The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-01-10

compensation to postmasters and clerks of of
fee, and partly to the increase of expenditures
for transportation, owing to the great extension
of railroad service. The condition of the De-
partment goes to show that the rates fixed by
the act of Sd March, 1851, sciU not enable the
Department 10 sustain itself By its oacn re-
sources.
Another cause of this excess of expenditure
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 expenditure
of the Department for 1856 is estimated at
Sl0,l99,024, and the means available for the
same year S9,0l0,873, leaving a deficiency of
Sl,lS8, Isl to be provided for.
Reference is again made to the fact that the
Collins line of steamers receives from Govern.
ment S5S,000 for twenty-six trips, while the
British Government paid the Cunard line
$685. 200, for fftytwo trips, which, in the opin-
ion of the Postmaster General, is amply suffi-
cient. Measures have been recently taken to
lay before the Mexican Government proposals
on the subject of Postal Convention. The re-
port alludes at some length to the last report of
the Postmaster General of Great Britain, and
concludes by deprecating the denunciations of
the Department for mistakes earelessness, or
neglect, instead of advising it of the wrong
committed, and leaving it to apply the remedy.
Treasury Report
The report of the Hon. James Guthrie, Sec
rotary of the Treasury, favors the admission,
duty Free of wool as a raw material, together
with chemical dye-stuffs. but no interference
with the article of iron. The Eastern manufac-
turers, it is said, will be satisfied with this.
The tables on foreign trade show that the
increase of dutiable goods imported during the
year ending June 30, 1855, over the year end
ing June 80, lS45, is $l26, 900; do. of free
goods, SIS, 352, 1926; decrease of specie and bull
lion, SAIL ,430; showing total increase of
Sl44, 02S,395 in favor of 1855. The increase
last year over 1850 is given thus Dutiable
goods, 500, ,69o; of free goods, SIS, 348, 1884
decrease of specie and bullion, 1868, 9S0-totsl
increase, SS3, 1862.
The foreign imports at all the ports of the
United States (including of course California
and Oregon) for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1855, were S2Gl 1885,, $50, against S3O5, 7SO, 253
for the preceding yesr, showing DECLINE of
Si4, 1897 ,293. The total exports from the United
States to foreign ports for the fiscal year end
ing June 30, 1855, were S275, 6,S46, against
S27S, ,O64 for the preceding year, showing
decline of only S3,OS4,2l8. 1t will be seen
from this, that while for the year 1854 the i'm
ports exceeded the exports 1859, lS9, for the
last year the exports exceeded the Imports
Sl3,773,SsG.
The tables further show All increase. during
the last year, of Sl0,lO2 ,S64 in the imports of
free goods, but a falling off of S5l ,253,8O7 in
dutiable merchandise, and 50, 246, $50 in specie.
OF the total exports of specie for the last year,
$685., 4l8 were of domestic production, and
s2,2Sa,s25 of foreign. The shipments of do
nestle produce, exclusive OF specie, were
S22,40G,369 less than for the preceding year,
while there is an increase of Sl,497,23l in the
exports of foreign produce, and Sl2,563,5lO in
the exports Of specie.