The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1862-09-04

been steadily increasing ever since, and
last year-ls6l-the s,npendous nun
Der Of 593, 900. 600 OF letters were car
ried. In 1899, the number of letters
carried FOR each person in England was
A; in Scotland 3 in Ireland l.. Last
year it was p far easch person in, Eng
land, 10 in Scotland and 9 IN Ireland.
tn 1888, the revenue ofthr British Post
Office was sll,73i 800 in 1861 SIG, 300.
900. Notwiths, anding there has been
such reduction in the rates Of postage
and such an Increase Of mail matter TO
carry, the use Of stamps, and the i'm
proved modes of travel by steamboat
and railway have actually reduced cx-
penses, for there is now a surplus re-
venue Of 81 500. 600 pc, annum.
Besides the organization of a cheap
postage system for lcttcrs. Rowland
Hill introduced the carrying Of books
and small parcels BY the post office, and
no less than II 900 900 ofbook packages
were carried by this method in England
last year. Another important improve.
melt also introduced was the money
order system, by which money paid
into any British post office can be drawn
by order at any other. The value of
money orders thus transmitted last year
was s73,Osl,7oO.
The success of Rowland Hills cheap
and comprehensive postal system soon
attracted attention in America, and IN
ls43 the Postmaster General-Mr. C.
A. WicElitfe-presented an elaborate
report on the subject. and proposed some
reduction Of the previous high rates.
In 1916, bill was passed by Congress
reducing the previous high rates to 5
cents for every letter under half an
ounce in weight, carried 800 miles, and
10 cents fo, ali over that distance. In
1851. 1852 and 1858, these rates were
modified and other alterations made in
our postal system. The rates now es-
tablishcd arc cents for single letter
for all distances under 3 5000 miles and
10 cents for distances over this. All
inland postage must be prepaid circu-
lars and transient newspapers under 8
ounces cent; every additional ounce
cent periodicals published monthly,
and pamphlets of not more than sixteen
octave pages, sent in packages Of no,
less than s ounces. ] cent per ounce pre-
paid; cent if not prepaid. Books less
than pounds under 5000 miles cent
per ounce, and City per cent added when
not prepaid. In 1852 postage stamps
and stamped envelopes we're ordered !;
and the only notifications adopted Of
late years have been the street letter
boxes on the lamp posts, and tile re
sluc'ion If city carriers fees to one
cent per single letter. Exchange news
papers, magazines. Sc, sent to editors
are free; weekly newspapers to sub
scribcrs in the county ofpuhl,ca,ion are
also free; ont Of the county and under
so miles, 5 cents per quarter; over 30
and under 500, 10 cents; over this and
under 1000, Is cents; over this and
under 1000. 20 cents: over this and
under 1000, 25 cents Monthly papers
and semi monthly half of these rates.
and it paid quarterly in advance a re-
duc,ion Of ono half is made.
The franking system by which mem-
bers Of Congress can send letters and
packages free by post belongs to the
worn-ont privileges Of the English Par
lament From the Postmaster Gen.
report of 1861 we learn ,ha, there are
2s,s20 post offices in all the States.
The total revenue for the year was
50 ,049, ,296; expenditures $l3, ,6O6, 759.
Thus, while the revenues are about
tutGC Va uolitJS ICSS Ntlittl lllOSt
Of Great Britain, the expenditures are
4,6O6,0oo more. The excellent roads
in England, csmall extent Of country
with its dense population render the
carrying oi the mails very much less
expensive in that eoun try than the va,
territory Of the United States with i'll
sparsely settled population. We musi
not overlook the fact, however, tha
there arc about three times the number
Of letters sent by mail in Great Britai,
than in the Unaed States. and besides
this considerable revenue Is derived
from the money orders. This fsystcH
was imperfectly tried for short pcriot
about fifteen years ago by our Pos
Office and given up. We think it shoulc
be tried again. It is most convenien
method Of transmitting money ID small