MARTIN Vaughan's experience with the Royal Mail (Letters, October 7) ought to seriously worry that organisation's bosses, because in a generation's time, moving parcels will be about the only business it has left.

Let's face facts. Until around two decades ago, Royal Mail's core business was physically transporting bits of paper from A to B.

Then came telex, followed by the fax machine and now the Internet. The only things I now use the post for are sending parcels and paying bills by cheque.

All my other written communication is electronic, and when the teething troubles with Internet security are sorted out, so will all money transfers be.

Even my 84-year-old grandfather now uses e-mail.

While Post Office closures, electronic payment of pensions and other forms of technology which are replacing the physical transport of bits of paper are understandably worrying some people, this phenomenon is purely transitional.

Their ancestors were similarly worried when railways replaced the horse-drawn carriage.

Whereas computer technology can and is superseding the post for moving money and letters, it cannot move Mr Vaughan's camera. I therefore predict that 20 years from now, the Royal Mail will exist mainly as a safety net for goods shipments which the private sector cannot economically deal with.

If it has any sense, it will begin to prepare for and manage this process now.

Failing to deliver Mr Vaughan's camera safely is not a good start.

Leo Enticknap,

Ingram House,

Bootham,

York.

Updated: 10:55 Monday, October 11, 2004