The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-11

Al ~ Y
The postal system cf the United States touches the
interests and copsenienoe Of every citizen In its
multtudnous ramihcsuons il reaches the most re,
mote corner Of the republic, and the department
trolling il has intimate connection with the
social and political condition Of the country than any
other branch Of the government. The FIRST annual
report Of the present head Of the Post Office Depart
ment furnishes a fun and suceinet account Of the
workings of this vast and complex machine during
the past year IL is yoluminous paper full Of sta
tistics showing the rapid extension of the system,
and the Increased facilities for the transmission Of
intelligence required by the country. 1t contains
intrinsic evidence Of the ability with which Governor
Brown has conducted this important department Of
the government. Atno period has its administration
been more acceptable to the country at large.
y The number of post Offices established during the
year has been ,725 the number discontinued, 704;
net increase. OIL. During twenty years, extending
from 1877 to ls47 the number Of post Offices created
was STAG; from ls47 to 1857 halt that length Of
time the number was ii ,444. In thirty years they
have increased from 1000 to 1886, the number
now existing, During the year $3.50 postmasters
were sppointed--4,76 7 to gil vacancies caused by
designations l6Sl by removal 23s by death, 269 by
change Of name and site, and l,725 to FIJI new Of
Aces 80 ....s ..ft &. ,-.s, Il ,ssasss ..F
The TRANSPORTATION statistics show that ON the 3Oth
June last there were in operation 1888 mail routes
with length of 242, e0l miles Of which 22,53o
railroad lines. The total annual transportation was
74sO6 OCT niles costing s6,622O 46 giving aver
age Of about ten cents and five mills mile by rail-
road aud by steamboat about twenty-five cents
mile. The increase in the length of mail routes
the previous year is about 959 miles, with an add-
ton Of about ITO per cent to the annual cost The
tabuated results Of the service to the 10th Of
September as follows: Miles in length, n, 408
miles of annual transportation, l5,454, 6l2 cost,
s1,O9874s., Compared with the service ON the 30th
of June last there appears to be decrease of T9l
miles in the length of routes and s23O34 miles in
the annual transportation while the cost is increased
&l2O,044.r an sta
The net expenditures of the department for the
6sca year ending june 30 1857. are stated TO have
been syi 507 $40 l6 The revenue for the same
period including the permanent annual appropria-
tons made by the acts Of March g. l847 and March
g. 1851 was SS053, ISL 76being s3,453, 11s 40 less
than the expenditures. alsz
For tbe t;scal wear ending june 10 1853 the or.
,enses ara .st;,oated at sl2O53247 The means At
tbe dsnosa ar the Postmaster General to meet these
expenses including the balance on the books OF tho
Auditor the gross revenue. and the balances of APP
nropriations available. amount 10 8lO5s4O74. leay-
ing deficiency of 81 ,469.l73 TO be provided for y
tn. r.nor, rr,o. ,bs .don,;ou ., sYs,s,, of NO.
no., orders 10 proy;de far tbe remittance of ann.
-, 80 cox :, .,no,,n.
u, 60; III, :..,.,
- tn =. -. a. .S.,
ha,n.a, M, YORK and Rra,oan having er,;rea !
4.nor., a,rangeoant has i,se,, ma do for he am
,;n,,aoa Ca one ,,e,r II considerable reduction u,
tho former rate of nav. The Postmaster Genera,
,b;nls tho nresent 6t oonortun;tv 70 ;nancn-
,.,te svste, of selfsusta;n;np OCEAN mail serv;ce
The .x;s,;no nostaI arrangements betwean tbo I-n
.oa s,ate. and Enyapd onerate uneon,llx mo, n.
former and negotiations are pendine for rad;ca,
CHANGE !. nostsI convention has been concluded
with France and also with the Hanseatic republic Of
HAMBURG sss
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