Burlington tri-weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1852-1855, 1854-12-19
From the Washington Union.
poSrSf AxrER GENERALS REPORT.

We rive this morning tho annual report Of |
the Postmaster General. Il 10 . lonr, ably |
and carefully prepared document, and can
not fail to excite feeling OF admiration, II I
not surprise, at its clear exhibit OF the snc- |
cessful workings Of postal system without
4 parallel in the world for simplicity and ex- t
tent. For the convenience of the reader,
we make up the following abstract:
There are % ,548 post Offices in the United
States the annual compcnsations OF 2o7 OF
which amount to 1000 and upwards. Du-
ring the last year, 1892 Offices were estab-
iished and 6l4 discontinued. Number Of
postmasters appointed during the same time,
5,6lS. Removals, l,977. Number OF mail
routes, 6.697. Number of mail contractors,
5,l67. Total annual transportation of mails,
6S,3S7 ,OO5 miles, at a cost of $4,63O,676;
thus, 2l,267 SOB miles by modes not speci-
fed, at cents per mile; 2O,S9O,53O miles
bv coach, at cents per mile; 10, 433, $3.50
miles bv railroad, at IL cents 4 mills per
mile; 5,795, 483 miles by steamboat. at s
cents mills per mile. Increase in the
transportation during the past year q per
cent.
The expenditures Of the department during
the past year were $S,577 .424 II, and the
revenue Sc. 955,5S6 %. To the former must
be added Sl33, 4S3, 33, balances due foreign
Offices, which would leave the total deficiency
for the year 1854 at 81, 1921 %. The
deficiency for the year 1853 was $2,ll7,07S
2O-leaving difference in favor Of 1853 OF
1851, 1856. The increase in the revenue OF
1854, compared with the revenue of 1888, IS
1910, 1899 4S-or about l9 per cent.
The Postmaster General alludes at consd-
cradle length to the difficulties between the
department and railroad companies relative
to the rates of compensation for carrying the
mails. Ths companies, he says, allcdge that
the government should not ask or expect
them to perform for it any service at less
rate than that Paid by individuals for sim; lar
services. This principle, he contends. he
has always been willing to recognize in the
adjustment of prices. What is now required,
he believes, is, that the railroad companies
should be paid according to the bulk OF the
mails, the speed with which they are con-
veyed, and the accommodations required
The sums paid by express companies are no
fair criterion; for, as they are uninhr enced
by competition, they can pay any price de-
manded Of them, and assess it upon their
customers. England, France, Germany and
Canada pay less to railroads for mail SER
vice, than is paid by the United States
Complaint is made of the insufficient accom-
modations, as a general rule, for route
agents. Allusion is made to the habit of lr.
responsible parties obtaining, by gross mis-.
representation, mail c"ntracts. and subse-
qucntly throwing them up, because OF fail.
ure ON their part to sell the same at a profit
A remedy for this fraud is suggested.
Owing to causes OF within the control Of
the department, the expenses of the cure
year will greatly exceed those of the past
year. They are estimated at 50, S4l, 92l 33
This increase will be owing to the ad llt.ona
compensation of postmasters and the en-.
HANGED prices demanded by contractors a
the last lettings.
A uniform plan of registration is warmly
recommended as an additional protection fol
the safe delivery of letters of value. Thu
want of such a safe guard has long been felt
and as the cost of its maintenance will fal
directly upon those who vii. chcerfu!iy bea
the expense, we see no good reason why ]
should not be Incorporated into our posta
system as one of its principal features.
During the three years commencing Jul,
l, 1851, s., 50I ,022 03 postage stamps an
department, of which S. ,092, 30l were sold
the various United States mail steamship
lin s, and across the lsthmus, was as follows
Collins line, twenty-six round trips, 1858,
600; New York and Bremen, eleven roun
: trips, $lS3,333 25; New York and Eavre
Panama, via San Francisco, twenty-fou
!, round trips, s34S,250; Ntw York and Ne
q Orleans, TO A>pinwall, S2S9,O00; Charles
Z 49, cnl Hoyooo N 000. Noxv Arlaopo r
y Vera Cruz, twenty four round trips. $37 ,0Ot
Aspinwall to Panama, $ll9,727. Tota
!. $2,O23,0l0 90.
4 The service performed by the several line
/. OF ocean mail steamships is treated at larg,
a The Postmaster General is of opinion tha
!. the compensation now received is too large
and that the present system is calculated I
|. drive off private competition. lie also state
q that the Nicaragua company have offered t
: carry We ky mail between New York an
California for the sum of 5000, 900 per ar
+ mum, which he thinks is the highest rate Z
\ pay which ought to be demanded. The co.
i this year for a semi-monthly mail, by til
: Isthmus route, is $757,917 Gu.
d No progress has been made since the la.
e report in the pending negotiations it'll Gres
Britain relative to the admission of Franc
r INFO the arrangement, as contemplated b
J. the provision in the 18th article of our post;
convention. No postal convention mas q
vet been effected with France; but one
about being made with Mexico.
. Arrangements have been made with tt
: Australia line of monthly packets to conve
. mails regularly between New York and Au.
tralia. The rates on all out going matte
8 have been fixed at FIVE cents letter, tw
e cents each for newspapers, and one cent a
ounce for pamphlets and magazines. Thes
e rates embrace both the United States milan
It and sea postage.
J. The finea and dednctinns during the na!