The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-03
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Operation OF the Postal Treaty--Seldsh Con.
duet OF the British POst Once.
In q former communication this subject,
showed how unfavorably the postal treaty with
Great Britain had operated the interests Of our
Post Once, and the large amount Of commissions
1t had paid for the collection Of British postage.
This is subject which should not be passed
slightly over, and those who participated in making
this bungling, one sided treaty, ought TO DO held
accountable for its injurious operation upon the
revenues of our post office. ! have heretofore
showed that our post office has paid over eighty.
three thousand dollars for the collection of British
postage" but this il not the worst Of the matter as
shall attempt to show.
From the time the postal treaty went into opera.
ton. say 2lst February ls4s, up to the sailing Of
the first Oft the American line Of steamships TO Liy-
erpool, April 81, 1885, the mails have been exclu.
sively carried by British steamers.
The treaty provides that the amount of postage
shall be twenty-four cents the single letter, and
that, when the letters are transported in Eng
fish steamers, nineteen cents shall accrue to the
English postage and five cents to American. That
when letters are carried in American steamers,
twenty one cents shall accrue to the United States
and three cents to England.
The number Of mails received by Brit
ish steamers, under the treaty, up to
June 30th, 1850 ffty-seven,
yielding postage amounting to-. $402, 1919 90
The mails sent by the same steamers
for the same time sixty, yield
ing postage amounting to-. ........ 370,797 II
$713,ll7 81
Arrivals and departures of steamers, one hun
dred and seventeen.
Averaging each trip, S GOT S4-nineteen-twen-
ty-f ourths of which, under the treaty, belong to
Great Britain.
Now, let it be recolcctcd that the greatest part
of this postage has been collected in the United
States, and that our post Office laws allow each
postmaster for his services the rates of commission
therein set forth. 1t follows, then, that we have
been paying our postmastcrs for collecting John
Bulls postage the same rates Of commissions
though it had been much United States postage.
1t certainly very kind and considerable on the
part of our celebrated postal treaty maker to make
the United States pay all the way from seven to
forty per cent for collecting the British postage.
But, after such Unexampled generosity our part
towards Great Britain let how she takes the
first opportunity to reciprocate the favor
Since the 9th of April, 1850, we have commenced
running our splendid lines of American steamers.
Liverpool, bringing the beggarly account of
$500 g. and the other $597 rs letter postage,
whereas will be by the above statement that
the one hundred and seventeen trips of the British
steamers average $6607 81. The difference in the
amount of hostages is in consequence Of a notice
published by the English post office that no letters
should be sent from the Liverpool post Office by an
American steamer unless the letters were endorsed
to that effect Hence the result of this notice has
been, thus far to rob the United States post Office
of over 1000 postage on letters which should
have been sent by the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Since the effects Of this bungling treaty have
been exposed, it has been pretended that our post
masters ought not to have been allowed commits
sions on these letters; but this is making bad
matter worse. This would be requiring post
masters and their clerks to work gratuitously for
the British post office, because of its berality and
kindness foicards us,
The late Postmaster General demonstrated
against the conduct of the British post office to Mr..
Bulwer, who promised to write to his government
the subject. The practice being still continued,
a letter sent to Minister in England threat
enng retaliation unless the order is repealed. We
shall see what will be done TO make the amende
honorable. The order should not only be repealed,
but post office should be paid the amount of
postage Of which they have robbed it during the
trips of our steamers.
The British have enjoyed complete monopoly
ofthepostage on letters by steamers and packets ever
since the colonization of the United States. For exam
pie, all letters sent from broughtino GrcatBri
ain by packet-shps transit vessels, she charges
eight pence, sixteen cents whether the ships be-
long to her or not. Hence on the hundreds of mil
lions transported to and from the United States in
our packet-ships she has always charged sixteen
cents postage.
In making these comments on the postal treaty,
our object has been to chow how the negotiator,
Major Hobbe, has been overreached in this matter,
and post office defraudcd of It's rights The
Major may be, for aughtI know, all that he is
cracked up TO be, officer in the Post Office
Department; but this do know, that he made an
cgregious bundcr in making this treaty, and this
has cost the Department upwards of eighty thousand
dollars. BETA, OF New YoRK.