Bristol "lethargic" was for years the general idea of the place. Bristol "awakening" followed, and it is now realised that Bristol has fully awakened to her vast potentialities. The eyes of the populace of Great Britain, and, it may be, of many of the dwellers in the King's dominions beyond the seas, were in March, 1902, cast in the direction of the ancient city of Bristol, erstwhile the second port in importance in the British Isles. This national looking to what Bristolians proudly call the "metropolis of Western England" was occasioned by the visit of the Prince of Wales, with H.R.H. the Princess, to turn the first sod in connection with the great works then about to be undertaken for the extension of the docks at Avonmouth, so as to render them capable of accommodating and berthing steamers of a magnitude greater than any yet built—a work then expected to be completed in four or five years. The function was a notable one, and the occasion may be briefly summed up as "a grand day for Bristol." Two millions are being spent on the dock, which will have a water space of thirty acres, with room for further extension. The lock will be 875 feet long and 100 feet wide. There will be 5,000 feet of quay space, with abundant railway sidings and other appointments of a first-class port.

In Feb., 1902, Sir Alfred Jones, K.C.M.G., the chief of the Elder Dempster steamship line, set out from Avonmouth in the "Port Antonio" for Jamaica, with the object of promoting further developments between Bristol and the West Indies by means of the Imperial Direct West India mail service. The occasion of his departure was unusually interesting, as it took place on the first anniversary of the sailing of the first boat of the direct service carrying H. Majesty's mails to the Island of Jamaica from Avonmouth. The picture portrays the mails being embarked on the "Antonio's" sister ship, the "Port Royal," which arrived at Avonmouth on the day before the royal visit, and was inspected by Their Royal Highnesses, who were much interested in her banana cargo. The "Port Kingston," a steamer of larger size and splendid construction, has now been added to the Jamaican fleet, and she makes the passage from Kingston to Bristol in ten-and-a-half days. By a coincidence, when Bristol was "feasting" on the 5th March, 1902—the Red Letter Day—and its senior Burgess, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the other Members of Parliament for the city were felicitating with a goodly array of Bristol Fathers over the great event likely to be fraught with untold benefit to the historic port from which Sebastian Cabot set forth years and years ago to seek and find the continent of America, the feast of "St. Martin's" was being held at the Criterion, in London, and the Post Office K.C.B.'s, Sir George Murray, Sir Spencer Walpole, and Sir William Preece, under the courtly presidency of Sir Robert Hunter, were eloquently descanting to a large assemblage of Post Office literati on the usefulness of the Post Office Service magazine—St. Martin's le Grand.

The Chamber of Commerce at this time urged on the Canadian Government the desirability of making Bristol the terminal port for the new Canadian fast mail service, on the grounds that mails and passengers from Canada can be carried into London and the Midlands in the shortest period of time via the old port of Bristol. From the Holms, 20 miles below Bristol, a straight line in deep water, without any intervening land, may be drawn to Halifax. Bristol can be reached from London in 2 hours. The time which could be saved in the passage from Queenstown to London via Bristol is 5½ hours as compared with the route via Liverpool, and 5 hours as compared with the route via Southampton. By the Severn Tunnel line there is also direct communication with the Lancashire and Yorkshire manufacturing districts, as well as the Midland and Northern parts of the United Kingdom generally. Thus in the two important elements of speed and safety Bristol has paramount advantages as a terminal port for the transatlantic mail service. There is evidence generally that Bristol trade and commerce have revived, and are now indicating a vigorous growth. The Bristol post office statistics show a phenomenal progress during the last decade. In the year 1837, before the introduction of the penny postage system, and when people had to pay for their missives on delivery, Bristol could only boast of 1,040,000 letters delivered in a year; in 1841, the year after the uniform penny postage was introduced, the number rose to 2,392,000. In another ten years, 1851, 5,668,000 was reached; in 1861, 11,062,252 was the number; 1871, 12,158,000; in 1881, 19,484,000; 1891, 29,000,000; and in 1901, 55,473,000, or an increase approaching that of the preceding forty years. The numbers stand in 1905 at 73,000,000.

On Sunday, the 10th January, 1904, the liner "Philadelphia" (which, by-the-bye, as the "City of Paris" went ashore on the Manacles and was salved and re-named) was the first of the fleet of the American Line to call at Plymouth and land the American mails there, instead of at Southampton, as formerly. In connection with the inauguration of this service to the Western port of Plymouth, Bristol—undoubtedly a natural geographical centre for the distribution of mails from the United States and Canada—played an important part in distributing and thus greatly accelerating the delivery of the American correspondence generally. Bristol itself distinctly benefits by the American mail steamers calling at Plymouth, for it enables her traders to get their business correspondence many hours earlier than by any other route.

Owing to a severe storm encountered off Sandy Hook, the "Philadelphia," on the occasion alluded to, due on Saturday, did not arrive in Plymouth Sound until early on Sunday morning. The mails were quickly placed aboard the tender, which returned to Millbay Docks at 6.20 a.m., and an hour later the special G.W.R. train moved out, carrying over 21 tons of mails. Eight tons were at 10 a.m. put out at the Temple Meads Railway Station to be dealt with at the Bristol Post Office, and the remainder taken on to Paddington. The mails dealt with at Bristol included not only those for delivery in Bristol city and district, but also those for the provinces. They were speedily sorted and dispersed by the comprehensive through train services to the West, South Wales, Midlands, and North of England.

The second American mail was brought over by the "St. Louis," which arrived off Plymouth at one o'clock on Saturday morning, the 16th January, 1904. The G.W. train reached Temple Meads at 6.23, and 350 bags which had to be dealt with at Bristol were dropped. The premises recently acquired from the Water Works Company by the Post Office were utilized for the first time, there not being sufficient room in the existing post office buildings to cope with such a heavy consignment. The letters were sent out with the first morning delivery in Bristol. The Birmingham letters were despatched at 10.30 a.m., and those for Manchester and Liverpool were also sent off in time for delivery in the afternoon.

The third mail arrived per "New York," at 7.35 p.m. on Saturday, the 23rd January, 1904. One hundred and fifty bags were deposited at Bristol. The New York direct mails for the North went on by the 7.40 p.m. (G.W.) and 7.55 p.m. (Mid.) trains ex Bristol Station. The direct Plymouth and Bristol service is still being continued.

In an Instruction Book relating to "Ship Letter" Duty which was in use in the Bristol Post Office so far back as 1833, there are many interesting documents. The following is a list:—(1) Ship Letters, Notice, G.P.O., July, 1833. (2) Notice to all Masters and Commanders of Ships arriving from abroad; Signed, Francis Freeling, Secretary G.P.O., June, 1835. (3) Letter from Francis Freeling to G. Huddlestone, 9th October, 1835, re letters forwarded by the ship "Paragon" from the Port of Bristol. (4) Letter from Ship Letter Office, London, to Postmaster of Bristol re Inland prepaid rate and Captain's gratuity (18th Sept., 1843). (5) Correspondence from G. Huddlestone (26th July, 1838) re Process of Receipt of Ship Letters, and making up of the mails; also Process of Receipt and Distribution of Ship Letters Inward. (6) Notice to the Public and Instructions to all Postmasters; signed W.L. Maberly, Secretary G.P.O., 2nd September, 1840. (7) Receipt from Postmaster of Bristol for 1 packet directed "O.H.M.S. Ship Mail; per 'Victory'" from Bristol to Cork (Sept. 17th, 1841). (8) Letter containing Solicitor's opinion that Master of steam vessel cannot be compelled to sign receipt Ship Letter; signed Jas. Campbell (4th October, 1841). (9) Notice to Postmasters; signed W.L. Maberly, Secretary G.P.O., June, 1845. (10) Circular of Instructions; signed Rowland Hill, G.P.O., 4th October, 1845. (11) Notice to the Commanders of Ships arriving from Foreign Ports; signed W.L. Maberly, Secretary G.P.O., June, 1845. (12) Circular of Instructions; signed Rowland Hill, Secretary G.P.O., July, 1855. (13) Circular of Instructions to Postmasters at the Outports; signed Rowland Hill, Secretary G.P.O., 13th August, 1855. (14) Circular of Instructions; signed Rowland Hill, Secretary G.P.O., 29th January, 1857. (15) Reduction of the Ship Letter Rate of Postage; signed Rowland Hill, Secretary G.P.O., 26th December, 1857. (16) Circular of Instructions; signed Rowland Hill, Secretary G.P.O., January 14th, 1858. (17) Instructions; signed Rowland Hill, Secretary G.P.O., 27th March, 1863. (18) Re Letters to Portugal; signed Geo. Dumeldenger, for Sub. Con., 7th March, 1871. (19) Note re Loose Letters, 23rd March, 1876. Bristol, 9th December, 1902.

This old book relating to the Ship Letter Duty at Bristol was considered suitable for the Muniment Room at St. Martin's-le-Grand, as an historical record, and is retained there for preservation. It is considered fortunate that it has survived so long.

As the public eye was for a long time directed towards the Redland Post Office, Bristol, which to meet the wants of the community has been located by the Department at No. 112, White Ladies Road, Black Boy Hill, and is carried on apart altogether from any trade or business, it may be well, in view of connecting links with the past being rapidly effaced in the march of modern progress, to take an historical retrospect of this local post office so far as evidence is forthcoming, and thus endeavour to put on record the traditions of the past. It would appear, then, according to the earliest evidence obtainable, that Mr. W. Newman had the appointment of postman and town letter receiver conferred upon him in 1827, offices which he held until 1872. The post office was carried on by him in a small house approached by garden and steps immediately adjoining the old King's Arms Inn, which stood on the site of the present Inn of that name. It was Newman's mission in those pre-penny stamp days to serve the wide and then open district bordered by Pembroke Road, White Ladies Gate, Cold Harbour Farm, Redland Green, Red House Farm, Stoke Bishop, Cote House, and Sea Mills. He delivered about 40 letters daily. The area owing to the growth of population and the spread of education, with the consequent development of letter writing, has now seven post offices; is served by no fewer than 30 postmen, and has a delivery of 14,000 letters.

In Mr. Newman's early Post Office days mail coaches ran up and down Black Boy Hill on their way to and from the New Passage, and called at the Redland Post Office. Newman is said to have had a jackdaw. The bird, as the mail coach ran down the narrow road on Black Boy Hill, called "Mail, mail, quick, quick!" to attract his master's attention, and, waggish bird as he was, he not infrequently gave a false alarm, and called his master at the wrong time. After some years Mr. Newman moved with the Post Office to the east side of Black Boy Hill, to a house near the present Porter Stores. He was succeeded by Mr. Enoch Park. The next sub-postmaster was the late Mr. Buswell, who for some years occupied premises on mid-hill, before moving the Post Office to a site lower down the hill.

Mr. F.P. Lansdown retired from the post of Medical Officer to the Bristol Post Office at the end of the year 1903. He had occupied the position for the period of 42 years, and it was felt that such long service could not be allowed to terminate without due recognition at the hands of the officers of the Postal and Telegraph Services, to whom he had rendered professional aid from time to time. He was, therefore, given a solid silver table lamp, subscribed for by over 650 members of the staff. The presentation took place on Post Office premises, and was very largely attended.

Twenty-seven of the Bristol telegraph staff served in the campaign in South Africa. In times of peace many Royal Engineers are employed in the instrument room of the Bristol Post Office, and the duties of linesmen are mainly undertaken by men from that corps. On the outbreak of hostilities, these were at once withdrawn for active service, and then came the call for Volunteers for the Telegraph Battalion, when seven civilians attached to the local staff volunteered, and were selected. Great interest was taken by their confreres in the progress of the war, especially during the siege and the relief of Ladysmith, where two of the Bristol R.E.'s were among the besieged. One of the staff went through the siege of Kimberley, and another for his pluck was awarded the D.S. Medal. A hearty welcome awaited their return, and this was manifested by means of a supper and musical evening at St. Stephen's Restaurant, Dec. 1, 1902.

Not all of them came back—two had fallen and helped to swell the large number who had sacrificed their lives for their King and country.

Whilst civilian telegraphists and officers of the sorting department thus volunteered for military service in South Africa, the present Postmaster-General himself, Lord Stanley, to whom this book is dedicated, also was not slow in placing himself at the disposal of his country, and he went through two years of the campaign, acting first as Press Censor and afterwards as Private Secretary to the Commander-in-Chief Lord Roberts. He was twice mentioned in despatches and was awarded the Companionship of the Bath.

Bristolians generally, with great enthusiasm, rallied to the cry for Volunteers, and special mention may here be made of Mr. J. Paul Bush, who ungrudgingly gave up his large and fashionable practice as a surgeon in Clifton, and, at very brief notice, hurried off to South Africa to occupy the position of senior surgeon to the Princess Christian Hospital.

He was mentioned by Lord Roberts in despatches, and the Companionship of the Order of St. Michael and St. George was conferred on him.

Small wonder then, that on Mr. Lansdown's retirement from the Bristol Medical Officership at the end of 1903, Lord Stanley should have selected Mr. Paul Bush to fill the appointment.

Mr. Bush had the further claim to the appointment as being a medical man born in the city of Bristol, and having for an ancestor Paul Bush, the first Bishop of Bristol, who was born in 1491. He is the son of the late Major Robert Bush, 96th Regiment, who was particularly patriotic in having largely assisted in the formation of the 1st Bristol Rifle Volunteer Corps, of which he became Colonel in command. In addition to certain honorary medical and surgical appointments in the city, Mr. Bush holds the position of chief surgeon to the Bristol Constabulary.