Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-12-15

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York and Bremen; anil monthly trips are no
performed between hosr lwo cities, with resuli
rily.
On The 18th OF Octo,er last The Isabel wa
placed on the line bci9.en Charleston and III
vana, in compliance 9Th The contract ' il
Messrs. Mordecai aad Gourdip, and will Lciea
Ter perform semi-moabiy trips.
The ocean s,eames California Panama, an
Oregon, constructed under contract with ID
Secretary Of the Nvy, Tor service On the Pa
ctic, have sailed iran New York for Panama
and the California isexpecled 10 commence SCI
vice Tor this deparln nj on The Isl OF Januar
next, from Panama L Oregon.
The Secretary oil he Navy has likewise EN-
ployed the Falcon o. The line between Havan
70 Chasres in lime fc the mails 10 reach Pana
ma and be FORWARDED BY The California 10 III
territories on the Psific coast. This depart
mcnt has made a cofTacl tor The transportation
OF the mails across he lshmus, from Chasre
TO Panama; SO that in lnluIe, there will h
regular monthly mil from Charleston, by Ha
vana, Chasres and Enama, 10 Oregon.
II is 10 be resreledhal The Ocean Steam Nav
igation Company hive moi, as yet, been able II
comply fully with thur contract for services be
tween New York ana Bremen. Buttwo vessels
the Washington aud Hermann, have as yet beef
completed. The lhidiihe Franklin, has beef
launched, and great exeiions ale making 10 hav,
her finished, and take h.f place in The line. Tb,
fourth vessel, il is BELIEVED has not been common
ced. Nolwilhslandins.be failure Of The compa
ny to have their vesselfready for service wihiT
the time specified in III contract, il is not beiev
Ell that The true policy " he interest Of The coun
try would require any forfeiture of The contract
or any other Steps take untriendly 10 their inter
es,S.
Since the contract vas made with this com.
pany, others have beengiven from New York tc
Liverpool, and from NV York 10 New Orleans
upon much more favoabc terms than were al
lowed them. The LIST contracts made by the
Navy Department undsr the direction Of Con-
gross, are for the terms Of ten years, and certain
sums of money advanced 10 aid in the compile
ton Of the vessels The contracts made with
the Ocean Steam Navigation Company will last
but FIVE years, ami 10 moneI paid them until
after the perlormsics Of service. Similar libe
rality, it was hopd, would have been extended
10 them, having lone so much without the aid
of Government. They were the pioneers in
building that elias Of vessels in this country,
and no doubt sustained serious injury in con-
structing them, fpm the want of experience in
such undertaking.
The number Il Post Offices on the first Of
July last was l6l So; being an increase during
the year of l,0l; The number of Offices estab-
lishcd was 1903 the number discontinued 296
The gross revnue of The year ending on 30lh
June last, incluing 100000 appropriated BY
the 18th sectionof The act Of Sd March, 1917,
for the postasef the Government, and the fur
Their sum of 1879 collected from and be-
longing to tn accounts Of preceding years,
amounted 10 S4,37l,07i. This sum exceeds
that of the preceding yesr S425, lS4; being an
increase Of ID 77-lO0 per cent; and exceeds
the annual averlgc Of the nine years preceding
The first July, B46, S6,453.
The letter postage. including the $500 600
appropriated as abo,e stated, amounted 10
So .55O, 1874, exceeding that of the preceding
year, sos, G9l; being all increase al the rate Of
99-l00 per cent
The newspaper potage for the year, amount
cd to $769, 1884; making an increase Of 1924,
l74, which is equal IS 3O-l0o per cent.
The gross revenue arising from hostages and
fines, excluding thoe arising from mIscella-
ueous sources, as wdl as the 100000 appro-
priated for the posta,es of the Executive De.
partments, for the yar ending Goth June, 1913,
amounted to S4.ll7,76l
From the same sources the year pre-
ceding, 1882, 6S9
Increase, $685. or
making 43-lO0 pr cent. increase.
Mo- outstanding Ahe very l--en SUI. IT.: ,.,:
ted for foreign s,Tvica.. as well as me addl-
q. nd in ha< Init States.
revenue of the Department, unaided BY the APP
ne nditure, except he sum of S37, 2l9, at the
close of the preset year.
This statement 0 the operations Of the ACT Of
lS45, upon the servce and finance oil The Depart
menl, confirms lheIpinion expressed in my last
annual reporl-"nat the present low rates Of
postage will not ony produce revenue enough Il
meet The expenditures, but leave considerable
surplus annually tAbe applied 10 the extension
OF the mail scrviceJr would justify still further
reduction OF The raH Of postage"
No'whstandinsIhc great increase Of the ser
vice during the lasyeaf, inland as well as Tor
eign, there was foud al the close OF the year, a
surplus OF Sl72 ,23;beyond The expense properly
chargeable upon il
The present rate OF postage will afford ample
crease OF the servic, and leave Surplus, thai
will in a few yeafenable the department 10 r.
pay The Treasury lie amount received IRON y
Since he passage olhe act OF ls45.
Under these circumstances shall further re-
duction cf the posse be made2 The means
which a we'll dgesa cheap mail system affords
Of a rand interchange OF ideas between different
and distant seclionsof the country, and The cen
sequent increase acknowledge; lis influence up
on society, but IiteiI any less than that ol prime
ing; its imporanceo every interest, social, com
mercia and poliiial, would justify the answe
that a lower rate olposlase should be adopted, l
!, can be done wihnt departure from that pm
ciple heretofore maintained in The country-iha
this department shuld be sustained from its owl
resources.
A system so inliiateiy connected with all olhe
Interests, and The hppiness and prosperity OF INT
people-so diversifai in lis operations, so minute
in lis details, requires careful examination o
spy suggestions Or its improvement, and IN
adoption OF such My as experience proves vii
be useful to The cizens, and render il more per
feet.
The impotanceas we'll as general desire 10
a cheap postage Ysem, has attracted much Q
public attention the subject, not only IN Uni
but other cuunlres, within The last years :
To secure this oblcl in most countries, il IS p!a
ced under The coaro OF The government, lhougl
perhaps, mol stricy one OF lis attributes. Had
been lett D. iyae enterprise, the mere wealth.
and populous poIions Of The community WOOL
no doubt have ben amply provided for, but ON
ers less favored you'd have been left destitute
The means OF dfusing intelligence among tn
people.
OF so much Importance was well regulate
system esleemedIby those who framed the con
sli,uion of The United States, that even the Stale
were not permitted 10 have any control over !
lest The diversirr OF legislation should destroy II
uniformity an6 regularity, and impair lis uselu
ness. |, may indee,i, be questioned whether
free government, over such extensive territories
those OF The United States, could be maintaine
without il. The perfection Of every such svslel
consists in The cheapness, speed, and security WI
which communications are inIerchansed belwee
different and distant portions OF The comman's
or between deerenl nations,
Whatever may be the system adopted, "a
NEAR ms for its support must be paid in some wa,
BY tax on he people, for whose benefit it is e
This