Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-01-24
NE FIRST PaGR.
ocean Penny Postage.

Ocean Penny Postage.
MEssRs, kD1ToRsS Perhaps many Of your
readers may have Inexperienced the meaning of
''O0eas Peusy Postage" and thought that it
was proposed 70 send letter from any Town in the
UniTed States, TO any town in Great Britain, for
penny, or two cents. Bot this idea is entirely
incorrect. tits the mere service Of transporting a
single letter across inc ocean, that is asked for a
penny. This is 10 ee added to the British inland
rate, and 20 the 4nand charge of the United States.
Thus, the entire charge letter from 81. Louis to
Edinburgh, weaid be 3 1.2d, or Z CENTS for the
American Inland, for the ocean, and 2 for the
British inland service 1t is to be hoped however,
that the American inland postage may be reduced to
penny, tlCo cents, that each Of these three
services shall be performed for penny. Under the
existing regime, the whole charge for these three
services is shilling, or "a cents. Under the re-
duction proposed, they would be performed for
cents, the inland postage of the United States
should remain as it is present. but for cents if
this inland charge should be reduced two cents.
Then we want 8 / 2 times the present number Of let
ters-enough between the United States and Great
Brain to produce the present amount of revenue
Would the reduction proposed ensure this increase?
That is the practical question. Let us see. Let
take very moderate estimates, for it will be better
that they should fall short of the reaIitv than TO
pass beyond it. Is it not, then, very moderate to
assume that the present number of persons in Eu
rope and North America, would, on an average,
write t'cice under an Ocean Penny Postage, where
they write under the present shilling rate? Ad-
nit this estimate, and we have more than half the
requisite augmentation. Where shall we look for
the other half? Why, to extraordinary source of
increase, almost confined 10 The United States.-
There about 100000 persons who emigrate
from Europe to North America every year. These
are all neao correspondents, and their number will
amount million in three years. annually increas.
ing by several hundred thousands. Is it not equally
moderate TO assume; that this million of emigrans
would write, an average, t,eo letters per head,
aanualy TO their friends in Europe, and receive two
in return! Then from this sosrce we should have
100000 letters year, increasing, probably, at the
rate of a million annually ,aIer three years ofthe new
system. Then this postal reform would almost com.
pleteiy break up the private or claadesne convey
of letters by the passengers and crews of the
steam packets and sailing packets that cross the
ocean, and bring into the mali bags the matter thus
conveyed IA the pockets Of individuals. 1t would
greatly diminish the number Of dead letters which
now amount TO about 10000 per month, betweea
Great Britain and North America. 1t would, to
great extent, break up the almost universal custom
Of enclosing several communications, addressed to
different individuals, and enclosed under one envel-
ope to rave postage.
Frequently, four or Ave of such communications,
written on very thin paper, manufactured for this ex-
press purpose, are thus forwarded for one shilling.
Now let as put these sources of increase together
The whole number of letters conveyed across the
Atlantic, by the Cunard, Collins, Havre, and Bre-
men lines of steam.packels, during the year ending
June 30, 1851, was, in round numbers, 3, 800 000--
Now want three and half times this number
or l3,65O,0OO, in order to make an Ocean Penny
Postage produce the present amount of revenue
The present number ofpersons in Europe and Amer.
lea, who $500 600 letters in 1851, would write
100000 during the Grst year OF the new SYSTEM
The million of emgrants America in the course of
three years. would write and receive 1000 900 an
nually. From these tive sources, we have IL $780,
900 per annum at the end Of the third year of the
postal reform. We need $50, 600 to make up the
revenue to It's present amount. Now there be
any reasonable doubt, that the other three sources
we have described, would produce an increase of
revenue equal to that Of these $50 900 letters which
we need at the end Of the third year, to make
an Ocean Penny Postage pay9 Caa there be any
serious loss of revenue incurred or apprehended
from The adoption Of this great postal reform? Then
Why may il not be realized during the present ses-
sion of the U. S. Congress and British Parliament?
Yours sincerely, ELIHU BURRITT.
30 Broad street Bnlldings, London, Nov Is, 1852.