On Christmas Day the Imperial penny postage came into operation,—i.e.,
it is now possible to send for a penny a letter not above half an ounce in weight to all places in the British Empire, except the Australasian Colonies and the Cape. It is hoped, however, that they also will soon agree to the reduction. 'That the good effects will be quite as great as have been antici- pated is not likely, for increased facilities of intercourse do not in reality make men love each other or desire a reign of peace and goodwill. Still, judged on a lower plane and as a matter of convenience, we have little doubt that Imperial penny postage will be a great success. Thousands of small
• orders and business transactions and millions of questions and answers will fly round the world at a penny which were too heavily weighted at twopence halfpenny. The political -effect of the fact that it will not now be necessary to think whether an address is outside the United Kingdom, but only whether it is inside the British Empire, will be by no means in- significant. If people will only let the Empire alone we shall ultimately weave out of many varied strands—some thick, some thin—a rope to join the Motherland and the Daughter States which none will be able to break. Not an unimportant thread in the hawser will be,—letters for a penny wherever the Union Jack is flown.
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