Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1856-01-16
DgPARTMEKT REPORTS.
Posr-orFIcE DEPARTMENT.


Posr-orFIcE DEPARTMENT.
The Report shows net increase of So
post-ofEces during the year ending S0th of
June 1S55-the whole uumber Of Offices at
that date being 24,4lG, and on the seth of
November. 24.TT0 On the Seth of June
last there were 7 .0S3 RAIL routcs, at an esti-
mated length of 277 ,90S miles The total
annual transportation of mails was G7 ,491, l66
miles, costing S5,3f5, ,23S Compared with
the service of the year previous, there Is an
increase of 3, ,397 ,025 miles of transportation.
or of about 81 per cent, and of S6I5, ,22l
cost, or about IL 4-1G0 per cent The In
crease by railroad service is 5, ,4S9, 132 miles;
by modes not specified. 3 1915, III miles
while the transportation by coaches is less by
2,325, 62S miles. and by steamboat l., $780,
653 This change results mainly from the
'reletting of contracts IN many OF the Southern
and Western States and Territories On the
:,0th of June last there were in service 319
route agents at a compensation of S235, 10
tj5-I00; % local agents at 81 ,323 and 9Sl
mai, messengers at 500 Al G5, making
total of 254 go 80 to be added to the cost of
transportation This makes the total amount
for the current year s., S34, $50 20. which
will probably be increased to 6,000 900 by
new services and routes The cost of foreign
mail service not included here, amounts to
26li, 467 The Postmaster states that on Sd
April last, he concluded contract with Mr..
james f JOY, to convey the mails FROM Cairo
to New Orleans and back, daily, he having
full powers to negotiate such contract on be-
half of the Illinois Central Railroad, but
though the latter used every exertion to COM
ply with their engagement, they failed to do
so from the high price demanded Of them by
the owners of the boats on the line, and the
route was accordingly advertised for reletting
The new distribution schemes have been
completed, and each distributing Office has
now alphabetical lists of all the counties in all
the States, except California In accordance
with the Late act of Congress suitable meas
ures have been adopted to put in operation the
new system of registering valuable letters,
but it has not been sufficiently long in opera
ton to be able to form just estimate of the
plan The Postmaster has, however, found
abundant proofs of its usefulness, and of the
necessity of bringing it to perfection
The expenditures of the Department for the
last fiscal year amouutto 50 ,96S. .342, and the
gross revenue derived from postages, (inland
and foreign) are S6.642, 1856 13, which, adj
ding the annual appropriations made in cons
pensation Of mail service to the government,
by the acts of Sd March, 1S49, and Sd March.
1851, amounts to 81 ,342. .13e 13. Deduct
ing the balance against tke United States due
to Foreign Powers, for postal accounts, from
the above the actual gross revenue of the De-
partmcnt, for the year ending Both of June,
1855, will be 81. 335, 1T. The gross reven-
ue of 1854, after deducting foreign balances.
amounted to S6. SIG, ,651 81, making differ
ence in fsyor of 1865 of S51S,5 $40 10. The
erceSs Of expenditure far 1856 oce7 that Of
1854 as s., ,G26, ,2G6 To- This excess is at
tributed partly to the increase in compensa-
ton to Postmasters and Clerks of Office, and
partly to the increase of expenditures for
transportation owing to the great extension
Of the railroad service. The condition of the
Department goes to show that the rates fixed
By the act of Sd March, 1851, rM not eaa-
DIE the Department to sustain itself bg its oam
resources
Another case ot this excess of expenditures
is attributed to the letters and documents car
ried free of charge for members of Congress
and others, and to the immense amount Of
printed matter conveyed at low rates The
Postmaster General thinks that the reduction
of fifty per cent. for advance payment on
newspapers, is wholly without justification
He also recommends that prepayment bv
stamps be made compulsory on all kinds Of
matter. The expenditure Of the Department
for 1856, is estimated at $40. .l99 ,024, and
the means available for the same year. So.
0l0, ,s74, leaving deficiency of 81 ,08s, Isl
to be provided for
Reference is again made to the fact that
the Collins line of steamers receives from Gov
erment 1858. 900 for twenty-six trips, while
the British Government paid the Cunard line
.Soo6.70o for ffty-two trips, which, in the
opinion OF the Postmaster-G General, is amply
sutficicnt. Measures have been recently ta-
ken to lay before the Mexican Government
proposals on the subject of Postal Conven-
ton The Report aliudes at some lepetb to
the Report of the Postmaster General Of 7,reat
Britain. and concludes by deprecatinp the de-
nunciation of the Department. for mistakes
earelessness, Or neglect, instead of adyisng +
OF the wrong committed, and leaving it to an
ply the remedy.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
Although VIC have heretofore given, at con-
siderable length, and several weeks in advance
their transmission to Congress, the tables of
the foreign trade and commerce of the United
States for the fiscal year ending the 30tb
June, 1865, we deem it not ,ininterest;no o
= present the following abstract of the
Ssns'arys "a report. now that it has appear
- regular course The tables on fere;gn