The New York herald., 1851-12-03
Report of the Postmaster General.

Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT,

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Posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT.
WASHINGTON, November q, 1851. :
SIR--At the close of the fscsl year ending on
the Goth day of June last, there in operation,
within the United States, 6,l7O mail routes; their
aggregate length was l96 go miles; and 55A con-
tractors were employed thereon. :.
The annual transportation of the mails on those
routes was 53 272 b2 miles; the annual cost thereof
t3 ,754 CO.; being about six cents four mills per
mile.
OF these 81, ,272, ,252 miles Of annual transporta-
ton, 56S 707 miles are required to be performed
upon railroads, at q cost of $685., ,0l9 90; being
about eleven cents five mills Per mile; s,4s4,ss2
about eight cents three mills per mile; l9, ,726, $50
miles in coaches, at cost of 81 OFT l59 90; being
about five cents three mills per mue and 49, 52 ,975
miles I in modes not specified, at q cost of 1884,
S3 90; being about four cents eight mills per mile.
The mail service in California and Oregon had
been so irregular in its performance, and 80 ina
perfectly reported, that it was not embraced in the
last annual report from this departm ent and is
not therefore included in the following statement of
the general increase Of trans citation The inland
service at the close Of the last fiscal year. (exclud
ing that in California and Oregon,) when compared
with the service at the close of the preceding year,
as stated in my last annual report, shows an in
crease of Ii 1854 miles in the length of mail routes
Of b, ,S55 in the number of miles of annual
transportation and Of $57. Ito in the annual cost
of transportation.
OF such increase Of transportation, the railroad
and steamboat service amounts to 3, 635 miles,
at an increased cost of $276 742 being an increase
of about so 80 per cent in the and
about "a 40 per cent 10 aggregate cost the coach
service to 2 500 l24 miles, increased cost of
$232, ,872 being an increase of about IL r per
cent in transportation and 20 10 Der cent in ag-
gregate cost; aud the transportation in modes Of
service not specified to 6l3 096 miles, at an increased
cost of So, 1876 being an increase of about 80
per cent in transportation, and 10 per cent in
aggregate cost. To this increase has been added
the service in California and Oregon, which ia
first reported with sufficient accuracy t, be carried
into the annual statement.
The annual transportation to California, at the
close Of the fiscal sar was 5S7, ,476 miles, at an an.
nual cost of$l3O 270. This service, when compared
with that ascertained to have been in operation
prior to the new contracts made under the general
nual transportation of 1903 7l0 per cent, and de-
crease in annual aggregate cost of 9 10 per cent
The present cost Of transportation in steamboats,
in California is about twelve cents nine mills per
mile in coaches, about IL cents seven mills per
mile; and in modes not specified, about thirty one
cents three mills per mile while the cost of similar
service in the United States, excluding Oregon and
the newly acquired territories, is, in steamboats,,
about eight cents per mile in coaches, about five
cents and two mills per mile and in modes not
specified, about four cents and three mills per mile
The prices now paid in California are believed to
be moderate, compayed with the general prices upon
the Pacific coast.
The annual transportation in Oregon at the close
Of the last fiscal year was (as near as can be aseer
tained) so, ,498 miles, at annual cost Of $l99S,
or about sxty.fve cents and four mills per mile.
The present annual transportation in Oregon was
increased under the new contracts which went into
operation and after the first day Of July last to
Sc $50 miles, at annual cost of 40 AL being an
increase of l9 $40 per cent in transportation, and
Of l0S per cent in aggregate cost or this service
$40 miles is to be performed in steamboats, Ut an
annual cost of 900, under contract, made July
III, 1850, for tho remainder Of the usual contract
term In that section, and of the residue 070 miles
is to be performed in steamboats,, at cost Of 81,
44S, and SIS $50 miles in modes not specified at
cost of or about forty one cents three mills
per mile.
There were on the 30th day of June last six for
eign mail routes, of the estimated aggregate length
of IS 349 miles. The number of miles Of annual
transportation thereon is estimated at 6i5 200.
The service on three Of these routes is under
contracts with this Department.. The annual trans
portation thereon is estimated at 100 592 miles, at
cost of 400 o0o beng about ~ o9 9i0 per mile.
The service on the other foreign routes is under
contract with the Navy Department. The annual
TRANSPORTATION thereon Is estimated at AL 13a miles
at cost Of 81 o23 $50, being abouts 81 AZ 10 per
mile.
The Transportation of the California and Orc
yon mails across the Is;hmus Of Panams, has
hitherto been performed under treaty With New
Granada. The annual cost Of this transporta-
tion, depending upon the weight OF the mails, Is
uncertain. The cost for the last fiscal year was
S4S,9S7.
There should be added to the other cost of tran.
sportation, as above stated, the compensation OF
which, IL continued as it stood at the close of the
last fiscal year, will amount to Sl4o,ST per
.. annum. .
The extent and annual cost OF the entire mail
service, under the direc tion of this department at
the close Of the fiscal year ending on the 30th oi
June last, as well its division among the States
and territories, and the mode Of its perform ance,
will moro fully appear BY the annexed table,
marked A.
The number Of postmasters appointed during
the year ending June 30, 1851, Is 5,339 OF those,
26iJ were appointed to gil vacancies occasioned
by designations; 1877 to fill vacancies occasioned
by the decease of their predecessors 2O6 on chang
ing the sites of the Offices for which they were
appointed 500 on the removal OF the prior in
cumbents; and 1 ,69S on the establishment Of new
effices
The whole number Of post Offices in the I aztec
States, at the end Of that year, was 1925 There
were ,693 post Offices established, and 2'6 dis
continued, during the year. -,
The folio wing table shows, very nearly, the
number Of post Offices in each State and territory
on the 30th day Of June last, classified according
to the compensation allowed to each postmaster