New-York daily tribune., 1859-12-29

grown by The population of our principal cities and
must finally be abandoned as has been in European
capitals There are at present but about OOO boxes
in the Post-Offce Of New-York, and vet even this
number leads to much confusion and iDaeeuracy IN the
distribution and delivery Of mall matter. was the num-
ber augmented 70 10 000-which would not more than
meet the present eyerncreasing demand-it is mani
fest that no memory would be equal 20 the task OF as
ciatDg the names with the appropriate boxes and thai
the practical working Of the system would become
impossible.
is allow ed 70 send paper 10 each and every ober
"printer of newspapers within the United STATES ree
cot portage" This, the Postmaster Gays, imposes in
toe aegre gate heavy and unjust burden on ihe De-
partnent more in his opinion than the frank.
ing privilege since the latter processes TO be exercised
on behalf Of the public, while the free exchange OF
ne wspapers lie regards as the adv neemen oi purely
private and personal interest III the press Is 70 oe
subsidzed 10 the extent Of its postages by Govern
nen be thinks such subsidy should be contributed by
the common Treasury, instead Of being imposed upon
the oppressed revenues Of the Post-Oiee Department
The privilege of circulating weekly county newspa-
pers within the limits Of the county IN which they are
published is he thinks more Objectionable than
the free editorial exchange.
Tie practice of giving fat mail contracts TO help
maintain steamship staee-eoaeh, railroad, or steam
boat lines is reprobaed. He says:
"There are those who maintain that the adjustment
of the mail service should be made subservien If no.
subordinate 10 the interests OF commerce and travel
and that The rapid and cheap conveyance OF passen-
oers ard the support of railroad amboat and slge
companies, should be as carefully looked TO ana ar
anxously provided for by the Department as the trans
pora'ion Of the mas. This is fatal falaey whose
bitter fTuits may now be seen in the enormous sums
raid 10 these companies for mails, OF which are
20 lie as scarcely Weld sufficient 10 de-
fray the expense Of carry ing them on horseback mere,
ly that the owners of these lines may be enriched ana
that the public may have easy certain, and economical
modes Of conveyance for themselves, their baggage,
and their goods Every dollar appropriated for such
purposes IS peryerson and abuse Of the postal fund
and every one of the exrayagant and semi commercial
contracts depriyes whole communities IN other sections
of the country of the mail facilities 20 which they are
entitled" Therefore Mr. Holt says he means, in all fu-
ture lettings Of contracts for the transportation Oh te
mail 10 let the same in every case, 70 the 10 vest Did
der rendering sufficient guarantees Tor faIhin peror
nance ritk0a other reference 10 the mode Of shch
transportation than may be aecessdry 10 prorde Jor
" tie due ceieTay, certainty, and security @ saeN
trdHsp Hsp0rtdt0n."
The Governmental employment Of express agents on
the great routes NOT succeeding the baggsge-mastes
have been successfully substituted, al an annual saving
OF sl9 lCO. In relation to the high rates charged by
railroad companies for carrying the mails accompanied
and delivered as they are by The agents OF the Depart
nent the ferviee performed by the road is little be-
yond that which il performs for the shipper of barrel
Of -four or sack of gram. why then, IS compen-
sation exacted for this service which is 60 exorbant
as compared with what would be demanded OF pm
yate citizen for the conveyance of similar amount Of
freight The average cost on our railroads for trans
portaton alone last year varied from so TO $50
mile. In Canada the compensation paid 10 the rail-
roads for the conveyance Of the mail is $50 per mile
for dav and $40 per mile for night service and $50
when the two services are combined For this sepa-
rate car s furnished wlieh is fitted up as travelling
post Office and serves for soIh2S and Distributing the
mails by the way. If the mails are sent as ordinary
freight, under the guard Of either an agent o. the
company or of the post Office the charge &c but TWO
cents per mile when the weight does not exceed TWO
hundred pounds, and for any additional weight, pay
meDt is made in the some proportion. NO reason
IL percpiVpu WlV eXCept trunk IUUbtr,
higher rate Of compensation should be submitted ="
by our Government than is paid by that of Canada.
Even this latter class OF roads the present rates are
much high, but on the remainder, where the mails
are light, they are oppressvely extravagant. The
rapid multiplication of railroads-on all OF which the
law nrovdes that the mails shall be carred-is con-
staptlv increasing the evil complained Of These roads
are in every direction penetrating comparatively
sparsely popuated portions of the country and con-
Meeting with small towns, where the correspondence
is necessarily limited and If they are all 70 continue 10
enjoy tbis enormous subsidy at the hands OF she De
partiuent however unimportant the malls cnfr a. no
very strong hope of dsenthament from It's present en-
bsrfassments can be ndulged. The remedy Is TO be
found in an amendment of the act of March s. io4o,
which would respectfully urge upon the eonsidersl-
ton Of Congress reduction OF 33 l3 per cent upon
the maximum rates fixed by that act would still leave
very liberal compensation TO this class OF contractors.
Mr. Holt complains that of the 5S railroad routes IN
the United States there lH on which the mails are
without contract. These routes are the
mails transmitted upon them, and yet the incorporated
companies controlling them peremptoriy refuse 10 en-
ter into those engagements with the department which
the law and the highest interests Of the postal service
demand. The consequence has been that they have
carried the mails when and they pleased, departing
and arriving at such hours, and moving at such speed,
AZ was agreeable 10 tbem To 06viate this difficulty
the Postmaster intends TO invite proposals from the
several railroad companies and to notify them that on
and after March 81 ls6O they must enter into formal
agreements containing the usual spulations with the
department.
In regard TO the Portland and New Orleans mail the
following table will exhibit the average period Oceu-
pied in its conveyance between New-YOrk and New
Orleans during the past year, as well as the number
of failures TO arrive within schedule time on the two
routes designated:
time days 22 hours Arrivals in schedule time ah Arrivals
1lan,,e ria a,lr lrncfon-scbedule time 81 days Actual
days hours Arrivals in schedule time iCd Arri
walls out Of schedule time, 2s6
The Postmaster leaves il TO Congress to say which
of the four routes proposed for this mail shall be
leced.
The Mississippi River mail service, between ST. Paul
and New Orleans, was performed during the past year
at an aggregate cost of @ @29S Its earnings 20
inconsiderable TO be the subject of serious comment
The Department, we are told opposed thsroute az d
waste OF its revenues; but Congress commanded and
the Post-Oibee Obeyed Since toe passage Of the act
referred to- than 81 800 0O0 have been expended
in the transportation of these river mail with return
80 light az scarcely Justify the designation of the
expenditure postal in its character. For time 1t
is true the route possessed some importance, because
of the through mails which passed over it, but from
the completion of various railroads. these through
mails conveyed BY land, and, in consequence,
the river route has become essentially local. and sup
plies only the small Offices along the banks of the Mis-
sissipIi. All the large towns will be supplied
in advance by lateral mails carried on the railroads.
is believed that the service could be performed for
one fourth Of the which il costs, were tae
Department permitted contract for il by the trip.
reduction amounting 10 s4 ,2l3 hss been made sbeye