Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/222

 Urgent and Express.

I have heard the following will appear in the morning papers: "Imperial Penny Postage for the Empire, except Australia, has been agreed to."

It is almost too good news.

To the Duke of Norfolk, as Postmaster-General, fell the duty of conveying to Queen Victoria the news of the introduction of Imperial Penny Postage.

"When does this come into force?" inquired Her Majesty.

"We thought of the Prince's birthday," replied the Duke.

In an instant the Queen, ever mindful of her supreme authority, had drawn herself up.

"And what Prince?" she inquired in her most icy tone.

But the Duke was quite equal to the emergency.

"The Prince of Peace, ma'am—on Christmas Day," he replied quickly.

Thus it came about that penny postage was established on Christmas Day, 1808.

H. H. writing to a correspondent, Mr John Wilson, of Birmingham, expressed himself in these words:

"When the story of how we won imperial penny postage comes to be written, it will be found that had it not been for your great representative Mr Chamberlain we should have had to wait many years for the beneficent reform. I never realized the strength of purpose—his sympathy for the poor, the hard-