An excellent example of the marvellous development of the postal system of our country is afforded by the increase which has taken place in the number of postmen employed. A little over a century since only one letter carrier was assigned to each of the largest provincial towns, such as Bristol (the then premier provincial city), Liverpool & Manchester. Now the Postmaster-General counts by the fifty thousand the blue (once scarlet) clad postman as shown in the act of clearing a street letter box