Coaching and the Post Office in olden Times (2)

... any part of the country, applied to the Post Office
for what was called a despatch express. The postmaster
 or some of his clerks were always so obliging as to
accommodate gentlemen in this respect, and
 enclosed the letters in a cover, sealed with the Post
 Office seal; upon which the express boy proceeded
on his way, and at all the stages he came to, he
 obtained horses by the authority of the Post Office.
   This practice became very common, and was found
to be very convenient to our great tobacco merchants,
 many of whom had country houses at some considerable
distance from the city.lt was encouraged by the
 postmaster, who no doubt received "a consideration "
for his services. But in course of time the system
 was put a stop to in a rather authoritative
manner.