The History of the Post Office, from Its Establishment Down to 1836

A detailed institutional history traces the development of the national postal system from its origins to the early nineteenth century, examining administrative offices, regulatory changes, introduction of prepaid postage and local penny posts, evolution of packet and stage services, rates and route organization, handling of mail during wartime and smuggling, financial arrangements including farming and revenue, and the practical mechanics of delivery such as postmarks, post-horses, and urban letter offices; chapters combine narrative of reforms and administrative records to explain how operational practices, legal controls, and commercial pressures shaped a modern postal service.