Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/224

 hearts. Christmas is a peculiarly fitting season for the spread of these glad tidings throughout the Empire, for, after all, the true spirit of Christmas is the outgoing of human brotherhood and affection. We do no more than express the sentiments of Englishmen in all parts of the Empire when we offer Mr Henniker Heaton a hearty Christmas congratulation on the happy inauguration of a really great stroke of Imperial policy."

That no man is a prophet in his own country H. H. was destined to prove. It was not until 1905 and after the most strenuous fight that H. H. was able to post a penny letter to Australia, and it was in 1911 that he had the pleasure of receiving the first letter from Australia bearing a penny stamp.

The story of how we won penny postage to Australia is set out in a chapter by itself, and bears eloquent testimony to that great Imperialist, Sir Joseph Ward, and the splendid work accomplished by Mr Austin Chapman, Postmaster-General of Australia. Not content with his successful advocacy of imperial penny postage, H. H. was engaged, in 1905, in establishing a league for universal penny postage. The following appeal was sent out in his name and secured enthusiastic replies from every quarter of the globe.

Aug. 10, 1905.

It is intended to form a League for the establishment of Universal Penny Postage, so that any inhabitant of our planet, white, black, or yellow,