Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1848-12-18
Report OF t.,a Postmaster General
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT

In steam o..ts.....4.5S5> 500 2;2.Olg
Agencies connected Herewith, 54O63
III coaches -.-..I4,j5j, IcS " 7g6,yJ2
In other mo les, not
Ann III addition thereto, tyr foreign mail service
Sl00j.U
The table Of mail service for the year ending the
30th ot June SIS made ur lom tile Of the
vice it stood the els IF tie yclrexhbitSas com
pared with the table OF H. increase in the length
ofthe routes III tho United States IF $3.50 miles, and
an increase il the otaanual transportation OF
2l25SJ miles but decrease in the Of Transport
tation Of Sl4, ~ There ~ however, an increase in
the cost Of
Leaving a balance Of saving in the cost Of our
inland mails for ISIS compared with
\ 1ofl OF 1928. ..-... .-...--... 4@5J
But the cost Of foreign mails which appears for the
first time in the tables of this years SOO3OO and de-
Quoting from this the saving above stated of l235
leaves an excess Of cost for 1913 over 1917, Of $40
2jj.
For this we have 2l24GS0 miles more of annual
transportation of our inland mails, and the convey
Of our foreign mails every other month, dis
lance of ), 500 miles and back.
The new contracts made at the last annual lettings
for the middle section embracing New Jersey. Penn
sylyania Delaware, Maryland ana Ohio, went into OPP
Grafton on the lstofJuly, lsiS, and exhibit saving
for the year. end 30th June next, upon the
~
/ Oh.
This is a wing Of nearly y per cent. Notwith-
standing the reduction OF cost the service has been in
! creased under the new contracts. The routes have
been extended in distance 293 miles further: and ia
this way and by greater frequency of trips this
ton Of service has become greater than last year by
65S, S97 miles of annual transportation
On the LIST July, 10 the annual transportation of the
mails in the United States amount -.
Cd to......... .......... 35,e3i, 200 miles
On the 3Oth june 1916 ...... ...... 37,4YS,f4
Increase in service over the preceding
year ...... ............. .l.16l, I'D :"
On the both june lSi7 amounted TO- 5s,>S7Sy9
Increase over preceding year .lS94S5 :"
On 30th June 1873, amounted to ,Ol25D
Increase over preceding year 1850. II. Z, l2tyoO
Total increase for the three year 531S,3IO
But the cost Of the service was lcssenod as follows
On lst July, 1873 it stood at S2,905,504
On 3Oth June. 1916, 1858
Reduction from the proceeding. year 1888
On 3Oth June, lS41 it stood at $, 453OOl
Reduction from tine preced . year .!03612
On 3Jth June, 1913, it stood at 92,44S,766
Reduction from the preceding year 235
fetal reduction Of cost in the three years s+5673S
This is exclusive Of the foreign mail service perform
ed in the last year.
The operations Of the three years show hat the mail
service has been augmented j. per cent and its cost
at the same time diminished - 1-l0per cent.
The results in the mail letting last spring in the mid
die scction viii add the service OF the current year
Cos SJ1 miles more Of annual transportation, while it
makes a reduction from the cost Of the year ending
3Jth June, 1878 Of SUI ,674.
The number Of mail contractors in the service dur
ing the last wear l9ll, and the number Of local
and mail agents and mail messengers 2l6, connected
with the service railroads and steamboats,.
Tho service during the year has been performed by
the contractors with commendab.e zaI and activity;
energy prevent occasional failures to deliver
the mails 10 due tine. In sections Of the country
where turnpkes Or macadamlsed roads, or bridges
the streams, exist at certain seasons OF the year
failures unavoidable: even on the most improved
and best conducted routes, unftyorable weather. ice
the railroads. storms or legs on the rivers
slight accidents to the machinery, must delay the
mails The speed now given on them renders it sell
dom possible regain the time lost. This has been
and always must be the case.
There is at this time more service perfGrmcd with
more speed ana with much regularity as ut any
former period; is it believed that expedition
can be given the principal mail routes until further
improvements are made the roads, without endan-
gerng the connexions necessary to be made to insure
/ the prompt and punctual delivery of the mails.
The foreign service during the past year has benin
creased by an additional steamer-the lermaHn beng
( placed on the line between New York and Bremen
and monthly trips are performed between those
| two cities with regularity.
On the 18th of October last, the "Isabelf placed
on tue line between Charleston and Havana in compli
ance with the with Messrs. Mordecai & GOur
din, and will hereafter perform semi-monthly trips.
The ocean steamers "Galifornia" 1panama' and
"Oregon" constructed under contract with the Sec
rotary of the Navy for service the Pacific have sail
ed from New York for Panama, and the "CalifornaS
is expected to commence service for the department
on the LIST of January next, from Panama to Oregon
i The Secretary of the Navy has likewise employed
the Falcon on the line between Havana and Char
ges; and she is expected to sail from HAVANA to Cha
rres in time for the mails reach Panama and be for
warded by the 'CaHfornia to the Territories on the
Pacific coast This department has made a'contract
for the Transportation of the mails acrossthe sthmus
from Chagres to Panama that in future there will
be regular monthly mail from Charleston, by lla-
yana, Chagres and Panama, "a Oregon.
Its to be regretted that the g Ocean Steam Navg
alton Company" has not as yet been able to comply
fully with their contract for service between New York
and Bremen. But two vessels, the "Washlngton'
and 'IIermann," have as yet been completed. The
third the "Frankin, has been launched, and great
exertons are making to have her finished, and take
her place the line. The fourth vessel it is believed
has not vet been commenced. Notwithstanding the
failure of the company have their vessels ready for
the service within the time specified in the contract, it
is not believed that the true policy the interests OF
the country would require any forfeiture Of the
tract, or a1v other steps taken unfrendly to their
/ interests The great exertons of the company to
comply with the contract and the best class
{ Of vessels suited to the purposes Of the government
and such would do credit to the countrv the great
expense of such an undertaking; the want of expert
in this country in the construction Of that class
= of vessels: the mbarrassmeuts they have had 10
counter from the unsettled state of Europe and from
: conflicting interests at home; the importance Of the
service nconnecting our country more intimately and
directly with the enterprsng aud enlightened States
German Confederation yOu1ll pntitle