The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-12-05

CARDS the adoption OF the quarteounee scale Tor letters
arrangement would before this have been consum-
mated and 10 successful operation The terms offered on
the part OF the United States certainly liberal and there
appears to be good reason why they may not By accept
ed twas with Reluctance however that consent on our
part given 10 the quarterounce scale since the half
ounce for single letters the scale observed with us ana
in all postal arrangements with foreign countries ana
looking to cheap simple and, far as practicable UNI
form system Of postaQe-which ii Is hoped, may before
long be arranged for International correspondence
throughou the civilized worldit would be an
point gained the French government TO assent 70 e
\ general introduction Of the halfounce scale.
The French government having mGie provision for the
transit conveyance through England of books pamphlets
newspapers magazines and other printed from the
United States addressed TO France Algeria cities Of
Turkey Syre and Egypt where France has postal ar
rangenents application OF the French Director General
OF Posts in the month OF March last instructions Is
sued from this department authorizing the transmission
via England of all such printed matter prepayment OF
the same rates OF United States postage are charge
| able thereon when despatched to France direct
proposition has been received from the British Post
Office for reduction of the postage between the United
States and Great Britain from wentyour to twelve cents
the single letter In answer this department has indicated
willingness TO agree TO this proposal provided the tran
SIT charge mails passing through England from and to
United States reduced to twelve and half cents an
ounce the price paid by that government for the convey
ance OF the British and Canada mails through the United
States This department has been for years endeaverng
to have abatement made in this transit charge which is
considered excessive and in the present instance the
dtion was rendered necessary nasmueh reduction
United States and British correspondence will involve, al
continental closed mails the effect OF which would be
greatly to reduce the receipts from the United States mail
steamship lines unless there is corresponding reduction
in the British transit tax that by lower rates correspou
dence would be increased sufficiently TO prevent loss
So far Great Britain is concerned in the event of
reduction simply in the Atlantic postage, it is not likely
she would suffer any serious dminuon OF her postal
nue since she would doubtless be compensated for any
loss that account by the increased of transit
postage she would realize under such arrangement.
ms condition was moreover coupled with offer the
part OF this department to have the transit price for all
closed mails in both countries fixed at the uniform rate
OF twelve and half cents ouncea concession which
would secure to the British and California and West India
closed mails the right of transit In cases, at
half and in Others at only onequare the price charg
ed under the treaty.
was the ready to make this concession FIRST be-
cause regarded Of the highest Importance that the
between this country and Europe should be
relieved from the onerous tax to which it is subjected
in order that the people both sides OF the Atlantic in
their social and business intercourse may be little tram
melted as possible and second because it is likewise very
desirable aB well in foreign in domestic postal arrange
ments, that simplicity and uniformity should be observed
Arrangements have been made between this department
ana the postal authorities of Great Britain and Canada
providing for the registration of valuable letters transmit
ted between those countries and the United States The
United States registration fee is five centshe on
registered letters to any place in this country 1.-The ar
Giles of agreement are annexed.
Articles of agreement have been drawn and executed
behalf of this department providing for regular exchange
of mails with Holland The project is avorably regarded
the of the Netherlands and have
been received leading the belief that with slight mod
caton touching the Belgian transit postage it will be
accepted
An informal arrangement has been entered into with the
free city of Hamburg for exchange of mails by
OF the direct line OF Hamburg steamers plying monthly
between that city and New York The single rate Of
postage established for letters Is cents mails for
places beyond Hamburg being transmitted by this line
With Mexico postal convention has yet been con-
cluded but it is confidently hoped that the pending nego
tiatons this subject may result in arrangement
tually advantageous to both countries
The statistics of the foreign mail service fully stated
briefly mention of the principal results in this import
ant branch Of the service compared with the operations
of the fiscal year ended 3oth June, 1855
The aggregate amount of postage foreign and domestic
on mails transported by the United States mail steamship
lines 740 49, which is decrease OF S24 $50 40
from the previous year The decrease of postage by the
Collins line S43ll7 49, by the Havre line 5000 81
and by the Charleston and Havana line S545 81 By the
Bremen line the hostages increased Sl2593 III by
the New York and California lines $637o 80; and by the
New Orleans and Vera Cruz line S3ll 80.
The total amount Of letter postage British mails du
ring the year S89764s TO- being decrease from last
year of o4s "a OF this amount S6ol o3 40 was col
ected in the United States and S2966l7 80 in Great Brit
ain showing Of S304 Ala 10 collected in this
country The unpaid received from Great Britain exceeded
the paid received $55454 "a and the paid sent from the
United States exceeded the unpaid sent $l4s959 l6.
The total letter hostages Prussan closed mails was
S299455 IT, which varies but little from the preceding
year. when the hostages this class of correspondence
amounted to 5000 &C. The proportion Of this postage
collected by the United States was however largely in
creased the collected in this country being $780,
1888 49, This during the previous year S29
722 rs.
The Of letter hostages Havre mails $l6
1870 0B all of which collected in this country. Last
year the postage these mails amounted TO $l695 o.
corresponding decrease has also taken place in the
amount Of correspondence exchanged with Bremen, the
total hostages being only 49, or 1854 81 less than
the preceding year
IL will thus be observed that the amount OF foreign cor
respondence has only fallen off very considerably but
the revenue derived thererom the United States Post
Office has likewise been materially essened by the largely
increased collections made in this country compared
with any previous year. During the year ended 30th
June 1885, the OF British hostages collected by
States hostages collected by Great Britain SG4s2O Ca
This during the fiscal year increased TO s54
$40 80 Notwithstanding the diminished Of CORES
pondence Like results exhibited In respect the
mails exchanged with Prussia and Bremen showing that
under postal arrangements with those countries the
principle Of optional prepayment operates very unequay
against the United States the expenses Of collection being
chiefly borne by this department which not only collects
Its but also large proportion OF the foreign
hostages and for the same, in full TO the for
egn Offices without receiving any compensatory benefit in
return.
conveyed during the year by the Collins line S4l5
s67 "A by the Bremen line, Sl2s937 81 and by the
Havre line Sss4s3 CO. Deduetng the United States in
land hostages these mails the net from
hostages by the Collins line $3397i0 IA by the
Bremen line, $s6,4s2 SO ard by the Hsvre line SILL
$50 To-
TIE general results Of the foreigna service during
the year. ne exhibited in the appendix, win be found on
comparison, not to vary materially in other respects from
those Of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1856
Notwithstanding the unusual extension Of mail facer
and the increase OF railroad service the number and cost
Of mail bags have been very considerably diminished The
reduction in this n Of GlAbl2 7B or
dtturo