Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-01-14
14.ln1.In4

ton above il is proposed that the following scale cf DIS
tanccs and rates Of postage be adopted, VIZ:
Upon all single letters sent by the mail any distance not
over 80 miles ccnts
Over IN IN ion miles 10
Over 100 10 go miles 10
Over 220 10 400 miles ~
Over 40O miles 20 "
Assuming the data given in the first table as correct,
experimenting correctness, The probable receipts
from each class Of letter postage, II the above scale te
adopted, may be estimated as follows:
On The class under 30 miles, 5,32S GOO
letters at 5 cents $500, i30 ~
Over 80 to 100 miles, 9,5i5,39o at 10
cents 95l,539 90
Over 100 to go miles, 4,G24,lll, ats
cents 73a,6I6 CO
Over 220 TO 400 miles, 1854 ,6S5, at 20
cents 574,577 co
Over four hundred miles, ,e65 COS, at
% cents 4G6,a5 Gu
$2,c97 ,Sl4 c.
This calculation exhibits probable loss OF aggregate
letter postage of s., IS5 So.
too confident reliance, however, upon the accuracy
of the ult produced by this calculation should not
be entertained. Nihoutan increase ofcorrespnndence
and mail matter between The points embraced within
the range of distances upon which reduction Of post
age from II to 10 cents, ard from Is 10 10 cents
takes place, the aggregate amount of revenue will fns
tain greater loss than S2,iS5 35. In degree to
guard against this probabls reduction CT by the
change of distance and rates cf postage, would re-
commend that he lowest of letter postage be I'M
posed upon hat denornnated "drop letters where
the postage is not prepaid. This is class Of letters
which usually sent from place TO another by
private conveyance and ere "dropped" deposited IA
the post office for delivery Beside the intrinsic justice
of imposing upon such letters postage, where the De-
partinent il charged with The risk and trouble oil d,
very, il is believed that such imposition OF postage
would tend to lessen the temptation TO seek for hon.
nels of private conveyance mail lines 10 avoid the
payment of postage. 1t is not proposed In prohibit as
is done in most Of the European Governments, the
sending by private conveyance letter; but if letter.
sent shall be deposited by the bearer in post Office
to be delivered, then TO charge it with postage.
| 1t would be difficult to estimate the amount which
would be derived from this class of letter postage
but II is the opinion of intelligent pcstmasers
not lees than $4,000 would thereby be added 10 The
revenue.
| Under the hope that Congress will IT'S present
SESSION. by proper lesssaticn protect The Department
against innovations upon lis rights and consequent loes
of revenue, respectfully recommend The adoption OF
the distances and rates OF postage above, lieu OF the
present
| If Congress will relieve the Department from lie
amount now paid annually for railroad transportation
by permanent arrangement with the great eadng lines
of INSTRUMENTATION and also ulc,e the frarkns
privilege and restrain it within proper limits then am
prepared TO meet the demands Of public sentiment and
recommend further reduction Of letter postage 10 ten
cents upon all letters over thirty miles.
The inquiry, what fleet such reduction would have
upon The revenue of the Department. appropriately sug
gests itself.
The answer to be ven involves severai considers.
tons
In the first place, the Department; should be relieved
in its expenditure Of the sum marty e9uato hal
million per annum, and which is liable 10 be increased
at each period for the renewal Of contracts for raroit
transpor ation Deduct this from 81 235 052 tie
current expenditure of lS42, and il leaves 4
the probable future expenditure upon the preset
basis Of service. Upon the hypothess that the leH
correspondence through the mail SHALL under this
duced rate oil postage, increase at The rate Of 90 w
cent only upon the number Of letters sen, through tx
mail in lS3O-the revenue from letter postage may!s
estimated at S2,G2l ,243 % To which is 10 be add
the amount, TO be received from newspaper posiale,
1914 2s, and the amount from fines and forfeiture,
500 This will give gross revenue OF SO, 1884, 27
II must be admitted that this reduction of postee I
will be followed by considerable increase of mail
trr The rate of increase is matter Of opinion and s
culaton. confess that do not allow myself 10 hcs
tor greater increase than twenty per cent Cor years
come, though others, whose opinions are entitled 10
spectfu consideration, estimate greater increase var,
ing from twenty TO ifty per ceut.
Assuming the increase OF mail matter 10 he TWEEN, Il
per cent, consequent upon lie proposed ducon, L, e
amount Of gross estimated revenue will be S
rs above S3l9i.; H
Total amount Of expenditure for 1912, &
exclusive Of S432 565 paid to Railroads 50 e02. 4,
This S3,sO2, 49, may, therefore, be assumed as IL 81
average amcunt Of future expenditure. y
!, will he seen that, by calculating the revenue urc S
the amount Of mail matter in 1896 and the future e.
peuditure by that Of l542, the proposed reduction
postage would cause reduction OF Of over IL.
million Of dollars below the expenditure Of the Dep.i
men az
II, however, the increase Of mail matter shall be eq1
to forty per cent. upon the basis OF 1896 os some
6deny believe, This would give further sum d
1886 S73,se. To which amount ma be added $50 ca s.
the probable income from the proposed postage df
letters ~
In the foregoing estimate OF income and exPent b
ture, have adopted the amount Of mail matter ts1
1886, and The amount Of expenditure for 1912 1hHs
has been no account taken Of The number OF le,:iE
which passed through the mail during the last yea
An estimate Of the number may be made by the amNuf
Of letter postage received during the year lS42 Th%
amount was $3,9533l9 a. To prod uce this sUrlss
would require 81 295 o27 letters cha rsed with poe,a
to have been delivered through The mail. 81
A calculation of revenue ba sed on this number 4
letters upon the supposed reduction of POSI- .ge and
probable increase of mail matter, will be III S.
to give the TO be received, than upon the
her of letters delivered through the mail in 1886. q
Postage on 02l 900 letters under 80 miles, at "a
of cents on a single letter, S35l ,o95 q
On 25, ga ore letters OF 10 cents 2,327 ,4O1 -
/ Add 20 per cent for probable increase Of -
/ 10 cent letters, 5G5.a-i k#
From newspapers, 512,22- s2
From zines and forci;ures, IcJ ~
Total aggregate revenue, 395G.E7 I'D
II Average future expenditure, exclusive o!
Railroad transportation, 3,cG2,i2i
The rate Of reduction here proposed s 10. eGni r.
the ratio Of reduction recently made in England, 't
consequently the ratio of increase of mail matter ~
not be great az in England. "a
There is an additional reason why it will not be "a
same ratio of increase and that is the power who
exerted in England to force the entire correspond
of the Kingdom through the Post Office. M
The reduction here proposed, and any other, she
be preceded by specific egslaton, whereby the DE-
ment is to be relieved from the amount paid for
road transportation Secondly, By total repeal o.
funking privilege, or strict confinement OF i to M
cial business, and an ample protection against cf'
upon the revenue By private expresses, and other
of evading the payment of legal postage 80
Respectfully, yours, &c. -