Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-12-16

So in proportion, up to sixteen ounces beyond which
no letter will be received except Parliamentary docu
ments.
The postage is be pre- paid, or the letter will be rated
at double postage.
Prepayment of postage is to be mace by money u
I by the Of stamps.
Single stamps are obtained the of Is I'D per
) Dozen double stamps al p I'd per Dozen
All foreign ettsrs rated varously, according 10
? the countries from which sent
Foreign and colonial letters rat at various prlces
from 10 66 cents the single letter.
Newspapers printed in England and stamped are
sent free Of postage Foreign newspapers pay postage
Connected with this system was the abolition OF the
Parliamentary franking privilege
Upon 9Th December, 1889, the old high rates OF post
age were discontinued, and uniform rate oil Id SUD-
sttut d. That rate ceased The 10Th January lo4o.
and the present. uniform penny system was put IN iu
G. operation.
!, The results of the present system in England, are
exhibited by the official reports OF the Department, MS
late The 9th April, 1872 tabular view oil which IS
hereto annexed (6)
The official returns for 1913 have not been receiv-
ed at this Department. nor have been able to pro-
cure them.
These results have not met the anticipation of the
advocates of The SYSTEM in the ratio Of increase in the
number of letters the expenses OF management or The
amount Of revenue.
have selected The number ofel.ers posted for week
each of the years 1889, 40, Al ~, from the returns
above referred 10.
In a week preceding the 24th November, 1899, under
the old and high rates of postage, there were posted
,5S5 ,973 letters.
For one week ending 22i Dec, 1889, when the uni
form of Id imposed there were posted 2ooo,-
G37 letters.
The number Of lettars posted in the week preceding
the 24h May 1910, under the uniform penny rate, was
3I35, 035
The number of letters for one week preceding goth
June, 1871, was 1913, 136
The number Of letters mailed for week preceding
9th April, 1912, 3,920,5l3
This shows increase OF less than y fold upon the
letters posted under the old system instead of fod as
estimated by Mr. r. Hill, and the other advocates OF
the system.
1t not for 10 say, whether three years is su
cien length OF time to ascertain the maximum increase
Of letters under the operation of the penny system IS
doubtless as long period as was contemplated oy the
committee, when, in their opinion the increase OF The
number of letters would "improve the post office reve.
! nue.
The annual cost of management of the Post Office
& under the old system-say for the year preceding Tue
9Th JAM, 1889, was S3,296IcG.
Annual cost for the year preceding the 9th January
1910, S36S3,595
Cost Of management for the year preceding 9th JAM
l54l, S4,l2l $50.
Cost of management for the year preceding 9Th Jan
r l342, S4 ,503,2l1.
Gross revenue for The year preceding 9th January
1880, under the old rates Of postage was 81 62,l34
f Gross for the year preceding 9th January
rae in operation, Sll 475,662
Gross revenue for year, preceding 9th January
, 1871, under the penny rate, S6444,499.
Gross for the year preceding 9Th January,
1872, S7,l78 592
2 The amount of net revenue paid into the Treasury
for the year preceding 9th January, 1899, S7963 6is
, Do. do. 9th January, 1910, S7,o42 Oo1
Do. do 5 5,h I January ~ sso
In this statement of net revenue IS included The sum
Of s 56, for the year 1889, charged to the Govern
'''f In Is $40 o'' do. s44.275.
IL 1S4l, do. EJ0.16l.
In 1912 do. El13,256.
There has been increase of letters but not to one
half the extent anticipated, and increased charge for
: the management greater than was estimated
Instead of an increase Of revenue to the Crown, as
was predicted by the Committee, there was loss OF
? 50 $50 2G5
The system Of penny postage in England, SO lar as
concerned, has resulted IN loss oil near
| two-,hirdS the revenue under the old system ana
in an increase OF of management equal to thirty
per cent.
These facts will serve TO show that the ta1, IN the
shape of postage, upon the English correspondence has
been lessened-that the postage upon newspapers IS
paid in the shape of stamp duty, higher than Inc pos
tage paid on newspapers in the United States that the
spondence through the mail has been increased
and that the derived TO the crown has been
greatly lessensd AND Till ce is still greater than its
a8st Of management. Two other facts should moi be
overlooked in The comparison of the revenue Or -
British Post Office under the old and rates Of pos
tage. The first is, that not only all foreign and colon
al letters which delivered in Eng land but those
which pass through England, in their transit to and
from other countries subjected to heavy postage
The second, thatby law the transportation oil letters by
private conveyance, except where the carrier shall
himself deliver the letter to the person addressed, is
prohibited by severe penalties
If the British did not need the revenue, or if
it did, and The subject willing to be taxed in the
the rate postage, equal and less burdensome
will question this right and the justice of yield
ing to The demand to have the postage reduced.
II the Post office Department of the United States
yielded revenue its expenses, if the charge
= of lis management was paid by the general treasury
no one would doubt The propriety and justice of re-
duction
1t is question for Congress and the people to SETTLE
whether they will so far change the laws Of The U. s.
concerning the Post Office Department. 10 direct lis
expenses to be paid out of the reasury.
The number of chargeabe letters delivered, which
annually pass through the Post Office Of the United
States has heretofore been estimated at ~ 500 9-
The number of similar letters annually posted in Eng
land, under the old rates of postage was estimated by
: the committee of Parliament at II 100000
, The number, under the penny rate, of like letters,
NAV be estimated at 2N 1884 SIC
With view 10 put Congress in possession OF cor
: rect information upon this subject, have directed
accurate account TO be kept at each post office
of the United States, during the month OF October,
Of the number OF letters under each rate oil postage,
the number of free letters and by what official iranhed,
The number of newspapers, pamphlets DC. These re
turns are not quite complete hope 10 have them ready
by The ls January, to be furnished to Congress if re-
quiied
The questions connected with this subject it occurs
e to me- which it will be the duty of the representatives.
people settle are whether the present amount
of mail service is greater than The country requires;
not greater, it be performed at less expense p
Whether The same, less expense, shall il be paid
out Of the Treasury by the postage on nal matter
If Congress shall enter upon the question of reduc-
ton Of postage upon the principle avowed by the ad
, of the British reform, viz of preserving if
not improving the amount of revenue, and shall require
the Post Office Department to maintain itself, the in
f formation, which hope 10 have ready by the lst oil
January, of the number Of letters posted will be I'M.
potart.
By COMPARISON between the business, aud popua.