The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-12-08

The annual income cannot exceed that amount, ioI
years TO eo~e under the present SYSTEM
The reform IN the British system was urged aud
ultimately adopted upon the ground that Inc charge
for transporting letter out Of proportion 10 the
expense incurred. II stated in the report Of the
COMMITTEES Of Parliament that tho postage receives
was more thsa three times the amount of the expense
incurred 10 transporting and delivering iei'el: ~
was contendsd by the protector Of the reform IN
England that reduction Of postage to ono penny for
all distances n,the Kingdom would increase the nun
Der Of letters to five fold and the committee were Of
opinion that the revenue derived to the Crown from
The Post Office would not sustain any diminution.
These opinions, and others similar, were sustained
with great earnestness and ability against the Judg-
ment Of the Postmaster General and others associ-
ated with him in the Department.
The committee conclude their report with this re-
mark in recommending the adoption Of the uniform
penny system Of postage that they believe, at no
distant period il will improve the Post Office revenue
ITSELF" and that it is the opinion oil post oil the wit
nesses except the officers Of The Post Ohico Depart
ment, the adoption Of il as recommended by Mr.. H.
HILL would occasion veyy great Increase in the
number Of letters posted, and far greater increase
than would be required 10 maintain the revenue ai.a
present amount"
Such were the opinions and calculations upon
which the system of uniform penny rates Of postage
ultimately adopted.
The rates Of postage as established in England I'M
der this system, are as follows;
Letters not exceeding half or, ID equal to cts
:" a o. )
3oz. "l2
So in proportion, up to l6 ounces, beyond which
letter will be received, except Parliamentary doc
uments.
The postage is TO be prspaij or the letter will be
payment Of postage i, to be made by money
by the OF stamps
Single stamps are obtained at the cost Of Is. 3D.
per dozen-double stamps al Is. Cd. per dozen.
letf are taA IN ding
TO the countries from which sent.
Foreign and colonial letters rated nj various prices
from to 66 cents the single letter.
Newspapers printed in Ensls I'd and stamped, are
sent free Of postage Fore'ga newspapers pay post
age.
Connected with this system the abolition Of
the Parliamentary frankiDg privilege.
Upon 9Th December, 1889, the old high rates Of
postage were discon inued and uniform rate Of Id
substituted. That rate ceased tho 10th January,
1910. and the present uniform penny system was put
in full operation.
The results Of the present system in England are
exhibited by the official reports of the Department,
late as the Gath April, 1912, tabular view Of
which is hereto annexed Is
The official returns for lS43 have not been received
at this Department, nor have been able to procure
them.
These results have not met the anticipation Of the
advocates OF the system in the ratio Of the
number OF letters, the expenses Of management, or
the amount Of revenue.
have selected the number of letters posted for
week in each Of the years 1889, 40, al, ~, from
the returns above referred to.
In week preceding the Oath November, 1882 un-
der the old and high Rates of postage there post
ed ,5o5,973 letters.
For ono week ending 22i December, 1899, when
the Uniform rate of 4d imposed, there were
posted zoos 657 letters.
The number OF letters posted in the week preced-
ing the gath May, 1910, under the uniform penny
rate, was abs, U35.
has oTl La
June, l84l, was 3,773,l36.
The number OF letters mailed for week pre-
ceding gath April 1912 was 3, 929, 5l3.
This shows an increase Of less than q fold upon
the letters posted under the old system instead Of five
fold estimated by Mr.. r. Hill, and the other advo-
Gates Of the system.
II is not for to say whether three years is saf
fcent length of time to ascertain the maximum in
Of letters under the operation Of the penny
system. II is doubtless long period was con-
templated by the committee, when, IN their opinion,
the increase Of the number of letters would Improve
the Post Office revenue"
The annual cost of management of the Post Office
under the old system-say for the year preceding the
5th January l839-was s., 296, 466
Annual cost for the year preceding 9Th January,
1910, 50, 633, sos.
Cost OF management for the year preceding 5th
January, l64l $4,l2l,t ESQ
Cost of management for the year preceding 5th
January, 1912, a. 500 oil.
Gross revenue for the year preceding 9Th January,
1899, under the old rates Of postage, was ST. 1862,
l34.
Gross revenue for the year preceding 9Th January,
1910, under the old rates, except for month the
I'D. rate was in operation, sll, 475,662
Gross revenue for one year preceding 9Th January,
l64l, under the penny rate, 81, 444, 499.
Gross revenue for the year preceding 5th January,
1912, S7,Is,592.
The amount Of 1T paid into the Treasury
for the year preceding 9Th January, 1899 S7965 645
Do. do 5th January, 1910, S7,842,0b7.
Do do. 9th January, l64l, S2,322,370
Do do. 9Th January, 1912, S2,675,380.
In this statement Of net revenue is included the sum
of fi5, 1856, for the year 1882 charged TO the Gov
ernment for postage.
In ls 10, do f44 27s.
In 1871, do f90, 76l.
In 1912 do. 9ll3256.
There has been all increase of letters but one
half the extent anticipated, and increased charge
for the management greater than was estimated
Instead Of increase Of revenue 10 the Crown, as
predicted by the committee, there was loss Of
IS $50, 26S.
The system Of penny postage in England, so far
revenue il concerned has resulted in loss of near
two-thrds the revenue under the old system, and in
increase OF cost OF management equal ~ 80 per
cent.
These facts will serve to show that the tax. in the
shape Of postage, upon the English correspondence
has been essened that the postage upon
is paid IN the shape Of stamp-duty, higher than
the postage paid on newspapers in the United States
that the correspondence through the mail has been
increased, and that the derived TO the
has been greatly Iessened. And they further prove,
That the income of the British Post Office is still
greater than It's cost Of management. Two other
facts should not be overlooked in the comparison of
the revenue of the British Post flee under the old
and new rates Of postage The first is, that not only
all foreign and colonial letters which delivered IN
England but those which pass through England, in
their transit 10 and from other countries are subject
ed TO heavy postage. The second, that by law the
transportation of letters by private conveyance, ex
cept where the carrier shall himself deliver the letter
TO the person addressed, is prohibited by severe pen
allies.