The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-11-04
CHEAP OCEAN POSTAGE.

Few persons are aware of the enormous and
absurd tax imposed on mail matter crossing
the ocean. The following extract of commu-
nication from Mr.. Bates, in the New York
Euening Post, presents the subject with great
clearness and force We ask for it the atten.
ton of every reader:
The present rates are enormously high and
burdensome, not only to the poor emigrants
who have made our country their home. but
to merchants and men of business For ex.
ample, letter to Great Britain is charged "a
cents under half an ounce; for a fraction over
hall an ounce it is charged double-4S cents
and if perchance it should be u pennyweight
over an ounce, it is charged quadruple postage,
ninety-Sir cents! By what authority treble
letter. or an ounce an a half is charged quad
ripple postage, have yet to learn unless it is to
follow the example of the British pest Office ="
"Let us particularly examine the extent of
this enormous tax upon the business interests
and social affections of the people. The steamer
Canada carried out one trip to Liverpool,
thirty-two thousand letters besides newspapers
We will suppose that these were all single
letters, weighing half an ounce each; their
weight would be one thousand pounds, and
tuc pOStdRe swell GnOuSduu SIX HunuTtu anu
eighty dollars"
The Canada charges one hundred and
twenty dollars for first cabin passengers, and
-venty dollars for second cabin. The postage on
these letters is equal to the passage money of
slxty-tour cabin or one hundred and nine second
cabin passengers These must be provided
with good berths, beds and bedding, well fed
and waited upon, while the bags of letters can
be slowed away in any dark hole of the ship
and without any further care, until the arrival
of the steamer in Liverpool
"The freight charged on goods is thirty
~cen ana nay dollars per ton hence, the
postage levied on one half ton Of letters is equal
to the freight of tao hundred and 6oe tons Of
dry goods carried in the same steamer. There
is also this difference: the owner or consgnee
has a guaranty for their safe delivery to order
while the sender of letter has no such secu-
rity. If he should enclose in a letter hundred
or a thousand pound bank note, and pay the
postage, he has no guaranty for its safe delivery
in Great Britain and if it should be lost, mel
Their the owners of the steamer nor the post Office
are accountable But it is not so with goods
on freight; if they should be lost or damaged,
the owners ore compelled to make good the
loss or damage.
"To expose the enormity Of this tax, let Us
take another example. The freight of -four to
Liverpool is now reported at Is. 3d. to 2S
sterling. Let us suppose it at the highest
rate, say two shillings, or fifty cents barrel
The postage on thirty-two thousand or half
ton of letters would pay the freight Of fifteen
thousand three hundred and sixty barrels of
-four"
1t would seem as if Governments thought it
specially incumbent upon them to obstruct
the commerce and intercourse Of the people.
We hope Mr.. Bates will persist in his work
Of enlightening and arousing the Public on this
subject, and bring Public Sentiment to bear
upon Congress so that the policy of Cheap
Ocean Postage may be speedily carried into
effect