Good morning, everyone. Today we're going to discuss the history of the postal service. In the early 19th century, mail was delivered by horseback riders, which was slow and unreliable. Then, in 1830, the first mail coach was introduced in Britain, cutting delivery time by half. However, it wasn't until 1840 that the famous Penny Post was launched, making mail affordable for ordinary people. This innovation, proposed by Rowland Hill, led to a dramatic increase in the volume of letters. Surprisingly, the first adhesive postage stamp, the Penny Black, was issued in the same year, and it featured a portrait of Queen Victoria. Interestingly, the stamp was not the main focus of Hill's reform; he was more concerned with prepayment and uniform rates.