Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-17

amptop, 10 Bremen that from Charleston to Havana by
the way of Savannah and Key West and that from New
York to Havre via Cowes is paid for Of the funds
the Post Office Department amounting if all the service
be performed, 10 the sum Of $400,0 900.
In addition this there paid by the Department
the last year for the transportation Of the mail the
isthmusa service performed in foreign countryside
Of 85 3l4 which will be greatly increased judging
from the last quarterly returns during the ensuing year.
If Congress intends that the mail service of the
try shall be sustained by the money derived from post
ages these charges should not be placed upon it. In pro-
yidng for the building and equipment Of naval steamships
Congress to have meant to encourage the erection
by individuals of war steamships, which might the
emergency OF war, be ready for public use and such
being its design and the carrying Of the mails but
cidenta purpose, the public treasury should bear the
cost The amount of postage derived from these vessels
is but small as has been shown and in view of the
tension of mail accommodation asked for from every part
Of the country, which has be frequently denied
would suggest that these lines be paid for in the
provided for in relation to the other lines. The
extending settlements Of country and the great
and activity of business OF every description,
quire all the mail accommodation that be given and
the Department should net be burdened with for
services which do not properly belong to it.
No material change has been made in postal con-
vention with Great Britain since the date of the last
nual report from the Postmaster General.
An arrangement has been made with Great Britsie by
which the United States ayas itself Of the facil "a of
secured by existing postal treaties be-
tween Great Britain and the several Governments the
west coast Of South America the mails being transported
by line of British steam packets plying between Pana-
ma and Valdiva, touching at the prominent interme-
diate ports.
The Of postage on magazines has been reduced to
cent all foreign countries except Great
Britain.
No reduction has yet been made in the high transit
postage charged the mails passing through England to
Tho itoJC tatac ts,h
ment has been paying the United States 12S cents an
mails between Canada New York. and Boston, it has been
receiving "a cents for the ranst Of the French
mails through England and the effect has been greatly
inconvenience correspondents both in the United States
and France The whole subject has been presented its
proper light to Minister at London.
The negotiations for postal convention between the
United States and France still in progress and
cept in regard to two three important points of differ
ence, the basis of an arrangement has been made
The pending postal convention between the United
States and Belgium awaits only the reduction of the Br
fish transit rate and two notifications before
being finally concluded and put IN operation.
Our postal arrangement with Prussia to operate
favorably, but few ofthe States in Southern Germany
have not yet fully acceded to its terms and have there
fore sent much Of their correspondence for the United
States through France.
The rate of postage between country and Bremen
has been reduced from twenty to per single
By the present postal arrangements the Bremen
Government putting two steamers monthly in
connexon with the United States Washington
and Hermann, between New York and Bremen provision
is made for due division of the postage accruing from
the two lines and the commission to the postmaster of
Bremen is discontinued
The States Of Southern Germany will be admitted to
participation in the advantages of the postal
with Prussia upon equitable terms.
The contract conditonay entered into by his prede
for the conveyance Of mail to California via Vera
Cruz and Acapulco has been dapprOved by the
Postmaster General and nothing further has been heard
from the company tits stated that the Nicaragua Company
propose to carry sem-monhy mail between San Fran
cisco and New York for $500 600 per annum 1t is sug
gested that if Congress intends withdraw from the
Collins line the appropriation which they now receive
the Postmaster General might be authorized pay
every steamer running between the United States and
England fixed for each trip, the trips exceed
given number each week. and thus throw the carriage
of the mails open to individual competition.
The Postmaster General following in the footsteps of
several Of his predecessors strongly the
tension of the public building occupied by the Post Office
Department lie says that the reasons heretofore urged
in favor Of this are every year acquiring add
tiona force The increasing business Of the Department
the limited accommodations for the clerks in the different
Bureaus and the Auditors Office and the want of room
for important papers which have be placed in the
halls and cellars to be destroyed by fire mildew
require the original design to be completed.
In conclusion, the Report audes to the experience in
finding suitable rooms especially for distributing post Of
fees in larger cities, and suggests, measure
economy that Congress appropriate money enable the
Department to buy erect suitable places post Offices
in the larger cities Of the Union.