The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-28 00:00:00

THE POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT.

The Report of Postmaster-General Randall pre
bents a great many interesting facts in regard to
the operations of the Post-office department, and
the rapid extension of our mail facilities to the ends
of the earth. The department received three-
quarters of a million more than it expended last
year. The receipts for postages increased six per
cent. ; the total estimates for next year are
$22,837,500 ; the use of a stamped envelope is ra-
pidly increasing ; the sale of stamps and stamped
envelopes reached nearly $13,000,000 ; an improved
stamp, to more completely prevent fraud, is in pre-
paration ; on June 30 last there were 7,743 mail
routes in operation, the whole length being 203,245
miles ; railroad routes, 34,015 miles ; steamboat,
15,091 miles ; whole extent of annual transporation
nearly 79,000,000 of miles ; increase of miles over
186 G, 22,344, or over seven miles of transportation.
Mr. Randall devotes a chapter to the new steam-
ship routes provided for by legislative contract. An
investigation into the weight of mails and price for
carriage shows an average of 20,000 pounds per day
between New York and Philadelphia, at $375
per mile for the year, which is the highest land com-
pensation.
Much attention has been given to through mails
between New York and New Orleans, and gener-
ally very good time has been made. There are now
18 railway postal routes (post-office cars), extend-
ing 4,435 miles, 879 miles served twice a-day. By
the new foreign postal arrangements, treaties, &c.,
Mr. Randall considers that we have gained material
advantages thereby. An arrangement has been
made with llong Kong for regular mails ; the new
Pacific ocean routes are important, and require
legislative attention and assistance. The whole
number of removals during the year was 3,444 ; of
appointments, 9,774 ; new post-offices, 1,885 ; post-
offices discontinued, 6,111 ; whole number of offices,
June 30, 25,163. Dead letters are leas frequent
this year. The money order system is established
in 1,224 offices; 474,496 orders were issued during
the year, amounting to $9,269,328—m0re than three
times as much as in the previous year. The fees
received were about $71,000, which was $6,261 over
expenses. The report calls special attention to the
immense increase of foreign mail service, for which
Mr. Randall wants a special superintendent. On
the matter of using the telegraph for postal pure
poses he has no opinion, but thinks it would be well
to see how it works in Great Britain. On this
question the words of the report are :
" The subject of connecting the telegraphic
system of the country with the postal service has
attracted .public attention, and it received, to
some extent, the consideration of my predecessor.
It has recently transpired that the telegraphic
system of Great Britain has been put in charge of
the British Post-office department. It is a matter
of great importance, and its propriety and practi-
cability ought to be thoroughly investigated by
Congress. The most efficient mode of examination
of the subject, in my judgment, would be the ap-
pointment of a special commission to inquire into
the working of the new arrangement in Great Bri-
tain, and into its feasibility in the United States,
and report to Congress fur such action as may be
wisely taken."
The report closes with a sharp hit at the outra-
geous abuse of the franking privilege by using
printed or stamped facsimiles of names of Congress-
men to circulate lottery tickets, cards, books, &c.