Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-09-24

SIG SOC, 900. Notwithstanding 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 improved modes OF
travel by steamboat and railway have actually
! reduced expenses, for there is now surplus
revenue OF 81 ,5OO,O0 per annum.
Besides the organization of cheap postage
| system for letters, Rowland Hill introduced
the carrying of books and small parcels by the
post office, and no less than 10 900 COO of book
| packages were carried by this method in Eng
land last year. Another important improve
ment also introduced was the money order
system, by which money paid into any Brit
| isb post office can be drawn by order at any
other The value of money orders thus trans
mitted last year was S73, ,081 100.
| The success of Rowland Hills cheap and
comprehensive postal system soon attracted
| attention in America, and in 1913 the Post
master General-Mr. C. A. Wickliffe-pre-
sented an elaborate report on the subject, and
proposed some reduction of the previous high
rates. In 1915, bill was passed by Congress
| reducing the previous high rates to cents
| for every letter under half an ounce in weight,
carried 800 miles, and 10 cents for all over
| that distance. In 1851, 1852 and 1855, these
rates were modified and other alterations made
in our postal system. The rates now estab-
lished are cents for single letter for all
distances under 5000 miles and 10 cents for
distances over this. All inland postage must
be prepaid circulars and transient newspa-
pers under 8 ounces / cent every additional
ounce l cent; periodicals published monthly,
and pamphlets of not more than sixteen octave
pages, sent in packages of not less than oun-
ces, cent per ounce prepaid l cent if not
prepaid. Books less than pounds under 81
600 miles l cent per ounce over this distance
z cents per ounce, and fifty per cent added
when not prepaid. In 1852, postage stamps
and stamped envelopes were ordered /; and the
only notifications adopted of late years have
been the street letter boxes or the lamp-posts.
and the reduction of city carriers fees 20 one
cent per single letter. Exchange new spapers,
magazines, &c., sent to editors are free week
ly newspapers to subscribers in the county of
publication are also free out of the county
and under so miles, 5 cents per quarter: over
oo ana under 800, 10 cents over this and un-
der 900, Is cents; over this and under 2 900.
20 cents; over this aud under 1000, 25 cents.
Monthly papers and semi monthly half of these
rates. and If paid quarterly in advance re-
duction of one half is made.
The tranking system by which members of
Congress can send letters and packages free
by post, belongs to the worn out privileges of
the English Parliament. From the Postmas.
ter Generals report of 1861 we learn that
there ar. 29, ,620 post Offices in ali the States.
The total revenue for the year was S9O49.-
296; expenditures S13. 3.606, ,759. Thus, while
the revenues about three million of dol
lars less than those of g reat Britain the ex-
penditures S4,606 900 more. The excel
lent roads in England, the small extent of
country with its dense population render the
carrying of the mails very much less expen-
sive in that country than in the vast territory
of the United States with its sparsely settled
population. We must not overlook the fact.
however, that there are about three times the
number of letters sent by mail in Great Brit
ain than in the United States, and besides
this a considerable revenue is derived from
the money orders. This system was imper-
iCCtiy tilcu d SDoFl peTlOQ ABOUT Hfteen
years ago by our Post Office and given up.
We think it should be tried again. 1t is a
most convenient method of transmitting mon
ey in small sums. Another reform for impro-
wing our postal system would be the reduction
of the high rates for ocean postage to Europe.
For single letter the rate to England is "a
cents, which is too high. Our Government
hac ~.
brought about without the mutual action of
foreign governments. We trust this question
will be persistently agitated until the desired
reform is effected, and single letters between |
America and Europe carried for FIVE, or at
most ten cents. The British ocean postal sys-
tenn is managed with great ability. The Gu
nard Company have carried the mails for |
twenty-five years, have never broke a con.
tract, incurred no penalties, and never asked |
an Indulgence, as we learn by some remarks |
made in Parliament. Twelve mail steamers |
are maintained by British subsidies on the |
western coast OF South America, securing a |
large trade which naturally should rather be- |
long to the United States.
An officer of an Indiana reg giment, in pas
sing through the streets sof Norfolk, met a
pretty little girl Of eight years, and gently |
patted her on the head, when the other, who |