Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/223

 working people of this country with relations abroad— until the opportunity came for benefiting them by means of cheap postage. The mandarins at St Martin's-le-Grand had the worst half-hour they ever had in their hives in trying to measure swords with the powerful Minister.

"Mr Chamberlain determined that the people should have the boon, and he was ably seconded by my friends Mr Mulock, P.M.G. of Canada, Sir David Tennant, Agent-General for the Cape of Good Hope together with Sir Walter Peace, Agent-General fofor [sic] Natal.

H. H. never felt satisfied that sufficient credit was given to Mr Chamberlain for his share in the establishment of penny postage. Some words to that effect he wrote to Mr Chamberlain and received the following reply:

I do not care a brass button who gets the credit for the postal reform. The great thing is that the matter has been at last brought to a satisfactory stage, and I think that you and I are well content with the results without wishing for special notice.

A leader in "The Times" paid a remarkable tribute to the success of H. H.'s labours:

"Henniker Heaton is in reality the Marconi of this new telegraphy of hearts. By bringing the postage of the Empire within the reach of the poorest he has rendered vocal innumerable chords which have long been dumb, and acclaimed the unity of the Empire by the responsive chorus of myriads of gladdened