The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-12-11

100 IS
800 II "a
500 sSS !, !" 20 20
and penny for each additional miles part of 100
miles 500 miles.
posts The charge upon single letters for distance or
circle of mlestfrom tine London office was Cd equal
to cens beyond that and within - miles 3d. equal to
Penny posts established for the accommodation of
any town. the discretion of the Postmaster General
Letters from soldiers and sailors, prepaid might De
sent to any place in the Kingdom for one penny. ,
Newspapers, if stamped, were sent through the mail
free of postage The stamp duty each newspaper was
Id equal to cents and this duty was retained in the act
ofls36, in lieu of postage newspapers The amount
derived from this duty newspapers circulated through
the mails estimated be $685. 997 annually Nothing
is allowed to be written the paper not even the name
of the person sending the paper without sup)ecng 10
The ranking privilege of members Of parliament was
limited to an ounce and not than 10 to he sent and
received each day. Official franks unrestricted
Besides the postage to be derived from inland letters
Ike 20 om and to which
sent was imposed on foreign letters the average rate Oh
which was 46t cents on each letter
Deputy Posmasers paid generally by fixed salary
| from the public treasury.
such, substantially the system of the British Post
| Office and its sources Of revenue in 1888.
In the United States the Post Office Department unlike
that of England is made depend upon its revenue
to defray expenditures W inc
general treasury
cannot without injustice to the publc be reduced in any
considerable degree will require annually about the sum
of 81, 500, 600.
The annual income exceed that amount for years
| to come, under the present system. .
The reform in the British system was urged and ulti-
maey adopted upon the ground that the charge Tor trans
Cured It was stated in the report Of the
Parliament that the postage received more than three
and delivering a letter. .
1t was conened by the protector of the reform in Eng
land that reduction of postage to penny for all dis
tances in the Kingdom would increase the number et
tiers FIVE fod and the committee OF opinion that the
revenue derived to the Crown from the Post office would
not sustain any dimnution.
These opinions and others similar sustained with
great and ability against the Judgment of the
Postmaster General and others associated with him IN the
The committee conclude their report with this remark
in recommending the adoption ofthe uniform penny sys
TEN of POSTAGE that they believe distant period it
will improve the Post Office revenue selr and that il
is the opinion of most Of the Witnesses except the officers
Of the Post Office Department the adoption OF ms recon-
mended by Mr.. r. Hill would occasion very, great in
crease in the number Of letters posted and far greater
increase than would be required to maintain the revenue
at its present amount"
the system of uniform penny rates OF postage was ult-
mately adopted.
this system, are as follows
Letters exceeding half o., Id, equal to cents
| " soz 8 70
So in proportion up TO sixteen ounces, beyond which
no letter will be received except Parliamentary docu
ments.
The postage is be prepaid the letter will be rated
at double postage
Prepay Of postage is TO be made by money or by
the use OF stamps.
Single stamps are obtained at the cost of per
zen-double stamps at 2s I'd per dozen.
All foreign letters rated varousy according to the
countries from which sent.
Foreign and colonial letters rated at various prices from
8 to sc cents the single letter
Newspapers printed in England and stamped, sent
free of postage. Foreign newspapers pay postage.
Connected with this system the abolition Of the
Parliamentary ranking privilege.
Upon 9Th December, 1882 the old high rates OF postage
discontinued and uniform rate of I'd substituted
That rate ceased the 10th January lsl0 and the pre-
Sent was p"' are exb
bited by the official reports Of the Department as late as
the oath April 1884, tabular view of which Is hereto an
The official returns for lsa3 have been received at
this Department have been able to procure them
These results have not met the anticipation of the adj
vocates Of the system in the ratio OF increase in the num-
of letters the expenses of management the amount
have selected the number of letters posted for week
in each OF the years 1889 40, Al, A. from the returns
above referred TO.
In week preceding the oath November 1889 under the
old and high rates of postage there were posted
letters.
For ono week ending 22d December 1899 when the
uniform rate Of Id imposed there were posted ZOOS
6s7 letters
me gath May, $780, under the uniform penny rate
| June, lS4I, was 3.773l36
The number Of letters mailed for week preceding
| oath April, 1912, was 39295l3
This shows increase OF less than a fold upon the let
tiers posted under the odd SYSTEM instead Of five fold
estimated by Mr. r. HILL and the other advocates OF the
| system.
II is not for say whether three years is sufficient
length of time TO certain the maximum increase Of let
tiers under the operation Of the penny system II is
doubtless as long period contemplated by the
committee when in their opinion, the increase Of the
number of letters would improve the Post Office reve
nue.n
The annual cost of management of the Post Office
der the old ystemsay for the year preceding the 9Th
| January, ls39-was 81, 1906, 4s6.
Annual cost for the year preceding the 9Th January
| 1910, $685., sos.
Cost of management for the year preceding 9Th Janua.
| ry 1871. SIl2I $50
Cost of management for the year preceding 5th Janua
| ry 1912, Sl5032ll
Gross revenue for the year preceding 9TH January,
Gross revenue for the year preceding h January 1870
under the old rates except for month the 3D. rate
| in operation, 81 1862.
Gross revenue for preceding 5h January 1884,
| under the penny rate, S6,44i, 1870.
Gross revenue for the year preceding 9Th January,
| s42, S7,l7s,592
The amount Of net revenue paid into the Treasury for
the year preceding 9Th January 1889 81 965, 6is.
| Do. do. 5th January, lsi0 S7,si2067.
Do. do. 9Th January lsll, S2,322,370.
Do. do. 5th January 1912, S2,675,3so.
In this statement Of net is included the sum Of
for the year 1882 charged to the Government FOR
postage.
| In 1910, do f4427s
In 1871. do. E90, 76l.
In lsi2, do. 1856.
There has been OF letters but not 10 one hall
the extent anticipated, and increased charge for the
management greater than was estimated.
Instead OF an increase of the Crown, as
was predicted by the committee, there loss oil
/ So, 900, 26e.
of rennv nostoo. Z, rrgand go far az reye