The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-12-07


the government paid postage al the ordinary rates The
postage paid The government in isa' amounted 70
Our rates OF postage on newspapers, pamphlets, &c
were materially changed by the &C, Of 1885, but the
letter postage reduced about SO per cent, was
then estimated in The department.
The receipts from letter postage for the year preceding
the reduction were S3,660,23l and for the succeeding
year only ~ ISL 0o7beng reduction OF about "a per
cent The letter postage Tor the nine years next proceed
ing the reduction 1874 ,27i $50 09being average
OF SO S07 992 SO per year and for the five years next
succeeding the reductions the letter postage was Sl7696
ITO H. or S3,539,342 ID per year. The increase from
1915 1850 in The postage OF newspapers pamphlets,
SC, (Which had not been reduced) S426 1865 o. or
about 10 per cent.
Il is true that the expenditures OF the department for the
years prior to the reduction OF 1915 exceeded It's revc
nues, and that It's revenues for the last five years have
exceeded lis expenditures but before the ACT of ls45 the
department received nothing for the free matter OF Con-
gress and the departments Since 1916 the department has
received $45ss7 60 from the treasury, which sum has
been included in the statement OF its revenues; and also
the further sum Of $7250On appropriated by Congress 10
meet the deficiency in its revenue which followed the
OF ls45 The aggregate amount OF these exceeds by
about $4,000 the available balances TO the credit of the
revenues OF the department on the 30h OF June last II
should also be remembered that by provision oil the
of ls43 the Postmaster General required accept the
lowest bid which, IN his Judgment secured the requisite
certainty security and celebrity in the transportation of the
mall and that under this rule the OF transportation
was reduced from 81, e05 504 in 1915 TO 25774o7 in
lS49, although the extent Of mal.rout in
creased during that period from l43 $40 to 67,7o3 miles
The contracts for mail transportation made for four
year The whole service had, consequently, in July,
ls4s undergone the process Of reduction under the
OF s4o and the annual cost OF transportation has from
that time been steadily and necessarily increased Ii WILL
therefore, be seen that the reduction OF postage in 1916
was accompanied BY great reduction Of the cost OF
transportation, while no such reduction can follow the
act OF 1851 On the contrary that act by the reduction
OF postage printed matter and the consequent Increase
OF such matter in the mails, will add very largely 10 the
cost of transportation
In connexon with these facts should also be remem
bered that the receipts from postage in Great Britain have
been greatly augmented by the establishment since 1882
OF numerous lines OF ocean steamers, yielding large reye
nuesthe expense OF which lines is not charged upon the
Post Office Department OF the United Kingdom Great
Britain also collects considerable for transit post
age In this country, also, the receipts from hostages
have been considerably augmented by the establishment
of lines OF ocean mail steamers under contracts with the
Navy Department and with this dePaIimen-he present
cost of which, and the hostages thereon appear in this
port.
The expense Of packet service, foreign and inland,
paid by The admiralty and by The Post Office Depart
ment in The United Kingdom, is believed TO have been
f70l $50 las Sd for the year ending January 5rS4s
while the amount paid by the Post Office Department for
expresses BY the deputy postmasters OF the United King
DOM wages 10 mailguards, other coach expenses, and
tolls on mail coaches, was only E4l9,l7s It's. 2ad,
Since the date OF my last annual report contracts
have been made after due advertisement for furnishing
blanks wrapping paper, Irvine, sealing wax, and mark
ing and rating stamps for the of The post offices of the
United States; for furnishing leather and canvas mail
bags and pouches, mail locks and keys, paper, blank
books and other stationery for the OF the department
these contracts nearly all these articles will be supplied
more favorable terms than under the former contracts
Aconlract has been made for the supply OF the postage
stamps authorized by the act of March last These
stamps are believed to be of superior quality, and
furnished at less price than was formerly paid Some
Of those furnished after the execution of the
tract were found to be deficient in adhesive qualities. but
believed that there will be no ground Tor future
plsint.
Directions for the destruction of the dies and plates
employed IN the manufacture OF the postage stamps for
mery used have been given, and for counting and burn
ing such OF the stamps have been issued TO post
masters, or have been returned
The streets, avenues, roads, and public highways OF
me cities OF New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and New
Orleans have been established post routes under the
10th section OF the postage act OF March g. 1851 and let
tercarers appointed for the service thereon. II is the
intention OF Congress 10 transfer the whole despatch
business OF the cities TO the leercarrers of the depart
ment, further legislation for that purpose is desirable
Some weeks since, agents OF this department were
despatched 10 the North and To- New Orleans, with the
view OF ascerainng whether the mails the great route
between the States OF Maine and Louisiana not be
considerably expedited. The greater expedition and
therefore formidable competition of ocean steamers, run
ming between points on s Ge h tho 20
contractors the present mail route From the lnior-
nation obtained by the thus cent along these lines,
il il believed that if the contractors will meet the wishes
OF the department the mail between this city and New
Orleans can be expedited twenty four hours that the
time required between this city and New York can be
reduced TO eleven hours and that the mails from The
South leaving here in the afternoon, may be delivered IN
New York in time to be sent east TO Boston, north TO
Albany, on their way TO Buffalo, ana Wes along lbc
New York and Erie railroad. by the morning trains from
New York While pursuing this object, an effort viii be
made 10 preserve New York close connexon OF the
trains carrying the mails which leave here the
ing with the evening trains which take such mails beyond
New York.
The liberal disposition avowed by the contractors who
have been applied to, and the general lberaty OF those
not yet consulted well the strong interest they all
have in making the present line rapid and more
siac,oy 10 the travelling public, would seem to Justify
the hope that these Improvements can be effected without
mourning expenditure dsproporiiontd 10 the import
OF the object 10 be attained If however the nego
afions in progress shall lead 10 favorable result
the attention of Congress will be called 10 other feasible
modes Of expedItng the erea, mails between the eastern
and the southern States.
The necessary orders have been made charge failing
bidders and their guaranors the difference between their
accepted proposals and The amount which TIE department
subsequently contracts 10 pay for the service specified in
such proposals This required under the provisions of
the 9th section of the act of July Q. 1885, which, II
believed, will now be Systematically and faithfully carried
out The Auditor reports that the sum Of Ss5762 30
charged against failing bidders and ther guaranors
according 10 the provisions OF that act during the last
fiscal year. large portion OF this charged for
failures occurring in previous years.
Having ascertained, from partial examination Of the
ponds OF postmasers tina, the penalties Of very many Of
ihese bonds were, in consequence OF the increase OF
Pos'ages insufficient for the security OF the department.
and also thai large number Of them were executed al
perioo 80 distant as to render probable that the sure
Ties mRht De dead or insoyent, order was made re-
Inadequate, or where the bond had been executed for
than six years. More than $50 new bonds wore
under this order prepared and sent out and nearly ali
have been returned examined, accepted and regs,ered
carefully revised and corrected list of Inc nos, ofces
in the United States has been published and distributed