Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1854-12-09
EVENING STAR,
THE REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER
GENERAL.

LIE 1hxV6L UE JAE fUST4ASTEB
GENERAL.
After taking the trouble to make a sy.
nopsis Of this important and interesting
document, we find in the Courier and
Enquirer one which pleases us much
better than our own, inasmuch as it con.
denses with pith and skill unsurpassed,
all the leading features of the paper in
question in the smallest possible COM
pass. We, therefore, willingly throw
aside our own and borrow that of our
New York cotemporary, as follows:
REPORT OF rHA POSTMASTER GENERAL.
This document discloses to the view a
system, the vastness Of which, consider
ing the comparatively short time which
it has taken to reach it's present state,
seems almost incredible, and shows, as
unerring index, the rapid advance of this
country in population. extent of busi-
ness, and social correspondence. Let
ters, IN themselves considered, do not
seem of much account in determining
the greatness Of nation, but when the
total annual transportation of mails
covers distances of over sixty.eight mil
lions of miles, renders necessary nearly
twenty-four thousand post-offices, and as
many postmasters, then there is told a
story of the vastness of Post Office
system which bespeaks a great people,
rapidly developing immense resources.
The report of the Postmaster General is
able, clear, has been carefully prepared,
and cannot fail to be interesting to every
citizen. 1t may be convenience to the
reader to give short abstract.
There are in the United States %, ,548
post offices; 1912 new offices were es-
tablished last year and GA discontinued.
The total transportation of mails is 68,-
387 ,0O5 miles. The increase in trans
portation has been 81 per cent. The ex-
pendltures during the past year have
been So, SIT ,424 IL; the revenue Sc, ,955,-
586 %. The increase of revenue of the
year 1854, compared with that of 1853,
is $970,399 48, or about l9 per cent.
The Postmaster General treats at some
length the difficulties between the De-
partnent and the railroad companies con-
cerning the rate of compensation for car
rying the mails. The companies think
that Government SHOULD not ask them to
perform any service at less rate than
that paid by individuals for similar SER
vices. The Postmaster General says that
he has always been willing to recognize
this principle. lie also suggests rem
edy for the fraud committed by irrespon-
sible parties obtaining, by misrepresen-
tation, mail contracts, and subsequently
throwing them up because they are un-
able to sell them at profit. The ex.
penses Of the current year will be greater
than those of the last year. They are
estimated at $50, ,84l ,921 33. A uniform
plan of registration is recommended as
a safeguard for the delivery of valuable
letters. During the three years commen-
cling July 1, 1851, SIS, ,5O7 ,022 O3 postage
stamps and stamped envelopes have been
issued by the Department, of which
$5, ,092, ,30l were sold. For the last year
the cost of the service on the various
United States mail steamship lines, and
across the 1sthmus, was as follows Col
Inns line, twenty-six round trips, $685.
GOO; New York and Bremen, eleven
round trips, $l83, 1888 26 ; New York and
and Havre, eleven round trips, $137, 500;
Astoria and Panama, via San Francisco,
twenty-four round trips, $348, $50; New
York and New Orleans to Aspinwall,
S2S9, 600; Charleston and Havana, $780,
900 New Orleans to Vera Cruz, twen-
ty-four round trips, $37 900; Aspinwall
to Panama, $ll6,727. Total, $2,O23,-
0l0 90. The Postmaster General thinks
that the compensation now received by
the several lines Of ocean mail steamships
is too large. The Nicaragua company
have offered to carry . weekly mail be-
tween New York and California for
100000 per annum. The cost this
year for a semi-monthly mail by the 18th.
mus route, is 1857, 1867 O3. The negoti-
ations pending with Great Britain, rela-
tive to the admission of France into the
arrangement, as contemplated by the
provision in the twelfth article of our
postal convention, remains the same as
last year. No postal convention has
UCeu cucCV8u Will france DuC one Is
about being made with Mexico. Arrange
ments have been made with the Austria
liza line of monthly packets to convey
mails regularly between New York and
Australia. The rates on all outgoing
matter have been fixed at five cents a
letter, two cents each for newspapers,
and one cent an ounce for pamphlets and
magazines. These rates embrace both
the United States inland and sea post
age. The fines and deductions during
the past year amount to $10,486. The
amount for the previous year was $37,.
02O.
The Postmaster General alludes to the
delays and irregularities of the mail
caused by the manner in which the dis.
tribution of letters and newspapers Is
managed at the various distributing pos
Offices. He says he is now engaged in
revising and correcting the schemes O
distribution" at these offices, which b,
finds very defective.
With regard to the nostape nm nevc