New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-14
CHEAP NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. RATES.

Cx,EAP PoSTAGE-UEIFORM RATES.
A lov ard uniform rate of postage, with in
creased facilities OF collection snd distribution.
was the leading idea Of Mr.. Rowland Hull, ia
calling the attention Of the British public to the
subject of Postal Reform. He believed that il
the people could have cheap postage, they would
v rite III ,re letters; ard the result shows that he
was right. In fourteen years, from less than
eighty millions, more than four hundred millions
Of letters parsed through the British mails Ia
the revenue Of the Department there has likewise
been large increase. On the introduction of
Penny Postage. the revenue Of the Post Office
fell TO little more than half million sterling
but immediately began to rise. and the results
Of the last quarter show clear revenue OF over
q 300 900.
There are several popular faacies prevalent:
in this country respecting penny postage in En-
gard. One is that the receipts have never re-
covered since the reduction. Previous to the
year 1889 the gross revenue was Sll,9o3,slo
and II years fterward it amounted to Sl2,llO,-
SO. Another error is, that mail transportst on
and distribution in Great Britain costs penny q
letter. 1t really costs just about half that sum,
and the other hall goes AZ clear profit to the Gov
eminent Look at the figures: The gross
revenue from postsge, in 1883, was Sl2, O4O,
and the net revenue 10 Government, - s65,6iO,
or almost OF half This does not include postage
on newspapers, which is paid by stamp duty of
one penny copy and which goes into the reve-
nue. of the kingdom, but is not reckOn,1 AS post
age. Add this item, and the gross postal revenue
would be double the exptnsesof management. IL
should aio be stated that the revenue is incress-
ing much more rapidly than the expenses. Now,
if the British Government can distribute letters
at cost Of one cent each, lie it unreasonable to
suppose that We can do it for double that sum, or
two cents letter Let US examine the matter.
We have three rates Of postage for letters, two
methods Of rating it, and two methods of receiv-
inc pay for the same. There are the drop letters,
one cent; letters over 3, 600 mies six cents, and
all others three cents. These are the rates for
single letters, and in proportion for every half
ounce above the first. Domestic letters, i. e.
those circulated in the country, are rated az three
posteges, if over an ounce, but not over an ounce
and half: but letters for Europe are reckoned
at }our rates if over an ounce and less than two
ounces. The postage may be paid either 10 stamps
or money. This requires double set ofaccounts.
Every letter should be paid in stamps or sent I'M
paid. Were this the csse-were all single letters
charged the came amount, without regard to dis
lance, we could dispense entirely with the way
bills and current accounts between different
Offices. In England simple Letter Bill &C.
companies the letters, but half the time there is
uotl ing on it. When letters sent without being
paid, the fac. lie noted, and the amount unpaid is
charged to the Postmaster receiving the package.
AS may be supposed, there is very little of this
postage for 954 per cent of all letters are pre-
paid 1t should also be stated that there is a
place on this bill for putting the addresses Of
registered letters, to be used as occasion may
require.
But to come to the subject of uniform postage.
We propose single rate, viz, two cents letter,
and that it apply TO all single letters, whether
conveyed long or short distaDce-from Nassau
st. to Broadway, New.York to Brooklyn, or from
Bangor to Sacramento.-Some persons may Goa
slider this arrangement unjust but on rehec-
tion this impression will vanish. 1t is to be
borne in mind that we all write considerable
number Of letters. some to 90 long distances, and
some short ones. No man would use either the
one or the other exclu.iy.ly. Hence, no one
could justly complain that the system operated
partially. Again, it is a well-ascertaned fact,
that uniform rate Of postage so simplifes work
and increases correspondence, that letters may
be conveyed at very low rate. Indeed, it is be-
lieved that Government saves sufficient SUN by
making lite system uniform, to justify it in adopt
ing the lowest charges at which il carries any
letter where variety of rates are employed.
For example: the postage on all letters in Grea.
Britain might be reduced TO halfpenny. and
letters be charged that amount, ard all others q
penny, and the labor and expense would be so
increased that the drop-letter would cost more
than half penny and considerably more than
half the cost of those sent long distances. Take
our own postal system; see the expense Of carry
ing i. on, and what the money goes for We give
statement covering three years:
ps,e Total expenses, Transportation Other expenses.
1851 ........ 81, l584OZ xj,S5Sl6i S17f0 S33
l8j2........ 7i0S 49, 4225Sli 2s3Jl4s
is5S........ 7932757 1855 sos ii9
Total. s2i ss6l8 sl266s6ss s8sss 955
1t will be seen that just about seven twelfths Of
the total expenses are set down to Transports
ton, and fyetwelfths to miscellaneous charges.
1t is perfectly evident that drop-letters par