Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-12-06

oordng to the provisions act during the last fiscal
year large portion of this charged failures
occurring in previous years.
Having ascertained from partial examination OF the
bonds of postmases that the penalties of very many
these bonds were in consequence OF the increase OF
postages insufficient for the security OF the Department
and also that large number them executed at
period distant render il probable that the see
might be dead nsolyent order was made requiring
new bonds in all cases where the penalties were made
quae where the bond had been executed for than
six years More than 250new bonds under this
order prepared and sent out and nearly all have been
returned, examined, accepted, and registered Il
carefully revised and corrected list OF the post ofces
the United States has been published and distributed
to the postmasters and other officers of the Department
On this revision appeared that the numbered post offices
in the United States somewhat less than that stated
in previous report from this Department.
The laws of Congress relating to this Department ITS
officers and business have been carefully compiled for re-
publication in connexion with the general regulations OF
the Department which have been revised for that pu
pose large portion of the work has been for some time
the hands of the printer and thewhoe IS expected to
be completed and distributed in February next
Wooden marking and rating stamps have been furnished
large class Of offices whose receipts were too small to
authorize the supply of metal stamps BY these
and blanks of better quality well other facilities
for the dispatch Of business it is hoped that the labor OF
win be- degree reduced and greater
accuracy and dispatch secured.
In the of clerical force in the dead
letter Office my efficient Third Assistant had been
PEELED for several years. to allow accumulation in the
dead letter Office of letters containing promissory notes.
drafts and other papers Of value This class OF letters
had been accommodating from 1887, and was rapidly IN
creasng Upon examination into the general character
their enclosures deemed it my duty to exraor
binary efforts to be made to send these letters and their
enclosures the parties entitled thereto For this pur
pose several clerks whose duties might during the recess
Congress be temporarily thrown upon others the same
divisions detached from their respective desks and
employed in this service In order to accomplish the OBJ
ject view several in the service OF the De-
partment were permitted labor in the Office with the
understanding that they would be paid when Congress
should specially appropriate for that purpose sum su
cient for their compensation This course was the more
necessary as during the last summer some ZOO pounds
of dead letters which had been suffered to accumulate in
California since the extension of mail service to San
Francisco in the hope that Congress would authorize them
be opened and examined there returned to the
Department The equitably due to the persons
thus allowed labor in the Department is estimated at
50542 AS the increased labor thrown upon the Depart
by the postage Of the Sd of March last
dered it impossible register and send out the letters
ferred without such arrangement and as by it
the letters accumulated during the previous years. and
of those received during the present year. have been
properly disposed Of it is believed Congress will not hest
tate to make the necessary appropriation That 1T be
made at early day is earnestly recommended.
The requirement of the return of weekly and monthly
registers of the arrivals and departures of the mails at
the termni each route showing whether the number
trips contracted for had had been performed
coring contract and within schedule time, has intro
duced greater efficiency and regularity into the service
During the last fiscal year. appears by the re-
port from the Inspection Office the fines imposed upon
contractors inland routes amounted to S0,OSl.o7;
of which the of Sl025 has been RENTED The de-
auctions Of failures and irregular service
such routes amounted, during the same period, to
$685. 97 80 of which the of $S477 has been remit
ted. The deductions made during the period for
failures and foreign routes under contracts
with this Department amounted 81 49, and the fines
and deductions which the Navy Department has been adj
vsed to make routes under its control the inspection
of which had been transferred to this Department. amount
ed to 81 958.
The special agents of the Department have been
lively and usefuy employed in the discharge of their
rious and important duties The increased salaries
thorzed by of the last Congress have not been
paid Them the necessities Of the service orbdng such
reduction of their number would justify the payment
of the increased salary out of the present appropriation
These officers render important service the Department
and the public Through their exertions mainly the
proportonate increase of depreciation and loss with the
growth of the country and extension of mail ransporta
ton has been materially checked while the number of
and convictions for violation of the laws has been
greatly increased Much of the service is performed in
cities, and is of nature involve large expenses.
appropriation for the deficiency of salary
allowable to them under the existing laws.
The potmasters and other in the service of the
Department have with few exceptions, discharged their
duties with fidelity, promptnes and accuracy, and have
endeavored to increase the efficiency utility and reputa
ton of the Department. HG
On the Sd of January last, s. r. Hobbie, ESQ., then
First Assistant Postmaster General appointed spe
cia agent and postal commissioner and dispatched
Cuba and Panama, with instructions to make, if pracca
be suitable arrangements for exchange at Cuba of
mails from and to the West India Islands, the Atlantic
coast of South America and to points the Gulf of
Mexico and elsewhere reached from Havana by British
mail packets but to which own mail arrangements
did not extend; and also to effect if practicable,
rangemeht for the exchange at Panama of mails from and
to the western. coast of South America. "
Temporary arrangements for these purposes agreed
upon by Mr. -Hobbie and confirmed by the Department
These arrangements have been found to be useful but
the increase of correspondence with the points named will
soon render more perfect arrangements desirable.
Mr.. Hobbe also instructed to proceed to Cali
forna and aid the resident agent Of the Department
the opening of the proposals for mail service which he
had been directed to invite. 1t then the expec-
taton that Mr. Hobbie would reach San Francisco in
time for the lettings but attack of fever unfortu
natey detained him the Isthmus beyond that time.
The service was, however satisfactorily performed by
the resident agent and the postmaster of San Francisco
Mr. Hobbe reached San Francisco AFTER and before
the contracts arranged and executed and able
to render efficient service in aid Of the resident agent
AS Mr. Hobbe continued in service special agent of
this Department for time after the 1st of April
when his resignation First Assistant Postmaster General
took effect respectfully recommend that Congress make
adequate provision for the payment of his expenses and
suitable compensation for his services.
was hoped and expected at the time the advertise
ments for proposals for mail service in California and
Oregon ordered that Congress would authorize
lar letting be concluded there and contracts for the
period to be executed under the supervision of the agents
of the Department acting under its general instructions
Congress- however, dourned without comforting this
thority, and the agent in California Instructed to
make temporary contracts only. Acting under this in
strucon the agent who had received bids for service
until the 30h day of june 1854 1.-THE end of the regular
contract in the section which California and Oregon
beong very properly received from the accepted bidders
contracts for the residue of the contract term endorsing
upon each agreement signed by the contractor giving