyance of all fuch Letters and Packets which he fhall fo. convej, carry or fend Poft as aforefaid, and for the providing and furniflaing Horfes for Perfons riding in K k k 2 Poft,
