[ih] Mail history, Comments re the packet radio discussion

[John Levine]

It appears that Bob Purvy via Internet-history <bpurvy at gmail.com> said:
>I once heard that in Victorian England, at least some parts of it, the post
>was delivered four times a day. 

Multiple deliveries a day were common in the US until 1950:

https://postalmuseum.si.edu/daily-deliveries-down-to-one-1950

>Thus you *could* carry on a lengthy debate
>with someone that only took a few days. 

I've heard one could send a friend an invitation for lunch first thing
in the morning, and expect a reply the same morning so you knew whether
he'd be coming.

I guess e-mail is still usually faster than that.  But not always.

R's,
John