The necessity for increased postal facilities had been represented to the home government in 17U4, by the Governor of the province of New York, who wrote that ' " The post that goes through this place goes eastward as far as Boston ; but westward, he goes no further than Philadelphia : and there is no other post upon all this continent." As late as the year ISIO the mail between Canandaigua and Genesee River was carried on horseback-- part of the time by a woman. In 1730 the postmaster of New York published a notice inviting application for the office of foot-post to Albamj this winter. Letters to distant places, however, were generally carried by messengers on horseback. At first a satchel or a pair of saddle-bags sufficed ; then a light vehicle was required ; finally the stage coaches, which were first started for the benefit of travelers, became the proper means of transportation for the

THE STEAMER " CLERMONT."

ever-increasing mail matter. Until 1755 there had been but one a week, eastward and westward from New York,-- Boston and Philadelphia being still the extreme points, -- and this only in the summer ; once a fortnight was the winter arrangement. In 1755 it was arranged that the New England post should start weekly all the year round. When this post was first established, in 1672, by Governor Lovelace, it was to "sett forth from this citty of New Yorke monthly, and thence to travail to Boston, from whence within that Month hee shall return againe to this citty."