North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-12-10
srpopr nr ruE POSTMASTER GENERAL.

master General. occupies nearly eleven columns OF
the National lnteiIigencer and presents Vo'uh."
Gus exposition of the nature and eXleh1 .. ne
arrangemen,s of the country, the changes that nave
zenIted from the law enacted last session, ana 'ne
additions and improvements that are yet needed ~
meet the exigencies of extended territory anu
mercial relations. We avail ourselves OF the follow
inc abstract of this interesting document wnic" VIC
find in the Republic: g., o,r-,be
Il appears that at the close Of the fiscal year-'ne
3Oth of June last-six thousand one hunoItu dIH
entv mail routes were in operation IN ne oH :,
States forming an aggregate length OF lSo'sSo ie'
and involving annual cost Ior "e "o,e
of mails Of S3 .754. The total annual 'ransPo1-
tation amounts 3d. 252 miles, OF wnicn oouO,
1O7 miles are performed upon railroads. at an average
cost ofabout eleven cents i've mills per mile o'4o4'
qa2 miles in steamboats,, at cost OF aoou! e's''
cents three mills per mile l9'!Ze'ooo miles ~
coaches at about i've cents three mills per mle anu
10 sol 975 miles in modes not sPecihed al aoou 'o
cents eioht mills per mile. As compared Win the
previous year, this statement exhibits an increase OF
IA 354 miles in the length of inland mali routes anu
of $547,lIO in the annual cost OF !ansPor 'a"OG
hnt This comparison is Irrespective OF the routes IN
California and Oregon. In the former STATE the dH,
nual transportation amounts 10 537,4Io miles. anu
the annual cost to Sl3O,27O in the latter TO ooSou
miles, at an annual cost OF $40, AL. mere are sIA
Foreion mail routes-three of which are under con-
tract with the Post Office Department at a cost oil
about 81 O9s 10 per mile; and three under contract
with the Navy Department at costo ABOUT SS'fSo
10 per mile. ;,oI
nearly half of them fill vacancies occasloned by
resignation 1877 fill vacancies occasIoned ny deatn'
2O6 in consequence of change OF site 599 on tne
removal of prior ncumbens and 1878 on the eS'ao
Iishment of new offices. The entire number OF post
Offices in operation is 1876; nearly LOO were
established and $50 were discontinued during the
year.
The gross receipts of the Department for the year
described in this report Sc, ,493 22 of which
S. 9,242 rs were derived from letter (lncludlng
foreign) postage and stamps sold, and Sl,O35, 80 81
from postage on newspapers, pamphlets &C. 10
form true idea of the revenue however, allowance
must be made for the payable to the BRUSH POSI-
Office and for the sum of additional appropriations
With these deductions the ordinary revenues OF the
wear stand at $685. ,977 SO; being an increase OF
1899, OO6 Al the proper revenues OF the pfece-
ding year.
The expenditures during the same period were
$6,27s, 4Oi 60 but this includes payment to Brit
ain and payment under an award. Inc Ordinary
expenditures was $3,O24,5 66 79, showing balance
of receipts of S703, 1893 SO.
The report olances at the position of the posofice
in this country half century since, and lntlmates
the probable presentation to Congress oil the mate
rails of an interesting history of postal system.
In 1870 the number Of post offices rs, the extent
of post-routes 1875 miles, and the revenue $685.
Within the last two years the cost Transportation
has been much increased; and the ever-increasing
mail facilities by railway and on our rivers, will con-
tinue TO add largely to the expenses OF the Depart
ment Under the terms of the of March last, the
expenditure for the transportation of mails must be In
creased from fifteen per cent. per year, IT the
wants of the country require it; and unless some
change be made by Congress in the rule laid down
for the of Department, other expenses
will necessarily increase at nearly the same rate.
In regard to commissions paid to postmasters the
Postmaster General expresses belief that the allow
ance provided for under the order made the 29th
of October will be found incommensurate with the in
crease of labor required under the new law.
The total estimated expenditures for the current
year amounts to ST. I23, 449, SO, which be met
by the balances standing to the credit of the
Department, the receipts from hostages, and the APP
preparations made by the acts of March, 1847, and
March, 1851. The succeeding year will necesstate
further aid from The treasury. At present reliable
estimate of the reveneus of the year be
made in consequence OF the non-settement of the
postmasters' accounts for the first two quarters.
An idea of the amount of free matter sent and re-
ceived at the Washington Office may be formed from
the fact that for the two years ending in July last
this branch of business would have yielded 81 240
800 the then in force, $50 at the pres
ent reduced rates. This does not include the free
circulation of newspapers, &c. 1t is thought that
the reduced rates of postage printed matter. and
the extension of privileges to publishers, will dimin-
ish that branch of revenue at leas: 100000 per
NUN. The results of the experiment in opera
ton satisfy the Postmaster Generahtha there should
not be more than two, or at most three different
OF inland postage newspapers sent to actual sub
scribers and that those periodicals. and other prn
reduced in number. and nearly assimated to
the ordinary newspaper This change, he thinks
can be adopted without materially diminishing the
revenue.
The Postmaster General disapproves of the dispo-
sition manifested in quarters to urge further
reduction In inland of letter POSTAGE before
the results of the last reduction properly ascer-
tanned. He points The dissimarity in the cir
cumstances of this country and Great Britain, and
maintains that the result of the system now in oper-
alton in Britain admonsh not attempt further
reduction until justified by our revenues. Looking
at our entire circumstances, the sparse population of
immense sections, and the and expense of the
area traversed by mail routes, he concludes that
we have, beyond all question: the cheapest postage
in the world.
The new contracts for the supply of innumerabe
articles required Tor use in the department are des-
cribed as more favorable than former ones and an
intimation is made that Improvement in the adhe.
sive qualities of postage stamps will hereafter be OBJ
servable. |
An opinion is expressed-founded npon informa- |
ton obtained by agents of The department-that if |
the contractors be favorably disposed, the mail be-
tween Washington city and New Orleans can be ex-
Pedited tweny-four hours that the time required
between Washington and New York can be reduced
to eleven hours and that the mails from the South
leaving Washington in the afternoon, may be deliy-
cred In New ork in time to be forwarded TO Boston,
Albany and West. along the Erie railroad by the
morning trains from New York. An effort will also
be made to preserve at New York close connexion
OF the trains carrying the mails which leave WASH |
lngton In the morning with the evening trains which
take such mails beyond New York, II the neoo,i..
tons now IN progress to effect these arranuements
ia' tGe arentlon OF Congress will be called to other
feasible modes of eXpedting the great mails be,vao,
the Eastern and the Southern States
An-appropriation is recommended tn moot ,b
deficiency of salary allowable to the sneciaI go
OF the department, and also to pay the salaries Of
supernumerares who have been empIoved IN ~
dead letter office. More than 4 OOO nou1Jo e '"1