Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-12-18
Abstract of the Postmaster Cen
erals Report.

This is always an interesting report. The
mails are annually transported over an aggregate
distance Of 53,272252 miles, and more than
eight and half millions of this performed by
Railroad. The cost of all this is nearly three
and half million of dollars. California and
Oregon are embraced in this service, and the
whole OF the vast area of country between the
Atlantic and Pacific. Under the five and ten
cents rate OF Postage, the Department last wear
received S6,7e649S, or an increase of 1899 OO6
over the fiscal year ending June 80, 1910. This
Is under the old law.
The estimates of Expenditure for the present
year is $7,l23, 44S, but the precise income from
the law of March last, establishing the three
cent rate OF postage, cannot be estimated. for
the reason that the law has not been long enough
in operation to demonstrate its effect upon the
revenues. 1t will, therefore, require another
year to show the effect OF that law upon the
Revenue, both in reduction of letter postage
and the rates of postage on printed matter.
The Post Master is opposed to any further
reduction of postage; he says that it will re-
qure all the surplus money of the Department
IN the Treasury and large appropriation be-
sides to meet the annual expenditures of the
Department under the present working Of the
low rate system.
he shows that between country like Great
Britain and this, no Just comparison can be
drawn, and that there are reasons internal and
external which prove The impnsslbiIlty Of placing
the two systems on the same basis.
He says
g. Those who take the position that the people
OF this country should not rest satisfied with any
reduction of postage until it be made as cheap
as that OF Great Britain, seem to forget that our
IF g.,
much cheaper than that of Great Britain and
that the condition Of the two countries in re-
gard to nearly every thing which shnnld inAl.
ence the rates of postage is widely different.
The United Kingdom Of Great Britain and
Ireland has an area of about 10000 square
miles, and population of about twenty elIht
millions; while the area Of the inhabited por-
tons Of the United States may be estimated at
more than 10000 quare miles, with popu-
aton of twenty fur nnlons."
The efforts to make more convenient posta |
arrangements with different European Govern.
ments are likely to be successful.
Application has been made for the extension
of the trips of the steamers of the New York
and Havre line 10 Bremen.
A postal arrangement with the Canadian Post
Office Department has been concluded. Under
this arrangement the postage on any single let
ter from any point IN the United States to any
point III Canada, is ten cents, or sixpence Of
Canada money-except where the letters TO be
transmitted over 600 miles from the boundary
line at the point of crossing, when the single
rates OF postage is fifteen cents, payable in eth.
er country.
An agreement nf similar character has been
made wi h the Post Office Department of New
Brunswick, embracing in its provisions Cape
Breton, Nova Scotia, and New Foundland
The Post Master Of San Francisco was some
months since instructed to make up and forward
by every convenient opportunity, all letters for
those distant countries where the inland passage
to the San Francisco office was prepaid.
e An order went into effect ON the first of July,
last, establishing two cents as the rate to be
' charged on each newspaper mot passing through
= Great Britain) mailed in the United States for,
received from any foreign country, other than
the British North American provinces and the
Vest Coast Of South America.
A rtte of two cents for United States postage
on newspapers transmitted between the United
States and Great Britain, has been already fix.
ed by the existing postal treaty with that coun-
try,