Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-12-11

cy of the previous year.
The report, rtng to the act o! August So 1859
bxirg the rates Of postage, printed matter, says:
In this there is clause which provides that wheu
the postage opon any newspaper or periodic. paid
quarterly oryeary in advance hafony Of the regular
rates shall be charged In view OF the trivial Increase
the postage printed matter, and Of the extremely lou
es particularly Tor newspapers and periodicals. would
recommend that the law be 80 far changed as to omit
the clause referred leaving the department to fall back
the act Of 1885, under which quarterly payments III
edrance newspapers AMI periodicals have heretofore
always been required
The propriety Of this Recommendation thus enforced
Imy Recommendation be adopted, the quarterly pos
tsge, fer instance, weekly newspaper periodical
exceeding one and halt ounce, circulated In the
State where published land in the same proportion for
more frequent pubcatons) will be ak and half cents;
and when three 10 weight, sent to any
part Of the United States thirteen cents quarter The
newspapers to subscribers living In the county where
published will continue to 60 free.
The expenses Of the year ending June So 1885,
win greatly exceed those of the pasyes In many sections
Of the country. the Of transporting the msis will be
considerably enhanced. The act Of Congress increasing
the commissions aud compensation Of postmaser will also
add considerably to the expenses.
II is estmsed that the expenditures for the year 1885,
exclusive Of payments for foreign hostages accrung with.
In the year. will he about 80 49, and the receipts
about 90 eS9 ga o. leaving surplus of SlIsOeS g.
During the three years which commenced the Let,
July, 1884, and ended the So,h june s54 the depart
ment issued le6 postage stamps and soo76 $50
stamped envelopes amounting in the aggregate SIS
oes oS, Of which 5000 sol 73 wercs so being about
| % l.s per cent, of the whole amount Issued.
|
examining and checking the quarterly Of posmas.
| erS
In view of the many depredstions mails aud the
heavy losses Of money the Postmaster General has devised
| q plan Of recstra ton Of which he SAYS:
Ii provides that receipts shall be given for vausbel
ers when posted aud that duplicates of these receipts
shall be kept for reference at the office Of mailing; that
the full address OF such letters shall be entered
paraie post bill, which shall be copied large upon an
account to be kept of registered letters sent This post
bill is 10 be forwarded in scaled envelope, separate
N rel its
receipt the office OF its destination is be ackuowd
ged BY a duplicate thereof returned to the office
OF maihpg-msrksd correct, or otherwise il may be
found or comparison.
1t provides thu, the large offices valuable letters
shall be received at window only and that the recci
wing clerk shall check them the register clerk ard he
10 tue mailing clerk. 1t is, in Short designed fix
sponsibty and to furnish which do exist
for tracing missing letter from the point of its reccp
ton to that Of is disappearance To carry this plan in
to effect, vii be required that rev and expensive
banks be prepared and distributed AMI that increased
clerical force DC employed in the principal post-ofices
have not, therefore. felt at liberty to adop, il whou,
the ssCcon OF Congress- and authority establish such
Additional rate Of postage this class Of letters
b. deemed adequate TO the expense of registration.
In Great Britain the Registration Zee iulaud and
most foreign letters u Npence sterling (about twelve
cents in addition TO the o:dasry rates OF postage and
- eNrrSsSy provided that such registration shall no,
render the Postmaster Gener, the pos'oice revenue
IN any 4b for the loss Of any pos, letters
or the contents thereof 1t is believed that authority 10
establish additional of FIVE csns on each lete.
reEis:e'e: ali 10 require the pos'age all registered
itte-s 10 te prepaid, would enable the department to
carry into eject the plan here submitted without prcjl-
ice & 10 r-vcaie.
L is proposed make IN, registering Of valuable
le; comp sorS, tina: the government shall become
ALE for sue letters when lost ou, only enable each
e'>oa rli ias valuable letter 10 ia the ordinary
AHne r.t' adj something 10 Its security by the pay.
meat oi s-aal registration Fee
joGb tina: the registration OF valuable letters
A. opposed; would be Eishls appreciated a means Of
seeai-y sy iae large commercial classes Of the
NV, ssoe selections. sad exchanges prucip.lly
hrouEn the sI= sd Who have from lime TO time urged in
rI- G?oa c.s department. the sdopoa OF such Plan
10: hen pro:eciica- believe too, that such system OF
registration would relieve this department from the impu
iSOa OF brt.cEs losses Dot properly chsrEesbe upon il
II shich rslusble letters alleged have been lost
.h-c-.h tue mails either reached any posoice or
have been stolen Alter arriving at Tie places OF their de
nation.
Toe Of the service for the last fiscal year OF the
eral L. mail steamship lues, and the Ishmus
P.ulu.,, "a - fploHs:t
Ne" l0ik TO Liverpool, Colns line, tHenty-sr round
New YO'k, via Southampton, to Bremen, ele-
ven To4ud up=, Is9333 20
New York, via Cowes to H.vre, eleven round
trips, 1850 90
;~en;y ioIr round trips, including same
-cr Of trips between New York and
New 0rieans vi. Havana, $4,000 90
| Asto; ., 'a san Francisco, Panama, twen-
ty fOar rcu' rips, sss,25o 90
Charleston, vi, Savannah and Key West, to
Havanu', "a ronrt siip', $4,000 90
New o'l,ap. 70 Very Cruz, "a .ouad trips,
Omrt.ing Tampico, 1890 90
AsPiawAil TO Panlrua, ll9T27 %
e,Oa3 90 80
Bs the ac; Of Congress approved the third Of March,
1877, the President authorized to contract for the
construction agd qiipmen o. four first class going
steamships, 70 be attached to the navy of the Uui,cd
Sates
Here follows reclpi4aiio Of the several contracts
made u.d.f tni- act aud the report proceeds:
% ne M ~
- have zen 10 built up naval ste MART heb mig
temporarily be employed for cummsrcal purposes. In
der 10 enable private individuals bull aud zip these
steamships IN tue md. pointed ont by Congress
money we're advanced 10 them, and 10 sustain them until
1anci Tor government purposes, large sums Of money
were paid them for conveying ia mail.
IT. in the progress If tine, it is severed that Il
steamships suite! for naval purposes that the
large paid their for mail Dor alton have
created monopoly checking the cacrgy and enterprise
o. others o. our citizens C1ag'csi IN my opinion is called
upon to terminate their contrict- il j: can So Consist
emily with pghted faith. BY the Of the act Of
the CONTRACTS entered into between the Navy Department
eni thes, cCmplhrs in pursuance Of this act IL will be
tha Congress reserved itself the right purchase
the steamships aud thus terminate the connection xeen
the companies aud the government When they have
been paid for their vessels the fixed by the appra
ers mutu7 chosen everything has been done which the
ai b OF the nation requires.
The report proceeds the expression OF an opinion
that the prices now paid entirely high for the
vice rendered, and institutes comparison between the
paid by the British and the American govern
men's shoSns that the latter pay nearly double or abou,
the amoun, for senimonthly trips that the former
pays for weekly trps
Ia view Of tie probable increased demand Of the con
tricror.n the cj1yment Of the monopoly the
OF their contracts; the opinion expressed that the pre-
scribed notice for the termination Of the contracts should
be now given. The report says
IL il tu, hsre is difertnc the tonn lge OF tho CO..
lns aud CGnard lines and thai the American steamers
make their voyages in shorter time but the difference
IL the tonnage aud speed Of the Ines does IN
judgement, tTnd any valid reason why there should
marked disparity ia the prices paid ~ the govern
| mcnts
No progress has been made since my last annu, report
IN the pending gOtiaors with Great Britain relative Il
tho admission oFfaIce into tho arrangement con,em-
plated by the provision in the l2lh article Of pusta
co ysntion.
According to the rSgor II thr al attempts in
luce Great Baitan to complete neg 'tipns have failed
Aoi the Inference IL pretty clear that Great Britain End
her present interest in the policy Of things they are
Under the present arrangement tie single rate Of posis
between the United States aid France, by United State
packets six cents higher each letter OF the weight
oneqnrter aud under than by British packets and
qicn,y much the larger part Of the esposdcnce
still diverted to tho British lines.