Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-10
9ublit 9Ofument.
Report Of the Postmaster General.
IcoNcLUpED.l

trusted TO the mails attracted my attention. |
found, on examination OF the subject that although
Congress, In establishing our postal system, APP |
pears 10 have had principally in contemplation the
providing Of suitable and convenient means oil
correspondence and the diffusion Of intelligence,
yet from that time until now, the mails nave been
used, 10 large and constantly increasing extent,
for the transmission Of bank notes and other val
liable enclosures, and are now the principal means
through which the remitiances OF the country are
made; while neither the laws any regulations
ofthis department have provided any additional
guards for their security against loss or depreda-
ton beyond those originally established. In view
OF the enormous sums which are constantly pass
ing through the mails, the losses by depreciation
are inconsiderabe. Still, such losses are numer-
GUS their aggregate amount is large, and they are
increasing with the growth of our country and the
extension OF lis mail service. Under these cir
cumstances, | have thought il proper 10 recon-
mend such legislation on this subject as may en-
aoie inns department TO give greater security 10
valuable letters in the mails without assuming
any liability for their ultimate loss BY our pres
ent system, all letters mailed at given date al
one post Office for delivery or distribution at an
other, are entered an gross, according TO their
era rates OF postage, upon post bill If letter
OF great value be embraced in the bill, neither its
address nor any other description of il is entered
on The post-bi, by which il can be distinguished
from other letters of the same grade or rate of
postage Nor Is the address or description Of any
sucn letter entered on The postmasters account OF
Rails sent, nor indeed upon any other record kept
IN The Office from which il is sent. The only ac-
count kept by the postmaster is money account
made up each day Of the several aggregates OF
hostages OF the different rates either collected or
charged as unpaid. 1t will be seen that, under
such system Of accounts a missing letter can
never be traced with certainty, for the account
neither furnishes evidence that particular letter
ever reached the place Of its destination nor even
maj II LEFT the ohici OF mailing. Believing that
thismperection in our system ca only be remedied
py the adoption of general and uniform plan of
registration for all valuable letters, l have alter
consulting the experience of other countries on
the subject, devised plan of registration which
think suited 10 our circumstances, and likely to
add greatly 10 the security Of the mails against
depreciation.
Il provides that receipts shall be given for valu-
able letters when posted and that duplicates Of
these receipts shall e kept for reference al the
ofice of mailing; tina. the full address of such
letters shall be entered on separate postbll,
which shall be copied at large upon an account 10
be Kept OF registered letters sent. This post bill
Is 10 be forwarded in q sealed envelope separate
from The package OF letters 10 which II relates
and lis receipt al The Office OF lis destination is 10
be acknowledged by duplicate thereof returned
10 the ONCE OF maing-marked correct, or other
wise, as II may be found on comparison. IL pro-
vldes that al the large Offices valuable letters shall
be received al one window only, and that the re-
ceying clerk shall check them 10 the register
clerk, and he TO the mailing clerk. Ii is in short
designed 10 fix responsibility and 10 furnish means
winch 40 moi now exist ior tracing missing let
ter from the point of its reception 10 that Of its
disappearance. To carry this plan into effect IL
Will be required that new and expensive blanks
be prepared and distributed and that an increased
clerical force be employed in the principal post
Offices. l have not, therefore, felt st liberty 10
adopt il without the sanction of Congress and au
thorty 10 establish such additional rate OF postage
on this class Of letters may be deemed ade-
quate 10 the expense of registration.
In Great Britain the "regstraton feen on inland
nd Isl leetar
twelve cenis) in addition 10 The ordinary rates of
postage, and u Is expressly provided that such
registration shall not render the Postmaster Gen
eral or the post Office revenue in any manner LA
be for the loss OF any such post letters or the con-
tents thereof II is believed that authority 10 es-
tsblish an additional rate Of FIVE cents on each let
ter registered and 10 require the postage on all
registered letters TO be prepaid, would enable the
department. 10 carry into effect the plan here sub
milied without prejudice 10 its revenues
Ii is not proposed to make the registering of
valuable letters compulsory, nor that the govern
meni shall become liable for such letters when
lost, but only 10 enable each person mailing val
liable letter 10 do so in the ordinary manner or 10
add something 10 It's security by the payment of
a small registration fee.
have no doubt that the registration of yalua-
bic letters, as proposed, would be highly apprecia-
ted as a meaps OF security by the large CONNER
cial classes of the community, whose collections
and exchanges are made principally through the
mails, and who have from time TO time urged in
vain upon this department the adoption of some
such plan for their protection. believe too that
such system OF registration would relieve this
department from the imputation of numerous
losses not properly chargeabe upon it-cases i'm
which valuable letters alleged 10 have been lost
through the mails either never reached any posi-
Office, or have been stolen after arriving al the
places Of their destination.
The cost Of the service for the last fiscal wear
on the several United States mail steamship lines
and across the isthmus Of Panama, is as fellows
New York 10 Liverpool, Collins line
twenty-six round trps. ........ SS5S 600 90
New York, via Southampton, to Bre-
men, eleven round trips. .... Is3333 %
New York. Dia Cowes, 10 Havre
eleven round trips. .......... l37JO0 90
New York and New Orleans to As
pinwall, twenty-four round trips
including same number Of trips be-
tween New York and New Orleans
ria Havana. :;............... $4,000 co
Astoria, vi0 San Francisco, TO Pana-
ma, tweniy-iour round trips....... 3Is,25O 90
Charleston, ria Savannah and Kew
West, TO Havana, twenty -four
:, round trips. .;;................. $4,000 90
New Orleans TO Vera Cruz, twenty.
four round trips, emitting Tampico a. o00 On
ASPinwah 10 fanama'. 1922 90
2,O23,olO 20
BY the act OF Congress approved the third of
March, l647, the President was authorized IN |
contract IOr the CONSTRUCTION and equipment of
four hrst-cass sea-going steamships 10 be M, |
tached 70 the navy Of the United States II was |
by the second section made the duty OF the Secre |
tary OF the Navy 10 accept the part Of the 90 |
vernment Of the United States the proposals OF |
L. N. Collins and his associates for the ranspor,a
ton of the United States mail between New
York and Liverpool The steamships 10 be en-.
poyed were 10 be so constructed as 10 render
them convertible at the least possible cost into
war steamships of the first class By the E,ur,b
section Of the same act IL was Likewise made The
duty Of the Secretary Of the Navy 10 coutrac, 1
with a. o. Sloo for the transportation Of the mail
from New York TO New Orleans twice a month
and back, touching at Charleston, IL practi.
olble, Savannah, and Havana and from davana
10 Chagres, and back twice a month The 66b
section authorized him to enter into contract 10
carry the mail from Panama 10 Oregon once =
month The sixth section made il The dutv of |
the Secretary Of the Navy TO provide in the CON
tracts authorized by the act that the NAVY Depart.
meni shall at all tunes exercise control over said
steamships; and at any time have the right 10 fall.
mem ior the exclusive use and service or The
United States, due provision being made in The
contracts Tor the mode of ascertainine the n,oner
compensation TO the contractors therefor % ~.
first Of March, 1915, the Secretary NJ ,h. NJ 'ne
-